Fungal Nails

Many people think they have fungal nail infections when in truth their nails may just be damaged or thickened due to a lifetime of sport or activity. It’s always important to make sure you get the correct diagnosis so seeing a podiatrist is essential and following a diagnosis, treatments can be discussed.

Fungal nail infections referred to in medical terms as onychomycosis, occur when a fungi infects the nails. The infection often originates initially from athletes foot. Usually, the first sign of the nail infection is a white or yellow/brown opaque streak which either appears at one side of the nail or under the tip of your nail. Symptoms of a fungal infection may include brittleness, discoloration, thickening and crumbling of the nail, as well as debris under the nail itself. In some cases, the nail can detach from the nail bed.

A correct diagnosis is the key to treating fungal nail infections. On many occasions your podiatrist may be able to diagnose the condition by sight, on other occasions they may choose to send clippings off to diagnose the fungi causing the infection.

Your podiatrist will provide treatment initially to help restore a normal appearance to the nail followed by ongoing care to help cure the fungal infection.