Toenail fungus changes the appearance of your nail. Those changes can be embarrassing, making you want to hide your nail inside shoes and socks. Luckily, timely fungal toenail treatment can help restore your nail health. But choosing the right treatment may depend on accurately diagnosing the type of fungus affecting your nail.

What is Toenail Fungus? An infected toe needing fungal toenail treatment

Toenail fungus is a type of infection that affects everything from your nail plate and bed to the surrounding skin, depending on severity. It develops when fungi—naturally present in our everyday world—are able to penetrate your skin barrier, causing infection.

Symptoms of a fungal toenail infection include:  

  • Changes in nail color
  • Thickening of the nail
  • A nail that’s brittle or crumbling
  • thickening of the nail

While these symptoms are common among all fungal toenail infections, you may notice subtle differences depending on the type of fungus causing your infection.

Types of Toenail Fungus

Four different fungal varieties can lead to a toenail infection. They are:

1. Distal Subungual

The most common type of toenail fungus, and one of the easiest to treat, this infection typically begins at your nail’s edge, moving inward gradually while causing textural and visual changes.  While your big toe is most often affected, infection can impact any nail. Symptoms include nail thickening; the nail will take on a yellow tinge. Your nail could separate from the toe bed, and you could also develop chips in the nail.

2. White Superficial

This fungal type affects the top layers of your nail and may cause small white specks to appear on its surface. The nail becomes soft and prone to crumbling.

3. Candida

One of the least common causes of toenail infections, according to this study, this yeast-based fungus typically impacts patients with diabetes, compromised immune systems, and older adults. Symptoms include nails that become brittle and discolored. The skin around your toenail may take on a reddish tinge. But because these symptoms are very similar to those associated with other fungal types, diagnosis often depends on taking a sample of the affected nail.

4. Proximal Subungual

Most rare of all, this type of fungal toenail infection actually begins in your skin and spreads to the nail. It’s typically found in patients with severely compromised immune systems, often due to underlying conditions such as HIV or AIDS.  Symptoms include white patches that are centered on your cuticle; they spread as your nail grows out. Your toenail also tends to separate from your nail bed.

Fungal Toenail Treatment Options

It’s important to seek early treatment for toenail fungus or it will progress and become a deeply rooted infection.  Fungus could also spread to other toenails, making treatment more complicated. There are a variety of fungal toenail treatment options available in the office of Marietta podiatrist Dr. Alvin Cowans, and the one we recommend will depend on the current state of your overall health, along with the type of toenail fungus causing your infection. Just keep in mind that whatever treatment we choose, clearing up a fungal toenail infection is a lengthy process.

Prescription Medications

For mild fungal infection, topical medication may resolve the problem. However, because it doesn’t penetrate through the nail bed, this treatment option often fails to completely resolve the fungus.

As such, most podiatrists will prescribe a combination of topical and oral medication for fungal toenails. Options include:

  • Lamisil or Sporanox, oral medications that are quite effective at resolving toenail fungus, but can cause severe side effects, including liver damage, so patients on this fungal toenail treatment require regular bloodwork to monitor liver function. Additionally, these medications may cause stomach upset, headaches and increased sensitivity to the sun. They can also interact with other medications—particularly with beta blockers and anti-depressants, according to this study, so patients taking these drugs may not be able to treat their fungus orally.

Laser Therapy

Luckily, at Optimum Podiatry in Powder Springs, GA, there’s another option: laser treatment for toenail fungus. As a standalone or in combination with other treatments, it’s a safe and effective way to resolve toenail fungus without the risk for drug interactions or harmful side effects.

Prevention is Key

Even when fungal toenail treatments are effective, it can take a year or more to restore the appearance of your healthy toenail. For that reason, we always share tips for preventing toenail fungus with our patients. Here’s how to protect your nails:

  • Clean and dry your feet every day.
  • Keep your feet covered, especially in public spaces such as shared showers, locker rooms and on pool decks.
  • Change your socks daily, or more frequently if you’re very prone to foot sweating.
  • Choose shoes made from natural, breathable material and steer clear of snug-fitting pairs.
  • Rotate the shoes you wear each day so that they have a chance to dry completely. If you’ve had a previous fungal infection, you can also treat shoes with anti-fungal powder.
  • Make sure your feet are well moisturized—this will help prevent the types of cracks that can allow fungus to invade your body and cause an infection.
  • Never share nail clippers, and make sure to sanitize your scissors between each use.
  • Avoid nail salons that don’t have rigorous sanitation practices.
  • If you’ve been undergoing fungal toenail treatment for an active infection, make sure to treat the shoes you wear as well. Otherwise, you’ll be at risk for a repeat infection.

 

When to Seek Professional Fungal Toenail Treatment

Since toenail fungus is notoriously hard to treat, it’s important to see your doctor at the first sign of infection. If you’ve noticed white or yellow spots on your nail; changes to the thickness or texture of the nail; or a mild odor coming off of the toenail, now’s the time to come into the office—just call us at 770-727-0614 or follow this link to request an appointment.  With early intervention, we will be able to stop the spread of infection, and we may be able to shorten the time it takes for you to see the return of a healthy toenail.

Get Rid of Stubborn Toenail Fungus With Laser Therapy at Optimum Podiatry in Powder Springs, GA

Visit Dr. Alvin Cowans at Optimum Podiatry located in the community of Lost Mountain in Powder Springs, GA.  Dr. Alvin Cowans is a foot and ankle expert and board certified foot surgeon. Dr. Cowans offers laser therapy for toenail fungus, a speedier and more efficient option than traditional medications. Optimum Podiatry serves patients throughout Cobb County and Paulding County, including Marietta, Smyrna, Mableton, Kennesaw, Austell, Dallas, Hiram, Acworth, and Lithia Springs.

Call 770-727-0614 to schedule your appointment or click here to get started.