Fungal Nail Infections & Athlete's Foot

If you have a fungal nail infection, the chances are you have had it for a long time, tried various fungal nail treatments and failed…….sound familiar?

The truth is that fungal nail infections are notoriously difficult to treat and you must be really committed as the treatment can take many months to work.  The good news is that with the right treatment and perseverance, it can be treated successfully.

How Did I Get This Infection?

Fungal nail infections are extremely common and are caused by fungi that occur naturally on our bodies – some of which are good and some are bad.  The problems start when the bad fungi starts to overgrow and this is common in warm, moist breeding grounds like our feet.  When the skin becomes dry and damaged, the fungus spores can penetrate the skin and athlete’s foot takes hold and can spread to the nails – that's right, athlete’s foot and fungal nails are caused by the same fungi.

What does it look like?

You can recognize a fungal nail infection by the following symptoms: 

Thickened nails

Discolouration - white, yellow or brownish

Loose nail / debris building up under the nail

Brittle or crumbly nail

Distorted in shape

Foul smell    

Athletes Foot usually has the following symptoms:

Itchy, white patches between your toes

Red, sore, flaky patches on your feet    

It can be on the sides or soles of your feet

Occasionally it can cause fluid filled blisters

How can I get rid of it?

Start a course of treatment as prescribed by your foot health practitioner. There is no ‘quick fix’ for fungal nail infections, but we have some of the latest treatment options available so lets have a chat!

Some tips:-

Don’t share towels with anyone else in your household to prevent spreading the infection

When drying yourself after showering or bathing, dry your infected foot/nails last

Wash socks and towels at 60 degrees C

Treat athletes foot as soon as you notice it to try to limit its spread to nails

Make sure you treat your shoes too or you will keep reinfecting yourself with fungal spores lodged in your shoes    

Keep your feet clean and dry

Wear clean socks every day

Don't share nail clippers or scissors with anyone in your household

Don't be embarrassed! Its really common so let's get it sorted!