Find out more about why toenail fungus happens and how you can prevent it.
Whether you are someone who has been dealing with persistent toenail fungal infections for years now or this is your first time facing this problem, you may be wondering why it is happening and what you can do to prevent it in the future. Our Dyker Heights podiatrist Dr. Corinne Kauderer at Dyker Heights Advanced Foot and Wellness Center in Brooklyn, NY can tell you more.
Many different fungi can be responsible for causing an infection within the toenail, but the typical offender is a fungus known as a dermatophyte. In some situations, molds or yeast can also cause infections. A fungal toenail infection can also be the result of athlete's foot that spread from the skin between the toes to the nails themselves.
What are the symptoms of a toenail fungal infection?
Sometimes people don't realize that they even have a fungal toenail infection because they don't notice any pain, swelling or other obvious symptoms; however, if one or more of your toenails are yellow or brown, has thickened, or become brittle then you could very well be dealing with a fungal infection. Even though you can develop a fungal infection within the fingernails, it's far more common for the fungus to invade the toenails.
There are several approaches you can take to treat this issue. Of course, if you are an otherwise healthy individual you may choose to tackle this problem with over-the-counter treatments that you can easily pick up at your local drugstore. Unfortunately, topical fungal treatments can't often penetrate through the hard layers of your toenail to effectively kill all the fungus trapped underneath.
So, a more effective approach is to turn to our Dyker Heights podiatrist to help you determine the best course of action. Those who deal with persistent fungal infections may require a cold laser procedure that targets and kill the fungus without affecting the healthy nail or skin around it. Cold laser treatment is non-invasive, requires no downtime, is painless and can sometimes fully kill the fungus in just one session. In just a few months, as the nail grows out, you will see the yellow nail becoming clearer.
Our Dyker Heights podiatrist Dr. Kauderer at Dyker Heights Advanced Foot and Wellness Center in Brooklyn, NY, is here to provide your entire family with the podiatric services you need. Don't hesitate to call our office today.