What Else Can Fingernails Tell A Dermatologist About Your Health
Nails say a lot about your health. Your dermatologist can look for changes in the nail texture, brittleness, lunula , overall shape and color of your nails.
Seeing changes in the shape and color of nails can mean chronic lung or heart diseases. Sometimes whitening might indicate kidney or heart disease. Brittleness alerts us to consider if the thyroid is working properly or if the person may have anemia. If theres clubbing of the tip of the nail and texture changes, there could be an underlying lung problem. If I see concerning nail symptoms, I will look into it further. Often dermatologists are the first doctors to notice not-yet-diagnosed health problems.
Also, if you notice a new brown or black stripe, theres a risk of melanoma under the nailor it may just be a freckle or due to a nail infection or inflammation. Its important to understand that most melanomas under the nail are not caused by sun damage, but by random mutationsif you have one, you just got unlucky.
New stripes going down the nail need to be checked out by a dermatologist. A red stripe or lifting of nail from the nail bed could indicate another type of skin cancer.
Yale Medicine is unique in that our staff includes highly trained dermatologists also trained in pathology, called dermatopathologists, who look under the microscope to confirm whether the problem is a nail fungus or another skin disease such as melanoma or another skin cancer. And if so, they help us make the right diagnosis.
Best Ways To Treat A Nail Fungus
Nail fungus can cause thick, discolored nails, and, for some patients, it can even be painful. An Internet search will bring up plenty of ways to treat the condition, but which ones are best? Dermatologist Dr. Christopher Hull discusses what nail fungus actually is, why its so hard to get rid of, and which treatments work best.
Use A Toenail Fungus Treatment That Works
Avoiding the source of fungus is just one part of treating unsightly toenail fungus. Its not something that goes away on its own, and the quicker you begin an effective treatment program, the quicker you will begin seeing clearing.
Dr. Canuso Healthy Nail System is guaranteed to clear toenail fungus, or your money back. The proprietary two-step system works by treating the source of fungus with a fast-acting anti-fungal ingredients and delivery method that Dr. Canuso has developed during her career as an award-winning podiatric surgeon.
Toenails begin growing in clear, healthy and strong after only a few weeks. Take control of your toenail fungus this year with a commitment to healthy pedicure and shoe habits, and help from Dr. Canuso Skincare for Feet. Order your Healthy Nail System now and say goodbye to toenail fungus for good!
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How To Avoid Toenail Fungus From Nail Salons
Toenail fungus can be difficult to eliminate, but if youd like to prevent it from resurfacing, there are a couple of methods available to you.
While its easy to keep nail fungus at bay when youre at home, it can be much harder when you visit nail salons as youre probably not aware of how clean they keep their nail stations.
Here are some top tips for choosing a nail salon that youre unlikely to catch a toenail fungus at.
Symptoms Of Toenail Fungus
How do you know if youve been unlucky and caught toenail fungus at your last pedicure? Sometimes, your pedicurist might let you know theres a problem if they see something off during a session. However, it is pretty simple to spot the telltale symptoms of toenail fungus yourself too. Look out for one or more of these indications of toenail fungus:
- Discoloration of your toenails. The toenail may develop spots or patches of yellow, white, black or green. As the condition progresses, the discoloration will spread across the nail, covering it entirely.
- Thickening of the affected nail.
- Distortion of the nail. Toenail fungus causes nails to change shape as well as texture.
- Difficulty in trimming nails because of odd shape, texture, and thickness.
- Brittle toenails or toenails that crumble easily.
- Toenails begin to crack easily. They are more fragile than normal healthy nails.
- Swelling and infection in the skin surrounding the toenail that has the fungus. The skin might start to crack or become itchy and infected.
- Discomfort or pain. This might happen when you apply pressure to it or even otherwise.
Left untreated, the fungus could cause bigger problems. The infection could spread beyond the nails to other parts of the body. It could even enter your bloodstream and become very risky to your general health. At the very least, your nail might be badly discolored, or you might wind up permanently losing your nail to infection.
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Will Nail Salons Do Pedicures If You Have Toenail Fungus
There are two types of salons, there one that will do a pedicure with nail fungal infection and the one that will not do it at all. Lets start with the first type that will do it, some times you go to the salon without knowing you have the fungus or/and the nail technician does not know about nail infection so they take tools and start with cutting, filling, polishing and nourishing your feet
or the nail tech is aware of the fungi but just do the pedi anyway. So it is very important to tell the nail tech about your nail infection when you call for appointment so that they know before treatment starts to avoid spreading it. Some of the nail parlors they will ask you to bring your own equipment when you come for a pedi to avoid spreading the infection in the salon
and spreading it to other clients via tools that are used and if they realize that you have fungal infection during treatment they will ask you to pay for the tools that were used on you and take them home to avoid contamination of the nail parlor.
The second type is that one that will not do a pedi on your feet because you have toenail fungus and they dont want to spread fungal infections from one client to the other. They may send you to the right podiatrist to help you clear your toes.
Should I See A Podiatrist For Toenail Fungus
If you recognize the symptoms of toenail fungus, you must meet with the right doctor, a podiatrist, for proper treatment. Podiatrists will treat toenail fungus by using topical creams, removing part of the nail, and or using more modern methods like laser therapy to eliminate the infection.
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Can You Get A Pedicure If You Have Gross Feet
First thing’s first: you don’t have gross feet. At least, no grosser than those of the general population. And certainly not as gross as the grossest feet your local nail tech has seen.
Don’t believe us? You don’t have to. We spoke to three nail-salon professionals all about nail-salon etiquette: Katie Grays, owner of Bella Donna Day Spa in San Jose Irene from Fifi Nail Salon in New York City and Barb Shea from Team Blonde outside Chicago. All three assured us that, as far as pedicures go, you have nothing to worry about. They’ve seen it all,”from the beautiful feet to the warted feet,” says Irene.
If you’re still concerned that your feet are too gross for a pedicure, or you’re wondering how to address your foot issues with your nail tech, read on. Then, ditch those worries and get ready to sport those summer nail trends without fear.
What Is The White Stuff Under My Toenails
Nail psoriasis sometimes causes too much keratin to grow under the nail. This overgrowth is called subungual hyperkeratosis. People with hyperkeratosis may notice a white, chalky substance under the nail. When this occurs in the toenails, the pressure of shoes pushing down on the nails might cause pain.
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What Is Black Toenail Fungus
If you have a dark, thick toenail, it could be toenail fungus, which is usually caused by a type of fungus called dermatophytes. It affects the toenail and the area beneath the nail and causes color changes, thickening, and abnormally shaped nails.
Its fairly common, with at least 12% of American adults diagnosed with it, according to Seminars in Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery. Older adults and people with diabetes, circulation problems, or a weakened immune system are more likely to have toenail fungus.
This infection doesnt usually go away on its own, and it can take a year or more to treat it with prescription medications. These are applied to the nail or taken in pill form.
How Would I Know If I Have A Nail Infection
Fungus grows in warm, moist places such as under nails. When fungus has a chance to grow in the nail, it can turn into a fungal infection, which is a common problem. Typical signs of a fungal infection include new white or yellow patches and streaks, but nails can also turn brown or green. Youll see lifting of the nail from the skin underneath, and sometimes you will see thickening of the nail. The nail will look bumpy or have ridges with crumbly debris underneath. It may even be so misshapen that it seems to be veering off to the side, or the nail may fall off completely.
If the infection is caused by bacteria instead of a fungus, you may notice redness, swelling, pain or pus in the skin surrounding the nail.
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Why You Might Get Fungus From A Pedicure
During a pedicure, in particular, you could pick up a fungus in one or more of these ways:
- From unclean equipment that hasnt been properly sterilized
- From sharing tools like clippers and nail files and nail products like nail polish with other clients at the pedicurist
- Tampering with your cuticles, cutting or pushing it during the pedicure
- Cutting too much of the nail near the edges
Cure Toenail Pain From Fungus Infection
Know The Symptoms And Reasons You Shouldn’t Wait to Seek Effective Treatment
A painful, thick, yellow, green, brown or black toenail means you could have a toenail fungus infection. If you have a toenail fungal infection it won’t go away on its own. You can’t get rid of it with home remedies or over the counter topical treatments. Learn why, and how to cure it by reading more.
Toenail fungus is common and it can develop when dry, brittle nails develop cracks that allow fungus to enter the nail unit. A toenail fungus infection most often occurs when excessive moisture gets under your toenail and is trapped by your socks and shoes, allowing fungus to grow and thrive. Nail fungus can also be caused by yeast and mold.
Left untreated toenail fungus can become a foot fungus, spreading from your toenail, to the skin in between your toes, your arch and the heel of your foot.
Scratching it or picking at it can also spread it to your fingers, and then to other parts of your body. You can also spread it to other people if you are sharing a shower or tub.
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Making A Vinegar Soak
If you want to try treating your nail fungus with vinegar, then the best thing to do is soak your foot in a vinegar-water mixture. Diluting the vinegar is important to prevent it from irritating your skin. Try a daily soak and see if it helps clear the infection. If not, then don’t panic. You can still use more conventional treatments.
Nail Tools Shopping List
The golden rule of giving yourself a pedicure with foot fungus: throw it away when you can. Prioritize cheap but effective nail tools that you can discard after one use. High grade rubbing alcohol is a must for disinfecting your non-disposable tools. Add healing items to your foot soaks and dont forget to moisturize!
This shopping list is a good place to begin:
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Avoid Having Damp Feet
Always ensure your feet are completely dry after youve bathed them in the foot basin and certainly before putting on shoes.
If not, the damp, enclosed space will be a perfect area for bacteria to thrive in, and fungus will start to grow between your feet and around your nails.
A good pedicurist will dry your feet completely before she paints your nail, including between the toes.
How To Give Yourself A Pedicure With Toenail Fungus
You need to see your doctor first to confirm that you have toenail fungus before doing pedi because the are infections that look the same as fungus and are not. For those who are sure that they have fungal toenails you will need pedicure tools and anti-fungal polish to pamper yourself. It is important to keep in mind that only antifungal polish will help you to keep fungal infections at bay.
Use the equipment to cut, file and trim your nails and be extra careful when dealing with the cuticle to avoid cutting it badly and causing injury to yourself and this may be an entry for more fungus to enter your body. The next step is applying polish on your nails to make them look beautiful, hide toenail fungus instantly and kill fungus at the same time. This type of polish takes longer than the usual polish and you will have to use nails polish remover after a certain period
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Signs Of A Toenail Fungal Infection
- Discolored toenails. Nails can be brown, black, white, or yellow. Usually a small area changes color at first and it slowly spreads.
- Thickened toenails. Over time, the nail becomes thick, material builds up under the nail, and the nail can develop an irregular shape, grooves, or a crumbling appearance.
- Affects one or more toenails. The fungus may spread to other toenails. The big toe is most commonly affected. The fungus can also occur in fingernails.
- Starts at the end or side of the toenail. The infection gradually spreads toward the cuticle.
- Usually painless unless there are skin changes or injury to the nail bed or if shoes press on the thick nail.
- Athletes foot. Some people will also have skin fungus on their feet, which looks like red, peeling skin between the toes.
Dr. Rx
Patients may say that they are embarrassed to go to the pool or the beach, or they avoid wearing sandals. They describe their nails as thick, crumbling, and abnormally colored. One patient described their nails as looking like an animals horn, which is pretty accurate. But they are so thrilled when they see results from treatment! Dr. Anne Jacobsen
Should I Cut Off My Fungus Toenail
If you do have a toenail fungus, your doctor will likely recommend one or more of the following treatment options: Trimming the Toenail Trimming the toenail is usually combined with medication, but having a podiatrist periodically trim the nail down is helpful and allows the medication to work better, says Sundling.
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Home Remedies For Toenail Fungus
If you are unfortunate enough to pick up toenail fungus, there are some simple ways to tackle the problem. They dont need anything more than commonly available ingredients. These all-natural remedies are quick to toss together and effective too!
- Epsom salts make a great relaxing soak for feet affected by toenail fungus. They also help with pain if youre facing that as a result of the infection.
- Ageratina pichinchensis or Snakeroot extract is an effective home remedy for fungus on the toenails.
Whatever the remedy youre using, be sure to keep doing it for a few months to ensure youve seen the last of that fungus. It can be tempting to stop earlier when things look like theyre improving, but doing this might mean you see a recurrence of the problem once you stop the treatment. And remember, to avoid the problem in the first place, theres no better solution than a little extra care and caution when you go to the salon for your pedicure. If youre hesitant about trusting a pedicurist, just pick up some indulgent products and pamper yourself with an at-home pedicure. Armed with this information, youll never have to worry about getting a fungus from a pedicure again!