How to cure nail fungus is the most common question our nail doctors have to answer daily. Toenail fungus can be distressing for many people. In general, it can be something that causes embarrassment, shame, and discomfort to many people around the world. Often, people feel uncomfortable showing their toes at all because of the visual changes that nail fungus can cause. This can make people stop going to the beach, or stop wearing sandals. This detriment to the quality of life is the worst part about not finding a cure for nail fungus.

Causes of nail fungus

If you have a toenail fungus problem, you may be wondering what the cause is. The nail thickness and discoloration are caused by toenail fungus. The fungal organisms themselves infect under the nail, grow and proliferate. Sometimes it causes an unpleasant odor as well. Fungal growth under the nail occurs when the nail comes into contact with fungal spores in the environment. Once the initial infection occurs, certain people are more prone to it developing and growing faster. Particularly, fungal growth is worse in people who wear closed-toed shoes, exercise frequently, or sweat excessively. Fungal spores thrive in moist, dark environments like the inside of moist shoes.

Signs of nail fungus

Toenail fungus may have an odor that usually smells similar to cheese. If you have noticed a cheesy odor emanating from your nails, a fungus is a likely culprit. Additionally, the smell gets worse when the nails are trimmed. This is because the nail clippers free up fungus from the toenail into the environment. The biggest indicator of a fungal toenail smell is the co-occurrence of visual signs of a fungal infection. If you have noticed discoloration of the toenails that are black, white, yellow, or brown, a fungal infection is probable.

Additionally, fungal infections can cause the nail to lift from the nail bed and become brittle, hard, crumbly, or cracked. Fungal infections can also cause debris buildup under the nail, which can be a cause of the smell. While these signs can help you narrow down the cause of your infections, a diagnosis can only be made by a licensed and experienced doctor. The best professional to seek care from is a podiatrist, since they are licensed doctors who specialize in feet.

What happens if left untreated?

If untreated, a toenail fungus problem will get worse and worse. To prevent the growth of nail fungus and the smell coming from your nails from becoming worse, you should seek an FDA-approved medical treatment from a licensed podiatrist. They will be able to provide you with safe, effective treatment for fungal infections. Trying to cure toenail fungus at home is a bad idea. At-home treatments are all very ineffective, and usually futile. Some of them can even be very dangerous, like using bleach on the toenail. Because of this, seeking medical treatment for a smelly toenail problem is a much better option. A medical professional will be able to diagnose your fungus and recommend the best treatment option for you.

Options to cure nail fungus

Treatment for nail fungus is not all the same. For example, topical treatments are very ineffective at curing nail fungus. These topical medications, both over the counter and prescription, don’t penetrate the nail into the nail bed well enough to eliminate the fungus.

Oral medicine is another prescription option, but these come with more negatives. They have a big risk of toxic side effects like damage to the liver and are unsafe for many people. In addition, once you’re prescribed antifungal oral medication you will be required to do regular blood work. This is done to ensure that the medication is not toxic to you. These treatments aren’t very effective at treating the fungus either. Because of this, you may need multiple courses of the medications to see any results, which further increases the risk of side effects.

There are other options to treat and cure nail fungus that isn’t topical or oral antifungal medications. In fact, some of the best options for treating a fungal infection don’t include chemicals at all! The safest treatment for toenail fungus is the laser treatment, which has no side effects at all. Additionally, our laser is the most effective laser on the market to treat toenail fungus. Most of the time the treatment only requires one session to completely eliminate the fungus, so most patients don’t need to come in multiple times. This laser treatment also has great reviews, and patients are generally very satisfied with their results. To read more about the experiences patients have had with the PinPointe Laser treatment, visit our website here.