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What you need to know about fungal nails

What you need to know about fungal nails

A fungal nail does not look so nice in open shoes. What can you do about it and is it dangerous?

How to recognize a fungal nail
Do you notice that your toenail is getting thicker? And do you not get cracks much later or does the nail get a whiter color? That could well be a fungal nail, also called fungal nail. The cause of this is a fungal infection. Everyone has fungus on the skin and around the nails. Usually they do not cause an infection, but sometimes the fungus manages to penetrate your nail.

The development of a fungal nail
The infection usually starts at the edge of your nail, which then becomes discolored. Often it is a toenail, but your fingernails can also be infected. The nail becomes porous and sometimes comes off partially.

Is a fungal nail dangerous?
A fungal nail is harmless in almost all cases. The fungal nail grows out by itself and rarely leads to health problems.

How do you treat a fungal nail?
You can just let the fungal nail grow so that the fungus disappears on its own. Sometimes the problem is more persistent. In that case, a fungal nail is difficult to treat. If you do achieve results, the fungal nail can come back. Creams and ointments with antifungal agents help to fight the infection in the skin, but do not penetrate the nail.

What else can you do?

  • You can touch up the nail with a file or pumice stone if it bulges up annoyingly. Wear wool or cotton socks.
  • Keep your feet clean and dry.
  • If you regularly suffer from nail fungus, your doctor can prescribe tablets that reduce the chance of an infection. These help about three in four people. You usually have to take the tablets for three months and they have many side effects. It then takes a few months before the fungal nail has grown out and is replaced by a healthy nail.