What You Need to Know About Fungal Nail Infections

Nail fungus is unsightly and embarrassing, but most of all, it can be extremely painful.  At the first sign of an infection, it’s important to have it treated quickly and correctly.  If left untreated, you run the risk of a repeated nail infections—nobody wants that.

Nail Fungus Treatment Mistakes You Don’t Want to Make

With that said, here are some of the most common mistakes that people make when treating nail fungus. Most of these are the result of misinformation and do-it-yourself techniques, avoiding them at all costs will be your best bet for clean, healthy, pain-free fingers and toes.

1. Not getting the proper diagnosis

Unfortunately, nail fungus isn’t always able to be diagnosed by the laymen. There are a number of other afflictions that can resemble fungal nail, but actually are other conditions. For example, nail hardening—one of the key symptoms of nail fungus—can occur from a number of other factors such as excessive rubbing in tight shoes, pressure from other toes, trauma to nails and an immune disease. Be certain that you have a fungal infection before beginning treatment to avoid any mistakes that could result in unnecessary pain and damage to the nail.

2. Using an incorrect treatment method

There are many different ways to treat fungal nail infections and not all of them are appropriate for each condition. That is to say, while a topical fungal nail treatment might work on a mild case, it won’t work on an advanced case. In fact, it could make the infection worse. Always be certain of the severity of your nail fungus before beginning treatments so that you can choose the most effective option, be it oral medication, topical lotions, or laser treatment.

3. Being over-anxious

One of the worst parts about fungal nail infections is that even with the right treatment; it can take a very long time to fully heal. Some people get over-anxious assuming that the healing process should be quicker. This could lead to seeking alternative options that would cancel out your treatments. On the other hand, some results seem quick on the surface so the patient discontinues the treatment, only to find that the nail fungus returns a few weeks later. Remember—always finish the full treatment cycle even if you think the nail fungus is gone. Also, understand that new nails take 9 to 12 months to grow out and that your current nail will never improve—a new one needs to grow in. This happens at a rate of 1 mm per month. Your best approach is to keep a positive outlook and have realistic expectations.

4. Not preventing recurrence

Just like mold in a house, where fungus grows once, it will again if left unchecked. You can’t just treat current nail fungus; you have to prevent it from reoccurring in the future. Establish proactive hygiene habits such as sterilizing your shoes, socks and bathroom on a regular basis, wear slippers in the shower, keep floors and carpets clean and use an anti-fungal cream. Don’t leave anything to chance.

The bottom line is that there are many mistakes you can make when it comes to treating nail fungus, but only one road to success. Consult a foot specialist to make sure that you’re on the right path to treating your nail fungus and live pain and embarrassment free from today forward.