It is easy to get nail fungus!– they are particularly common on the floors of communal showers and changing rooms – and many of us probably already have fungi on our skin. They cause problems only when the conditions are right for them to thrive, which means warmth and moisture.

Why do people get nail fungus infections?

When human beings started wearing enclosed shoes, which trap sweat and heat, we created ideal conditions for fungi. This is why only 1% of people in Zaire, Africa, have fungal toenail infections compared with 10% of people in the UK. It is not surprising that fungal toenail infections (and also athlete’s foot) are five times as common in people who have to wear work boots for long periods in wet conditions.

The fungi go under the tip of the nail and the infection starts.

This is particularly likely to happen if:

  • the end of the nail has been damaged (for example, by ill-fitting shoes) and is already slightly separated from its toe
  • prescribed with long-term tetracycline medication and then exposing your toenails to sunlight – this is called photo-onycholysis
  • being diagnosed with a condition such as diabetes or an immune deficiency
  • you are elderly
  • the fungus is already multiplying between the toes (athlete’s foot)

How does the infection spread?

The fungus very gradually spreads towards the base of the nail and down the sides, loosening the nail from the underlying toe and filling the separated area with crumbly, yellowish-white gunk. The nail itself becomes thicker and yellowish-brown in color. This can take months or years.

Sometimes the infection starts at the base of the nail, giving a whitish area near the half-moon, or it may just affect the surface of the middle of the nail, where it will appear as a white patch.

smelly toenail treatment

Laser Treatment for Nail Fungus

If you have caught nail fungus, it can be easily treated using the FDA-approved PinPointe laser, which typically only takes on treatment.

Our nail doctor in San Francisco, CA recommends this treatment. The PinPointe Laser treatment has the highest cure rate in the market. It has no side effects and no recovery period. As a result, you can go about your daily activities right after the treatment. Also, it is not painful.

If you have any signs of nail fungus, call us at (800) 672-0625 or visit our website for more information on our doctors at one of our over 160 locations.