Fungal Nail Infection:

Although less common than Athlete's foot (see Athlete's foot), fungal infections of the nails typically affect 2 or 3% of people in the UK at any one time. Affecting toenails more commonly than fingernails this infection is both common in younger people who share communal showers such as swimmers or athletes and in people over 60. Nail infection can develop from adjoining skin infection so Athlete's foot is often seen in association. It is therefore sensible to treat Athlete's foot as soon as it is recognised to minimise the chance of developing fungal nail infection which is more difficult to treat. Infection of the fingernails most commonly occur in people who spend a lot of their time with their hands in water, such as cooks or cleaners as constant washing can damage the protective skin at the base of the nail and allow fungus to enter.

Fungal nail infection is often restricted to one nail, although several can be affected at any one time. As uncomplicated infection is usually painless people tend merely to notice the unsightly changes to the nails with thickening and discolouration of the nail and sometimes separation of the nail from the nail bed and increased friability of the nail. If there is infection of the adjoining skin this will appear red or scaly and if untreated this infection may spread to involve the nail bed and pain can then develop.

In contrast to treatment of Athlete's foot, fungal nail infection is less easy to treat. Indeed if the condition is not causing any pain but merely some mild unsightliness of the nail(s) many people are keen to leave it well alone with an option to treat in the future if the infection becomes worse. Where treatment is required medication is the main stay. However, this usually has to be taken for up to 12 weeks and people need to be aware of a small chance of serious side-effects from the anti-fungal treatment. When taken correctly the medication is very successful, most cases of apparent treatment failure can be explained because of people stopping their medication prematurely.

An alternative to medication are anti-fungal nail paints and these can be successful if the infection is confined towards the end of the nail. However, where the infection is close to the skin this treatment is much less effective than the oral medication and in any case may need to be applied regularly for up to 12 months!

Because nails grow slowly and the fungi that are killed with treatment stay in the nail until it has grown out, it can take several months for a new nail to grow back fully. Fresh healthy nail growing from the base of the nail outwards is a sign that the treatment is working. This healthy nail will gradually replace the infected nail as it continues to grow forward and the old infected part of the nail can be clipped off, but use a separate pair of scissors to cut infected nails to prevent contaminating the other healthy nails.

Disclaimer: This page is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as medical advice or substituted for professional advice. Always consult your doctor with your questions and concerns.