What are the symptoms of toenail fungus?
Toenail fungus (onychomycosis) is a fungal infection that develops underneath your nail. Because the organisms thrive on keratin, the naturally occurring protein in your nails, they continue to invade your nail from root to tip. When this occurs, you may experience:
- Darkening or yellowing of nails
- Foul-smelling odor
- Thickened nails
- Brittle or crumbling nails
If left untreated, fungal nails can start pulling away from your skin and may become increasingly tender and painful. This can make walking or standing on the affected foot uncomfortable.
How is toenail fungus treated?
Toenail fungus can easily spread to surrounding nails or even your fingernails — you can even spread it to others. Needless to say, getting diagnosed and starting an effective treatment plan at Progressive Podiatry PLLC at the first sign of a fungal infection is important. Your toenail fungus treatment plan can include:
- Topical antifungal medications
- Clear antifungal nail polish
- Removing the diseased nail and tissue (debridement)
- Prescription oral medications
Dr. Breth and Dr. Khanna even offer fungal nail laser treatments with Aerolase®. This state-of-the-art medical laser gently heats skin tissue deep below the surface of your nail, effectively destroying all fungal organisms. Treatments are performed on all nails right in the office, often in less than 10 minutes.
Can I prevent toenail fungus?
While you can’t prevent every case of toenail fungus, you can take several measures to drastically reduce your risk of a future outbreak. To prevent toenail fungus, it’s important to:
- Trim your toenails straight across
- Wear socks and shoes made of breathable materials
- Wash and dry your feet daily
- Let your gym shoes dry out overnight
- Avoid sharing pedicure tools and nail clippers
You also need to be careful with nail salons, since fungi thrive in pedicure bath jets and on pedicure instruments. The caring team at Progressive Podiatry PLLC can counsel you on other ways to prevent future issues with toenail fungus, too.
The sooner you start toenail fungus treatment at Progressive Podiatry PLLC, the quicker you’re going to have beautiful, healthy nails. Book your treatment either online or over the phone.
