What Is a Fungal Nail Infection?
The most common cause of brittle yellowing nails is fungal infection. Fungi are dermatophytes that feed on nail keratin. These organisms propagate in a warm, dark and moist environment. There is no better place for nail fungus to reside and infect toenails than in shoes.
What Causes Fungal Nail Infection?
Fungi are dermatophytes that feed on nail keratin. These organisms propagate in a warm, dark and moist environment. There is no better place for nail fungus to reside and infect toenails than in shoes.
Warm, dark and moist conditions
These organisms propagate in a warm, dark and moist environment. There is no better place for nail fungus to reside and infect toenails than in shoes.
Spread from nail to nail
Progressive infection of additional nails is also very common.
Symptoms to Look Out For
Infected nails have yellowing or white spots on the nails. As the infection develops, nails will get thicker, further discolour and fracture. Progressive infection of additional nails is also very common.
- Yellowing or white spots on the nail
- A nail that has thickened
- Further discolouration as the infection develops
- A nail that fractures or crumbles
- The same changes starting in a neighbouring nail
How Is a Fungal Nail Infection Diagnosed?
A thickened, discoloured nail is not always fungal. Trauma to the nail, psoriasis and other skin conditions produce similar changes, and treating the wrong one wastes months, because a toenail takes months to grow out. Your podiatrist examines the nails and confirms the diagnosis before any treatment starts.
Treatment Options
Topical solutions and oral medications have both been used to treat toenail fungus for years, and oral medications carry side effects that have to be weighed against the benefit. Laser is the newer approach, and it is the one offered at Manly Foot Clinic.
Manly Foot Clinic offers an in-office laser treatment for toenail fungus, the Fox Laser. It treats toenails that have been discoloured and thickened by fungal infection, in the clinic, with no anaesthetic and no hospital stay. Most people go back to their normal activity the same day. Your podiatrist will talk through what the treatment involves, what it is likely to achieve for your nails and what it costs, at your assessment.
When Symptoms Persist
Fungal nail treatment is slow because it is limited by the speed a toenail grows. Progress is judged on new, clear nail growing from the base rather than on the appearance of the old nail, and a full toenail takes months to replace itself. Manly Foot Clinic has not published a standard number of sessions or a clearance rate, so this page states neither; both are discussed at your assessment.
Where a nail remains painful or has thickened enough to press against footwear, reducing the nail is part of the treatment, and a nail that keeps causing trouble can be dealt with the same way as any other problem nail.
Fungal Nails FAQs
The most common cause of brittle yellowing nails is fungal infection. Fungi are dermatophytes that feed on nail keratin. These organisms propagate in a warm, dark and moist environment. There is no better place for nail fungus to reside and infect toenails than in shoes.
Trauma to the nail, psoriasis and other skin conditions produce similar changes to a fungal infection. Your podiatrist examines the nails and confirms the diagnosis before any treatment starts.
Progressive infection of additional nails is also very common.
Progress is judged on new, clear nail growing from the base, and a full toenail takes months to grow out. Manly Foot Clinic has not published a standard number of sessions, so this page does not state one; the course is set out at your assessment.
No, you can book directly without a referral. If you’d like, we’ll send a short report to your GP after your appointment so your foot care stays part of your overall health record. If your appointment is through a Medicare care plan, DVA or another funded program, you will need a referral, so check with us when you book.
Serving Manly and the Northern Beaches.
Manly Foot Clinic is at Shop 3/3 Corrie Rd, North Manly, NSW 2100, and treats fungal nails for patients from Manly, Dee Why, Brookvale, Freshwater and Balgowlah. The clinic is open Monday to Friday from 8:30am to 5:30pm and Saturday from 8:00am to 2:00pm.