You may already know if you have diabetes and all the health risks that come with it. Although most people know that wearing shoes too tightly can cause a few problems, one of the most overlooked issues is an increased chance of developing nail fungus. Diabetes and nail fungus are related, and how each one affects the other is essential to keep in mind when treating both of these conditions safely.
Diabetes makes it easy for infections — such as nail fungus — to take root. Diabetes weakens the body’s immune system and impairs circulation. Your feet are the biggest target for nail fungus because fungus grows in warm and moist environments, and if you have diabetes, you are especially vulnerable. Nail fungus infections can take a while to go away, and because poor circulation and high blood sugar can make your body a poor candidate for healing, you’re more likely to have complicated consequences.
But don’t worry! With proper awareness, as well as being proactive about your care, you can control both diabetes and nail fungus. At Revitalize London, we provide specific care as we treat only what’s needed for your condition. Our ultimate goal is to help you feel your best, no matter what.
Onychomycosis, or nail fungus, is a common infection of the nails that affects toenails with greater frequency than fingernails. Caused by a fungal infection, most commonly dermatophytes, it happens when the fungi invade the nail bed, discolouring the nail and making it thick and brittle. Since diabetes patients have a weakened immune system and are at risk for poor circulation, it is even more critical for them to control nail fungus properly.
Risk Factors for Nail Fungus
People with diabetes face several risk factors that make them more susceptible to nail fungus, including:
1. Poor Circulation: Damage to blood vessels from high blood sugar can cause poor circulation and hamper your body’s ability to deliver oxygen and nutrients to some body parts, like nails. These infections are more complicated to heal and more likely to spread because of this slow circulation.
2. Weakened Immune System: Not only does diabetes affect your immune response, but it also makes you more prone to get fungal infections. As the years go by, your body gets less and less able to fight off fungi so that they can grow out of control quickly.
3. Moisture: Excessive sweating is often a problem for diabetics, particularly in the feet. It also makes the perfect breeding ground for fungi that grow better in warm and damp conditions.
4. Nerve Damage: Diabetes can lead to neuropathy or nerve damage, which numbs your feet and can make early detection of fungal infections difficult. You may not feel it or notice when an infection starts.
Symptoms of Nail Fungus
Fungus that creeps into the nails usually begins near the tip of the nail and gradually works its way under the tip. Common signs include:
- Discoloration of the nail, yellow, white, or brown.
- Thickened or brittle nails.
- Crumbling or breaking nails.
- A smelly infected nail.
- Especially when wearing shoes, you may feel pain or discomfort.
People with diabetes need to know all about the risk factors and symptoms of the infection because early detection will stop the infection from worsening. If any of this sounds familiar, don’t wait! Seeing a doctor soon is important so further complications are avoided.
Nail fungus And Diabetes: What are the effects?
Because diabetes is a systemic condition that encompasses many parts of the body, it can affect your nails. Uncontrolled blood sugar levels can lead to a number of changes that make your nails more prone to infection, including nail fungus. Diabetes affects nail health; let’s figure out how and why controlling your blood sugar is so essential for your nails.
1. Blood Sugar at Raised Levels Causes Weaker Nail Health
High blood sugar over time can damage blood vessels and reduce circulation throughout your body, especially in your feet and hands. Because your blood does not circulate properly, it is more difficult for your body to carry oxygen and nutrients to your nails, which causes weak, brittle and more easily infected nails. This can, over time, increase the risk of nail fungus that grows in these environments.
2. Reduced Immune Function
In other words, in order to defend your body against infections, including nail fungus, you must have a well-functioning immune system. Unfortunately, diabetes can further weaken the immune system, making it less effective in identifying and eliminating dangerous fungi. One reason why people with diabetes are particularly prone to infections, such as nail fungus, is that they are more likely to have problems with their circulation. If untreated, these fungal infections get more complicated and can be much harder to treat.
3. What Happens: Reduced sensitivity and nerve damage.
Neuropathy (nerve damage) — is one of the most common complications of diabetes. Nail fungus can be challenging to recognise because neuropathy causes numbness or decreased sensation in the hands and feet. As a result, fungal infections can get worse before you even start to notice, which can lead to complications. You do not feel any pain, while you increase your chances of worsening infection by not caring for your nails properly.
4. Sweating and Moisture
Additionally, diabetes may cause excessive sweating, typically in your feet. If you frequently have your feet feeling damp or they tend to sweat excessively, this can increase your chances of getting nail fungus, especially if you have diabetes.
Once you know how diabetes affects your nails, you can take control and make sure your nails stay healthy and do not become infected. If you do get nail fungus, keeping your blood sugar levels under control, practising good foot hygiene and checking your nails may help prevent it.
Why Someone with Diabetes Is More Likely to Have Nail Fungus
However, diabetes isn’t just about blood sugar; it can affect any part of the body, including your nails. Several other factors make those with diabetes more vulnerable to nail fungal infection. Let’s take a closer look at why people with diabetes are at a higher risk for nail fungus and what to do about it.
1. Compromised Immune System
We know for a fact that one of the significant challenges people with diabetes have to deal with is a weak immune system. As blood sugar levels get higher, white blood cells — the fighter cells of the immune system — don’t work as well. A less active immune system makes it easier to develop and spread fungal infections such as nail fungus. Because they attack the cells in our body that generally work to defeat them, the body’s natural defence against fungi is compromised, making it more challenging to fight the infection after it is infected.
2. Poor Circulation
Diabetes is another risk factor for nail fungus because of poor circulation. High blood sugars damage blood vessels, especially in the hands and feet, and restrict blood flow. This all slows down healing time, making it easier for infections to hang around and harder for the body to fight them off. However, fungi only grow where it’s dark and damp, such as within the toe, where blood flow is limited. If your circulation is poor, then clearing a nail fungus is even more complex, and the fungus can grow more quickly.
3. High Blood Sugar Levels
High blood sugar levels constantly create an environment that is good for the fungus to grow. They love warmth and moisture, plus more sugar in the bloodstream can cause moisture or dampness in the body — including the feet. High blood sugar can also make the body less likely to heal wounds well, resulting in cracks or cuts in the nails or skin that fungi can get into.
4. Nerve Damage
Many people with diabetes also have diabetic neuropathy or nerve damage, which mainly affects the lower limbs. People with diabetes will not feel, or feel as much, in their feet — so when an infection starts, they might not even detect it until it’s worse. If untreated, a minor fungal infection that doesn’t seem to be noticed can spread quickly and get much worse.
5. Increased Sweating
Excessive sweating, particularly in the feet, is common for people with diabetes. And that creates the perfect environment for fungi to grow. Fungal infection loves moist, warm conditions, and the feet are the ideal spot for this. Since fungal spores can enter through minor cuts or damaged skin on the nails, fungal infections are more complicated to manage and treat.
People with diabetes are more prone to nail fungus due to all of these factors: a weakened immune system, poor circulation, high blood sugar, nerve damage and increased moisture. There are ways to reduce the risk of fungal nail infection, including being careful in managing blood sugar levels, keeping the feet clean and healthy, and seeking early treatment of any diseases, sores, and rashes on the feet. Understanding these risks and taking proactive approaches are actually the keys to preventing and treating nail fungus in people with diabetes.
Symptoms to Watch Out for
Nail fungus might be more dangerous if you have diabetes: You may need to get help immediately to prevent further complications when you have diabetes. Nail fungus often begins very slowly and can even mimic other conditions, making it essential to recognise what to watch out for — especially if you have diabetes. In some cases, the early signs of nail fungus are subtle, but you should not miss them.
1. Discoloration of the Nail
The discolouration is one of the most apparent signs of nail fungus. The yellow, white or even brown-looking nail might begin to show. The first visible sign is that something is off. In diabetics, poor blood flow and a weaker immune response may make discolouration more noticeable and increase the infection’s chances of spreading.
2. Thickened Nails
As fungal infection grows, the nail may become thicker and more difficult to trim. The fungus infects the nail bed and thickens the nail because the nail grows abnormally. This also makes my nail more likely to break and crumble, but it’s painful: applying pressure through shoes to the nail.
3. Brittle or Crumbling Nails
The nail may not just thicken but also get brittle and crumbly. It occurs when the infection weakens the structure that makes up the nail. This can be a real problem for people with diabetes since brittle nails are more likely to crack and break and create an entrance for fungal or even bacterial growth.
4. Foul Odor
Fungal infections also have a foul odour, which is often added as the infection progresses. If your feet or nails have a strange smell, this might be fungus. However, this can be a very distressing symptom and one that should not be ignored since if this symptom occurs, it is probable that the infection is advancing and needs immediate medical attention.
5. Pain or Tenderness
Some people with nail fungus have pain or tenderness in the area of the affected nail, but that’s not always the case. The level of pain ranges from mild pain to greater aching. The problem for people with diabetes is they may not feel pain or discomfort because they may have nerve damage. That’s why diabetic individuals should have regular foot checks and look out for signs of nail fungus.
6. The Separation Of The Nail From the Nail Bed.
In severe cases, the fungus may separate the nail from the nail bed. If left untreated, however, this condition, called onycholysis, can develop into something more serious, like a bacterial infection. It’s a sign the fungus has spread and needs professional treatment before permanent damage to the nail.
When to Seek Medical Help
If you have diabetes and you spot any of these symptoms, check with a doctor as soon as possible. On your own, nail fungus can be challenging to treat, and treatment may not work if waited because the fungus can progress and worsen to severe infections or permanent damage to the nails.
Nail fungus And Diabetes: Complications
Nail fungus, while having diabetes, can cause serious problems. Fungal infections are more dangerous for people with diabetes because they have a weakened immune system, poor circulation and slow healing. In order to effectively manage nail fungus and diabetes, these risks need to be understood.
1. Spread of the Infection
If untreated, for people with diabetes, nail fungus can spread to the surrounding skin and other infections can set in. Because of this, the weakened immune response in people with diabetes makes them more vulnerable to an attack by the fungus, causing pain, redness and swelling. In rare cases, antibiotics or surgery to remove the infected nail may even be needed.
2. Increased Risk of Foot Ulcers
Nail fungus can damage the skin around the nails, leading to sore cracks or breaks in the skin. The openings from which bacteria can get into the foot and upsets the risk of foot ulcers. Foot ulcers are a particular problem for people with diabetes partly because they are slow to heal and can develop into infections deep in the tissue or even in the bones.
3. Gangrene and Amputation
In very rare cases, things may get even more severe when untreated infections may result in gangrene – the death of tissue due to a lack of blood supply. Gangrene is a serious medical emergency that can lead to amputation if it can not be treated. While it is not common, people with diabetes must approach nail fungus seriously to avoid the remotest chance of it getting to this stage.
4. Chronic Pain and Discomfort
Completely thickened, crumbly, or brittle nails can be very uncomfortable if you have to wear shoes. If you have diabetes, it can affect your ability to move around, which can make it challenging to stay active. It also can cause a further impact on blood sugar management, thus deteriorating overall health.
How to Prevent Complications
People with diabetes should make foot care a priority, and if they notice any sign of nail fungus, they should take care of it immediately to avoid these complications. Severe outcomes can be significantly reduced with regular check-ups with a healthcare provider, controlling blood sugar levels to a normal level, and maintaining proper hygiene.
Why choose Revitalize London for nail fungus treatment?
As Revitalize London, we see the one-of-a-kind difficulties of dealing with toenail fungus and diabetes. At our practice, we have an expert team that provides an individual approach to treatment, and it combines advanced therapies and a profound knowledge of diabetic foot health. Whatever your foot care needs, our targeted antifungal therapies and complete foot care will ensure your comfort and safety. With cutting-edge technology and effective results, our state-of-the-art clinic is better than first grade. We’ll help you get back to healthy, fungus-free nails and remain well. For professional, compassionate care delivered to you, choose Revitalize London.
This is your journey to better nail health!