What happens if you don't treat toenail fungus?

If you have toenail fungus and it goes untreated, you may experience: Pain in your feet and toes due to thickened, distorted toenails. Spread of the fungus to your skin, causing athlete's foot. Infection of the surrounding areas, causing cracked skin, and increasing bacterial spread.

Can I ignore toenail fungus?

If you have a case of toenail fungus, please do not ignore this problem. Serious complications can arise if you do not have the fungus treated, including foot pain, widespread infection, the loss of your nail and more.

Can toenail fungus be life threatening?

Although fungal nail infections are not life-threatening, they're an important health problem because of their high prevalence and poor response to therapy.

Is it ever too late to treat toenail fungus?

It's Never Too Lake to Clear Up Your Fungal Nails! If you're currently suffering from fungal toenails—regardless of how long you've had them, or how many times you've tried to treat them, or what time of year it is—there's something you must know: It's never too late.

How long can you have toenail fungus?

With treatment, many people can get rid of nail fungus. Even when the fungus clears, your nail(s) may look unhealthy until the infected nail grows out. A fingernail grows out in 4 to 6 months and a toenail in 12 to 18 months.

CURE Toenail Fungus for Less than $2.00 - Dr. Berg

Can nail fungus cause other health issues?

A severe case of nail fungus can be painful and may cause permanent damage to your nails. And it may lead to other serious infections that spread beyond your feet if you have a suppressed immune system due to medication, diabetes or other conditions.

What are the stages of toenail fungus?

Is it necessary to treat toenail fungus?

In addition, your nails become more brittle and drier over time, creating more cracks where fungus can live. Fortunately, toenail fungus typically does not lead to bigger medical problems. I generally encourage healthy adult patients with mild toenail fungus to not treat it or to treat it just using topical measures.

When should I go to the doctor for toenail fungus?

Fungal nail infections can get worse over time. See your doctor if you notice your nail has turned brown or black, if it suddenly hurts, or if it pulls away from the nail bed.

What kills toenail fungus fast?

Can toe fungus enter the bloodstream?

Widespread infection.

In severe cases of cellulitis, the infection can enter the bloodstream and be deadly. “And it can all start from a simple fungal infection,” Joseph says.

Can toenail fungus spread to other parts of the body?

The greatest danger of not treating the foot or toenail fungus is that it can spread to other parts of the body, such as the hands and groin. If for some reason you can't treat your toenails or your feet right away, at least use an antifungal topical cream on the surrounding skin, Dr.

What is the white hard stuff under my toenails?

In medical terms this is called onychomycosis or tinea unguium,” says Batra. The fungal infection breaks down the keratin in the nail to form a white or yellow chalky substance under the nail plate. "As keratin debris spreads under the nail, the nail plate typically becomes lifted up off of the nail bed.

Should you clip toenails with fungus?

If you do have a toenail fungus, your doctor will likely recommend one or more of the following treatment options: Trimming the Toenail Trimming the toenail is usually combined with medication, but having a podiatrist periodically trim the nail down is helpful and allows the medication to work better, says Sundling.

Should I wear socks to bed with toenail fungus?

This can help whether you're the one with the infection or not. Wear clean, breathable socks to bed. If you share a bed with another person, the fungus may transfer to them via shared linens. Wearing clean socks to bed and washing sheets regularly minimizes transmission risk.

Can foot fungus cause amputation?

Something as small as an infected toenail from fungus can lead to major infections throughout the foot. If not treated promptly and properly, this infection can result in gangrene and even amputation.

How do Podiatrists treat fungal nail?

The podiatrist can mechanically debride or remove some of the fungal nail infection without the use of local anaesthesia. This is a pain free treatment and needs to be repeated every 2 months until regrowth of the nail is viewed or a change in treatment plan is required.

Can toenail fungus cause nail to fall off?

Fungi can grow between your nail bed and toenail, eventually making your toenail fall off. Symptoms of a fungal toenail infection include: noticeably thicker toenails.

What looks like toenail fungus but isn t?

If your fingernails or toenails are discolored, cracking, or separating from the nail bed, you may have nail psoriasis or nail fungus. Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease. Its symptoms can look different depending on skin tone: On light skin tones, psoriasis can appear red with scaly patches on the skin.

Should I go to dermatologist or podiatrist for toenail fungus?

The truth is that you can go to either a dermatologist or a podiatrist to have your nail fungus treated, but it is especially important to see a podiatrist when it affects your toenails specifically.

Does nail fungus turn black when it dies?

A toenail can also become discolored from fungal infections in the skin under and around the nail. Toes can turn black from a lack of circulation causing gangrene, which is death of body tissue. If there is any doubt what is causing your black toenail, see your doctor or podiatrist.

Can you get a pedicure if you have fungus?

If you get a nail fungal infection, you may still be able to wear nail polish, but you should not wear artificial nails because it will be hard for your doctor to monitor your improvement.

Can toenail fungus spread to your brain?

Fungal meningitis can develop after a fungal infection spreads from somewhere else in the body to the brain or spinal cord.

Can fungal infection affect the heart?

Bacteria, fungi or other germs from another part of your body, such as your mouth, spread through your bloodstream and attach to damaged areas in your heart. If it's not treated quickly, endocarditis can damage or destroy your heart valves.

Why is my big toenail so thick?

Toenails that grow thicker over time likely indicate a fungal infection, also known as onychomycosis. Left untreated, thick toenails can become painful. Prompt treatment can be key to curing the nail fungus. Fungal infections might be difficult to cure and may require months of treatment.