Really stinky toenails can be very difficult to manage, for different aspects of your life including emotional, physical, and mental. Personal discomfort and social isolation are likely to follow stinky toenails. This is because you will be trapped with the odor yourself and people won’t want to be around you. The foul odors that can emerge from toenails can often be very disgusting. Not many people will want to be around you if it is noticeable.

Social isolation from this issue can cause a multitude of mental and emotional problems. It simply doesn’t feel good to think that your nails are causing such a detriment to your life. Your nail odor may even cause you to become very self-conscious because of how people react to it. In general, people generalize foot odor as an issue caused by voluntary dirtiness. It may be difficult for people to understand if you have tried and failed to fix the smell coming from your feet.

Causes of very stinky toenails

Stinky toenails caused by fungus are often difficult to treat. This is because the only way to fix them is to fix the fungal infection itself. The fungus infects the nail bed, which is hidden under the nail. Regular washing attempts won’t be able to get into the nail bed to eliminate the fungus, so they will be ineffective at removing the infection. Many people have actually been attempting to cure their fungus for years by many methods. Some people who have a toenail fungus try methods including frequent washing, antiperspirants, topical medications, and more. These treatments usually don’t work, and after a long time of trying people may even feel defeated.

Really stinky toenails from a fungus usually don’t show up by themselves; the infection comes with other common symptoms as well. Other, aesthetic damages to the nail are common with toenail fungus infections. These damages are typically only aesthetic and can cause the nail to appear dirty. The visual changes that fungus can cause compound the stigma caused by the smell of the infections. Since both the visual changes of the nail and the smell coming from the fungus are associated with being “dirty,” having both of them together is likely to be perceived negatively by society.

Topical medication options for fungal nails

There are treatment options that will eliminate the root cause of the smell. This may also eliminate fungal spores themselves. However, many of these treatments have led patients to even more frustration as they tend to be ineffective. Topical medications are very common and accessible. They may come in prescription and over-the-counter form. While these medications are common, they also tend to be very weak.

Topical medications must have a low concentration of active ingredients to not cause damage or irritation to the nail or skin. This quality limits their effectiveness. To eliminate the fungus, topical medications must get through the nail into the nail bed. Formulating effective safe medications that can get through to the nail bed is difficult. It can be even more difficult with fungal nails that have become very thick. Results from these topical medications can take up to a year to start showing up!

Oral medication options for fungal nails

Really stinky toenails are managed in different ways, but not all of these methods are made equal. Oral medications are one way that podiatrists try to treat toenail fungus. This option is risky. Risks from oral medications typically outweigh any benefits from them. They have many side effects and cure rates are relatively low. Liver toxicity is a common and very dangerous side effect that may come from oral medication. 

Best way to treat toenail fungus which causes really stinky toenails

If you feel you have lost hope for treating your really stinky toenails, there is an answer in sight. The toenail fungus laser treatment is the most effective way to treat nail fungus. Also, the safest treatment for toenail fungus that doesn’t come with risky side effects like oral antifungal medications. The PinPointe laser eliminates the fungus under your nail with just one session, which means you should start to see an improvement in the smell of your nails almost immediately. 

If you have uncontrollable stinky toenails, you should be seen by a podiatrist as soon as possible so that you can improve the condition of your nails. They will be able to diagnose your condition and provide you with the care that can help. To see the podiatrists we work with within San Francisco with the PinPointe laser treatment, view our website here.