Toenail fungus

What is it?

A fungal infection of toenails which most often afflicts people who have sweaty feet.

Nail fungus is a common condition that begins as a white or yellow spot under the tip of your nail. As the fungal infection goes deeper, the nail may become discoloured and thick. It may even lift off the nailbed. Nail fungus commonly affect toenails but it can also affect fingernails mainly in people whose work means their hands are in water for long periods.

What are the symptoms?

Thickening, whitish to yellow-brown discolouration of the infected nail which is brittle, crumbly or ragged, distorted in shape, and a dark colour caused by debris building up under your nail which has a foul smell.

What causes it?

The most common cause is a fungus called tinea pedis (athlete’s foot).

Yeast and moulds can also cause nail infections. Fungal nail infection is more common in older adults and where there’s poor circulation in the legs and feet or a weakened immune system.

What’s the treatment?

Fungal nail infections can be difficult to treat and it can take months. Talk to your doctor if over-the-counter products haven’t helped at all.

Medications

Your doctor may prescribe antifungal drugs to be taken by mouth for six to 12 weeks but you’ll only see the result when the nail grows back completely.

Amorolfine nail lacquer and tioconazole nail solution can also be used. You paint it on your infected nails and surrounding skin daily for up to a year.

Or there’s an antifungal cream, which you rub into your infected nails after soaking. Thin the nails with a file to help the medication penetrate the hard nail surface to the underlying fungus.

In stubborn cases your doctor might suggest removal of the nail so they can apply the antifungal directly to the infection.