Fungal nail infections: a reluctant owner’s guide
At the start of summer, you probably peeled off your socks and showed your toes to the sunshine for the first time in months. It’s at this point that you may have noticed that one or more toenails have become discoloured, thickened and are crumbly or split at the top edge. You may also notice flaky debris under the nail, and that the nail has become rough or lumpy. It may also hurt if you press it. (4)
These changes are all due to a long-lasting fungal nail infection (onychomycosis), by yeasts, moulds, and other kinds of fungus, with the most common being a dermatophytes fungus infection. Fungal nail infections start from the tip of the nail and work down to the base of the nail, and often take a long time to clear up even with treatment.
How did the fungus get on my toenail?
The fungus will thrive in warm moist environments such as your damp trainers, sweaty feet inside synthetic material socks, and from repeated sports or fitness-related injuries.
You can catch a fungal nail infection at a public swimming pools, your gym locker rooms and even your family bathroom shower if one of the household has an infection already. Those with diabetes, poor blood circulation, or a weakened immune system are more at risk too.
Is a dermatophytes fungal nail infection common?
According to the Canadian Dermatology Association, the dermatophytes fungus is responsible for around 50% of all nail abnormalities (1), and a third of fungal skin infections too. (3) Around 1 in 4 people get fungal nail infections, and many do not seek treatment if it is not painful or causing other problems.
However, this is not a goos strategy, as nail infections rarely clear up by themselves, even in Canadian summer sunshine or with regular immersion in clean Great Lakes water! If your fungal nail is left untreated, it can infect other toenails, and will effectively re-infect your footwear once the summer ends and you’re back in your warm, moist winter boots again. Your infected toenail will not return to its former healthy state either, and will be more prone to further damage, and other infections.
What treatment are available for a fungal nail infection?
To get rid of the fungus and save your nails from further damage, it’s best to get a diagnosis and specialist treatment early by consulting a podiatrist at a foot clinic. Common treatments they might suggest include:
- Topical solutions that are painted directly onto the nail
- Nail drilling (fenestration)to allow topical treatments to penetrate the nail
- Oral medicines (which require a prescription from a medical professional)
- Thinning, trimming, or filing nails to remove infected material
- Surgical removal of the affected nail and subsequent treatment of the fungus
- Chemical removal of the nail
Early treatments can restore some of the normal appearance to the nail, but there is no guarantee especially if the infection has reached the base of your toenail (the nail matrix).
At Hunt Footcare, we can diagnose, treat and kill the fungus causing your nail infection, to cure an existing infection. Call us to make an appointment at any of our three Ontario foot clinics:
How to prevent fungal nail infections spreading
As with most feet skin conditions, good hygiene can help prevent a fungal infections spreading from one toenail to another.
- Make sure your shoes fit properly and are not too tight
- Keep your feet dry, and if they get wet, dry gently including between the toes
- Wear socks made from natural breathable fibres such as cotton or bamboo
- Wear clean socks every day and change if they get wet into a clean, dry pair
- Treat your favourite shoes with an antifungal spray or powder to kill any resident fungus
- Keep your toenails trimmed and use a separate clipper for your infected toenail
Looking for help with a fungal nail infection in Ontario?
Contact us today to make an appointment at one of our three Ontario foot care clinics.
About the author
J.Craig Hunt D.Ch. is founder of Hunt Footcare, one of Southwestern Ontario’s longest providers of professional footcare and foot surgery consultation services. He is Past President of both the College of Chiropodists of Ontario and the Ontario Society of Chiropodists. Read more about Craig here.
RESOURCES:
(1) Canadian Dermatology Association. (n.d.). Nail fungus and infection. https://dermatology.ca/public-patients/diseases-conditions/nail-conditions/nail-fungus-and-infection/
(2) British Association of Dermatologists. (n.d.). Fungal nail infections. https://www.bad.org.uk/pils/fungal-nail-infections
(3) Boroditsky, A. D., & Andriessen, A. (2017). Toenail onychomycosis – A Canadian approach with a new transungal treatment: A podiatrist perspective. Vancouver General Hospital, Department of Podiatry. https://www.bcpodiatrists.ca/pdfs/ToenailOnychomycosisManuscriptAugust2017.pdf
(4) Alberta Health Services. (n.d.). Fungal nail infection. MyHealth.Alberta.ca. https://myhealth.alberta.ca/Health/pages/conditions.aspx?hwid=hw268101
