Have you ever noticed a change in nail appearance such as discoloration or texture that wasn’t there before and wondered what it could be? It might seem like a minor issue, but it could in fact be the first early signs of nail fungus.
Nail fungus is more common than you might think, and if left untreated it can cause long term damage to your nails. Good news: if you catch nail fungus early, before it spreads and causes pain or worse yet, before it has spread to your skin, you can still treat it . In this blog post, we’ll learn about the main signs of nail fungus, and why early detection is important, as well as some ways you can protect your nails from getting fungus.
What Is Nail Fungus?
Onychomycosis, or nail fungus, is an infection of the nails and surrounding skin. It is usually caused by dermatophytes, molds and yeasts whose favorite environments are warm, wet locations. Fungi enter the nail bed and change the appearance and texture of nails.
Contrary to what you can find with other viral and bacterial infections that are easy to figure out, nail fungus is common most of the time so most people tend to ignore it until infection worsens. You can get this on the fingernails, but it is most often on the toenails since toenails are in a warm, moist area in a shoe.
Nail fungus signs can be hard to spot or even see them at first. The infection is curable, however in case you leave it untreated, it can spread and cause permanent damage to the nail. If you catch fungus on your nails early, you won’t have to deal with invasive treatment later and easily keep your nails healthy.
Early Signs of Nail Fungus
It is best to be proactive when it comes to treating nail fungus, treat it at its earliest, and you’ll be treating it effectively. It is also important to note that easy-to-see common early warning signs of nail fungus can include other, more subtle signs that vary from person to person. You may see things like nails turning a different colour, getting rid of texture or actually changing the shape of the nail. Here’s a closer look at the early symptoms of nail fungus:
1. Nail Discoloration
One of the first signs that you have a nail fungus is discoloration. You can spot the first off as a dot there, yellow, white or even brown on the nail itself. In most cases, the infection begins at the end of the nail and then spreads along the base. The infection gets worse and discoloration may spread over the whole nail.
In some cases, the nail turns darker or black and resembles a bruise. If it keeps spreading this fungus under the nail the color loses its natural healthy color. However, it’s crucial to realize that discoloration may be revealing another issue, but discoloration is commonly a sign of nail fungus — and especially if accompanied by other changes in nail appearance.
2. Changes in Nail Texture
If the fungus isn’t slowed down, your nails will begin to grow rougher and brittle, which will indicate the infection across the nail. They may also become brittle, crumbly or thickened. And when the texture changes like this, your nail is more likely to break, and it’ll be more difficult to trim and maintain.
In more advanced cases the nail can sometimes get soft and mushy, or more likely, can get damaged and hurt. If the surface of the nail feels rough, uneven or lumpy, that is another clear indicator that the fungus is growing. If the infection has already advanced, the nail can grow to be so thick that it will cause your feet to be painful to put shoes on and to be active.
3. Nail Separation from the Nail Bed.
If left untreated, the infection gets worse and can pull the nail away from the nail bed, a condition known as onycholysis. It can also allow the nail to grow from the surrounding tissue, thus becoming the perfect breeding ground for more fungi to grow.
Also, if the nail comes up, you may notice a white or yellowish material between your nail and the nail bed. Do not ignore this sign of nail fungus. The infection can cause bacteria to pass through the space between the nail and the nail bed, worsening the infection.
4. Bad Odor
A strong, unpleasant odor from your infected nail is another undeniable sign of nail fungus. The fungus continues to spread and grows and begins to dissolve organic matter under the nail, starting to smell musty and earthen. This usually smells really awful and sometimes is too strong, depending if the infection was left unattended for a while.
If your nail starts to smell foul and you develop other symptoms like discoloration, texture changes or nail separation, that’s a clear sign of a fungal infection. Early treatment can prevent the infection from growing and getting more complications.
5. Pain and Sensitivity
Although early stage nail fungus isn’t painful, it can get more painful as the infection develops. If a nail has thickened or pulled away from the nail bed, it can be very sore to the touch, or it may even become tender.
It can even cause painful shoes, when the foot moves or any kind of pressure is put on this nail during any other activity. Though nail fungus is far less painful than athlete’s foot or toenail separation, it’s a good idea to treat it should you see the signs – itching, redness, and other symptoms with it – as it could lead to more serious problems.
Why Early Detection Matters
Spotting the signs of nail fungus early is crucial for several reasons:
Prevent the Infection from Spreading: Nail fungus can spread to other nails and to the skin that holds the two together in the area surrounding the nail. The sooner you get treatment, the less likely you are to spread the fungus to other parts of your body or to others.
Easier to Treat: Most of the early stage infections are treated with topical antifungal cream or medications. If you don’t treat the infection promptly, it will become more difficult to clear, and you may need stronger treatments like oral antifungals or lasers.
Prevent Permanent Nail Damage: Left untreated, nail fungus can cause permanent damage such as thick nails, loss of nails and deformed nail bed. Early treatment can save your nails from becoming ugly and unhealthy.
Causes of Nail Fungus
Nail fungus can be caused by many types of fungi dermatophytes, moulds, and yeasts. Exposed in a relatively warmer and moist environment, toenail are more vulnerable to the infection than fingernail. Firstly, it is going to invade the nail bed.
Some common causes of nail fungus include:
- Injury to the Nail: Any injury to a nail (break or crack) allows fungus to enter into a nail.
- Exposure to Fungal Spores: For instance, gyms, pools, locker rooms, are all common breeding grounds for these fungal spores. The more you walk barefoot, the more the places you walk in increase the probability of having nail fungus.
- Poor Hygiene: However, it doesn’t dry and clean your feet, it can promote the growth of fungus.
- Health Conditions: Fungal infections are more common among diabetes, psoriasis and those with an impaired immune system, as poor circulation and weak defences are a factor.
How to Prevent Nail Fungus
Nail fungus is easier to prevent than to treat. Here are some practical tips to help you avoid developing nail fungus:
Keep Your Feet Clean and Dry: That means that you should wash your feet each day and let them air dry totally, between the toes. Your feet will attract the fungi if they’re wet.
Wear Breathable Shoes: use leather or mesh shoes that will cool and circulate air. Wearing the same pair of shoes every day is bad because although they’ll end up drying out, they will gradually begin to trap moisture inside.
Avoid Walking Barefoot in Public Places: Wear sandals or water shoes while out in communal areas such as the public shower locker rooms and pool to cut back on your exposure to fungal spores.
Trim Nails Regularly: Trim those nails and keep them clean so you’re less likely to get zapped, pinched or infected.
Disinfect Nail Tools: If you are at a nail salon, make sure they use disinfected tools to avoid cross contamination.
When to Seek Treatment
If you realize you have nail fungus and it is not going away by itself, then you should speak to your doctor about treating it. Here are some signs that indicate you should consult a healthcare provider:
This has now turned to go and start infecting other nails.
It becomes painful, red, or swollen.
It’s worse — the texture changes or turns discoloration.
Healthcare providers can diagnose the condition and recommend topical antifungal creams, oral medications or laser therapy. If it is treated early, the infection can stop and the damage can be prevented from becoming worse. You may fully recover.
Why Early Treatment Matters
If caught early, nail fungus can be treated and you can minimize discomfort. Uncomplicated nail fungus can spread to other nails making it more difficult and time consuming to treat. In a worst case scenario, they can lead to permanent nail damage or illness for those with a weak immune system or diabetes.
Treatment is easier to manage, and you’re more likely to achieve full recovery if you receive treatment promptly. Early stage infection is more treated with topical antifungal creams and oral medications than the later stages. Laser therapy provides a modern one that targets the fungus without harming surrounding tissue in stubborn cases.
Preventing Further Spread
Important as it also starts treatment, the real key is to prevent the fungus spreading. Wear breathable footwear, keep your nails clean and dry and don’t share nail tools. Visiting nail salons takes place, so make sure they are hygienic to reduce the possibility of reinfection.
Treatment Consistency
Consistency is key, and no matter the treatment method. Wait and follow your healthcare provider’s advice. Visible improvement may take weeks or months because nails grow slowly. If there’s early action and proper care, you can end up getting healthy fungus free nails.
Why Choose Revitalize London for Nail Health Care.
Our team of experienced professionals at Revitalize London offers effective and personalized care in nail health by using the most current medical technologies. From the first stages, all stages, we offer the treatments for nail fungus
What Makes Revitalize London the Best Place to Visit For Signs Of Nail Fungus?
We know at Revitalize London; how hard it can be to overcome nail fungus. But it can often be embarrassing and uncomfortable, the fact is it can also damage your nail health. That’s why we’re here to inform you about the best treatments to get your nails back to health, once again in the good state that they should be in. Years of experience and focus on patient care is something you can depend on us and we’re proud to handle your nail fungus.
Cared Tailored to You
At Revitalize London, we give each patient a personal treatment. This is why we offer a whole variety of nail fungus treatments. For example, nail fungus, unlike other specific diseases, there is no such thing as a bell jar on all nail diseases. We know that no two cases of nail fungus are the same and that is why we offer a variety of treatment options to fit your very specific needs. Our team of experts will analyze your condition and find the best treatment for you based on whether you’re halfway through or have already developed the worst infection.
Our medical professionals are highly trained and if you have a problem or ailment they’ll prescribe the best treatment for you. We offer topical and oral antifungal treatments, as well as all advanced therapies such as laser. We’ll help you through and do our best to give you that comfort and success you’re expecting to receive.
Advanced Laser Treatments are Fast and Effective
Laser therapy is the most effective and reliable treatment for people seeking a fast and efficient means for eliminating nail fungus. Using state of the art laser technology we can target the fungus effectively without damaging the surrounding tissue. This is a great treatment for people who can’t tolerate time consuming treatment.
Many patients report improvement after just a few sessions and the treatment requires very little or no downtime. We advise laser therapy to anyone wishing to restore the appearance and health of their nails if another treatment has not worked.
Comfortable environment
If you are experiencing nail fungus, you know it’s stressful—but that’s what we are here for; we want you to have the best experience while you’re here. When you step into our clinic our friendly team steps in with compassion. We take a moment to listen to you, hear your concerns and explain each step of your treatment plan. As soon as you leave, you are more informed.
Our clinic is clean and safe, having the latest medical technologies used at our clinic and the best measures for your health and comfort. But you know that treating nail fungus can be a tense procedure and we put in our due diligence to make you feel comfortable and at home.
Revitalize London Care Support
After your treatment we’ll provide you with the tools and advice to avoid getting the infection again. Just know that we do have tips to take care of your hands & nails as well as things you can do to change your lifestyle for better overall nail health.
And we follow up with you to see how you’re progressing so we can adjust your treatment plan if needed. we’re here to help you get on the path to long, healthy nails.
Revitalize London Is Your Best Chance
We set a high standard and expect ourselves to personally provide effective, personalized, results-driven treatments that you can count on! We’re with you at each step, no matter if you’re in the early stages, or want a long-term solution.
See more about Revitalize London and join in the first step to healthier nails today. We are here to help you say goodbye to nail fungus forever and hello to beautiful, fungus free nails!
Don’t be afraid to ask for help, if you’ve been struggling with a recurrent fungal infection. We are here at Revitalize London to support you on your nail journey to healthier nails, and we undertake that our treatments will suit your requirement