Nail fungus, or onychomycosis, typically presents as thickened and discolored nail plates , and may involve multiple toes, usually both feet. At times it will only present in one foot, and is commonly associated with a history of Athlete's foot, a fungal infection of the skin. At times, thickening of the nail plates may be a result of previous trauma to the nail(s), repetitive bio-mechanical trauma, or loosening of the nail plate. Therefore, it is very important to establish the diagnosis of onychomycosis with a nail biopsy, and not on clinical appearance alone. A nail biopsy involves clipping a small portion of the thick and discolored nail and sending it to a laboratory to confirm the diagnosis prior to the initiation of the treatment.
Treatment can be either an oral medication or a topical medication, or a combination of both. It is important to keep in mind that treatment for this condition. The medications do not clear the nail of the fungal involvement, but allows a new nail to grow without the fungal infection. Finally, this condition can reoccur. The best way to prevent re-occurrence of this condition is to treat any Athlete's foot that may be present, and prevent it from spreading back into the nails.