When you start to notice debris buildup under your toenails, you may be worried. You might think that it is indicative of an urgent medical condition or poor hygiene. Commonly, this buildup can occur with toenail fungus. Toenail fungus is an infectious condition that is easily spread between people. If you have caught a toenail fungus, you may have started to notice discoloration or a change in the texture of your nail. When textural changes continue to worsen, toenail fungus can cause a buildup of material under the nail.
Why do you have debris under toenails?
Debris buildup from toenail fungus occurs because of the growth of the fungal spores infecting the nail bed. As the fungus grows, it can thicken the nail and create a layer of growing fungus. This often presents as a buildup that looks flaky, crumbly, and often yellow. Some people with this debris buildup compare its aesthetic appearance to that of crumbly cheese. Additionally, the fungus can cause the actual toenail to become thickened. This thickening of the nail can make it seem like there is additional fungal buildup.
Buildup from toenail fungus isn’t an indication of poor hygiene or a need to clean better. Toenail fungus can infect anybody, regardless of cleanliness. The debris you see is caused by the infection itself, and not a lack of hygiene. Because of this, trying to clean the debris out yourself won’t be effective at treating the underlying condition.
Nail fungus spread
Funky toenail debris is often a symptom of nail fungus infection. Nail fungus is a highly contagious condition that can easily spread between people. This spread happens as fungal spores from an infected person are passed to an uninfected person. This transfer of fungal material most commonly occurs in public spaces where people touch communal surfaces with their toes. For example, public pools and locker rooms are where toenail fungus spread is common. These public areas have a high traffic of barefoot people walking through. Nail salons are other places where toenail fungus is frequently spread. In these salons, nail techs may reuse tools on multiple clients, causing the potential for the spread. This can be avoided if nail salons properly sanitize their tools between customers. You should always ask if your nail tech has sanitized/changed their tools before using them on you.
Nail fungus symptoms
Funky toenail debris is just one of the multiple symptoms of a toenail fungus infection. This debris often will look like unrecognizable gunk under the nail. It can take many different forms and colors. For example, this debris can be crumbly, dusty, thick, or even appear as if another nail is growing underneath the normal one. Nail fungus typically causes aesthetic problems on the nail’s surface.
The most common of these aesthetic problems is discoloration, which is also usually the first sign of nail fungus to appear. After your toes have become infected with the fungus, it will often take some time for the symptoms to develop enough to be obvious. It can often be difficult to notice the first signs of this issue since they are subtle; the discoloration will at first usually show up as small dots or stripes on the nail. The discoloration will become more prominent and noticeable as the fungal infection grows. As the discoloration worsens and the fungal infection grows, other changes will often happen to the nail.
Nails that are infected with a toenail fungus can often start to look cracked, brittle, or decayed as the fungal infection worsens. The nails can also seem like they’re about to fall off because they start to lift from the nail bed. The nail can also seem to grow multiple layers or become very thickened or hardened.
Treatment Options
Some treatment options include topical solutions and oral medication. Topical solutions are not as effective. It does not penetrate all the way through the nail bed to kill all the fungus. Oral medication is more effective, but it can lead to liver toxicity.
Laser Treatment for Toenail Fungus
Our nail doctor in Manhattan, NY, recommends the PinPointe Laser treatment. In order to have the actual fungus infection cured, you should seek an FDA-approved treatment from a licensed podiatrist. The best treatment available is the PinPointe laser; this treatment only takes one session to cure the fungus. It has the highest cure rate in the market. There are no side effects and no recovery period. You can go about your daily activities right after treatment. The PinPointe laser is also safe, with no side effects, downtime, or pain. To schedule a consultation with a licensed podiatrist for the PinPointe laser treatment, give us a call at 1-(800) 672-0625 or visit our website for more information.
