Smelly toenails can be a very distressing condition to deal with for many people who have them. Toenail fungus is the main contributor to smelly toenail odor. Toenail fungus can make people feel embarrassed. Some people feel shameful and even uncomfortable in their own skin. Many people with toenail fungus will avoid showing their toes at all. Because of the stigma around the visual changes that toenail fungus can cause. Many people with toenail fungus stop doing things they enjoy. These activities include going to the beach or wearing sandals in public.
The quality of people’s lives can therefore deteriorate, which is often the worst part about toenail fungus. When stinky toenails are a symptom of fungus, it can cause even more embarrassment, shame, and discomfort. A bad smell can often be more noticeable than the visual changes in the nail’s surface. People are more likely to comment on a bad odor than they are on visual changes.
Causes of Smelly toenails
If you have developed a problem with smelly toenails, you may be wondering what is the root cause of the smell. The horrible smell of the nails is caused by a toenail fungus infection. Fungal spores get under the nails into the nail bed. This is where they are able to grow and thrive. The fungal spores themselves are the root cause of the smell. These fungal spores carry an odor with them. If a healthy, uninfected nail comes into contact with a fungal spore in its external environment, the fungal organisms take this opportunity to attach to the nail bed and infect it.
After the initial infection with the fungal spores, it is easier for the fungus to thrive under the nails. In particular, people who wear closed-toed shoes frequently, exercise regularly, and tend to be sweatier than others will be more prone to developing a fungal infection faster. This is because of the nature of the fungus; the spores prefer moist, dark environments like sweaty feet.
Symptoms of toenail fungus
Pinning the root cause of your smelly toenails down to fungus is possible by looking for a few signs. For example, toenail fungus odor will usually smell similar to cheese. If a cheesy odor is emanating from your toenails, it is likely that toenail fungus could be behind it. Trimming your nails will also make any fungal smell worse, as the nail clippers will “free up” fungus from the toenail into the environment. The fungal spores in the air are the reason why fungal toenails smell worse after trimming them.
Aside from this smell, visual symptoms of toenail fungus are also telltale signs of an infection. If your nails have become visibly black, white, yellow, or brown, whether over the entire nail or just on a spot or stripe, a fungal infection is probable. Fungal infections also may cause the nail to detach from its connection to the nail bed, and the composition of the nails can change to become brittle, hard, crumbly, or cracked.
Debris buildup is another common symptom of toenail fungus, which can actually contribute towards making the fungal smell even worse. These signs of toenail fungus can help you narrow down the cause of the smell coming from your feet, but a true diagnosis must be done by a licensed, experienced medical professional. Podiatrists are the best professionals to seek this sort of care from, as they are licensed doctors who specialize in issues with the feet.
What happens if left untreated
Smelly toenails that aren’t treated will only continue to get worse. Without proper medical intervention, the fungal colonies underneath your nails will continue to grow. An FDA-approved medical treatment from a licensed podiatrist is the best way to prevent the smell under your nails from getting any worse. Licensed podiatrists are trained to provide you with effective treatment for the fungal infection, and should be able to provide you with an option that is safe and effective (like laser treatment).
Attempting DIY toenail fungus cures at home is a bad idea, as these treatments tend to be ineffective, and usually won’t do any good for your nails. Some recommended DIY treatments can actually cause a lot of harm, like using bleach on the toenail. Seeking medical treatment for a smelly toenail problem is a much safer option than trying these at-home recommendations. A medical professional will be able to diagnose your fungus and can recommend the best treatment option for you.
Smelly toenails can thankfully be treated in ways that are safer and more effective than topical and oral antifungal medications. Some of the best options for treating a fungal infection don’t include chemicals at all! The safest treatment for toenail fungus is the PinPointe laser, which has no down time or risk of major side effects like liver toxicity. Additionally, this laser is the most effective laser on the market to treat toenail fungus. The treatment only requires one session to completely eliminate the fungus, so most patients don’t need to come in for multiple treatments. 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.
