As the name suggests, fungal nail infections refer to spots or cavernous growth on toenails and fingernails. It is called Onychomycosis or Psoriasis. Microorganisms like yeast and bacteria also affect the toenails. Several are available, and people with aberrations on their nails should start them with a doctor's consultation.
Symptoms
Fungal infections may not seem serious, but if they remain untreated, they can cause discomfort and make the nails discoloured, fragile, thin or cracked. Toenail infections are more common than fingernail infections. Toenail infections can also grow to become fungal skin infections on foot.
Different types of fungi that live in the environment cause fungal nail infections. It starts at the edge of the nail and spreads to the middle of it, thus making the nail discoloured and sometimes thicker in parts. Gradually the nail becomes brittle, and pieces start falling off. It can cause pain and swell around the skin of the nail.
Who Is More Prone to Fungal Nail Infections?
Anyone can get a nail infection. Older adults usually get a fungal infection more than others. People who have the following conditions get nail infections mostly:
A nail injury or foot deformity.
An unwashed foot.
Those who have low immunity due to diabetes or life-threatening diseases like cancer.
Poor blood circulation in the legs or peripheral arterial disease reduces the blood flow to the arms or legs.
Fungal skin infections on other parts of the body.
If a bacterial infection occurs on top of a fungal infection, it can cause serious illness. This bacterial growth is more common in people with diabetes or weak immune systems.
Treatment
Fungal nail infections are curable indeed. At our clinic, the healthcare professionals provide the best treatment for you. The usual treatment is prescribed antifungal pills, medicated nail polish, nail cream, and nail surgery. However, we have gone a step forward and invested in a new kind of treatment called laser therapy. It is a far better treatment and shows no sign of side effects.
Here are some treatments we offer:
Oral Antifungal Drugs: These drugs help replace the infected parts, thus resulting in a growth of a new nail. You must take these drugs for 6-12 weeks. People under the age of 65 have benefitted from this drug.
Medicated Nail Polish: Use this nail polish on your nails and surrounding skin once a day. After seven days, clean your nails with alcohol and reapply the nail polish. It would be best if you continued this treatment for a year.
Medicated Nail Cream: This product is more effective on thin nails. It helps the medication get through the hard nail surface and destroy the fungus. You can apply the product to your nails after soaking.
Laser Treatment: Antibiotics and nail polishes take quite some time to show results. Doctors have found this new method to treat nail infections. Lunula and podilase laser treatment attack the infectious growth without damaging the tissue. Each treatment takes 30 minutes to an hour mark.
Nail infections might seem innocuous, but they can cause a lot of damage to your skin. In case of any fungal nail infection, contact us and get it treated accordingly.