What is nail fungus?

Like most fungi, nail fungus (onychomycosis) favors dark, damp, warm conditions, which makes toes an ideal breeding ground for them. The fungus is similar to athlete’s foot, but whereas athlete’s foot typically affects the skin between the toes, nail fungus grows under finger or toenails.

In the early stages, you might spot a yellowish or whitish mark under a nail and think little of it. As time passes, the fungus starts to spread, and eventually, whole nails can turn yellow or white, or in some cases black or green.

Affected nails are often brittle or crumbly, and may lift, loosen, or grow in an odd direction. Sometimes nails get so thick they are difficult to cut. At first, fungal infections tend to not be painful, but after a while, you might experience pain. Severe infections can even make walking difficult and painful.

How would I get nail fungus?

There are fungus spores around us all the time, but most of them don’t cause any harm. Even spores that have the potential to cause a fungal infection often live on your body without causing problems. However, if you have a lowered immunity or the numbers of fungus spores get out of hand, you could see nail fungus take hold.

Nail fungus spreads between people when an uninfected person comes in contact with spores from the skin of a carrier. You’re more likely to get nail fungus if you have poor personal hygiene, so keeping hands and feet clean and dry is essential.

How is nail fungus treated?

At Pacific Podiatry, Dr. Valdivieso-Diaz excels in resolving nail fungus and restoring your nails to their natural appearance. At your appointment, she may prescribe:

• Creams
• Oral medications
• Laser therapy

In severe cases you might need surgery to remove the infected nail, clearing all the infected tissue and promoting healthy new nail growth.

If nail fungus is affecting the appearance of your nails, Dr. Valdivieso-Diaz uses the KeryFlex Nail Restoration System to give you natural, healthy-looking nails. KeryFlex uses a patented resin to disguise the affected nails while antifungal medications get to work. The resin is flexible and non-porous, so your real nails continue to grow underneath.

Call Pacific Podiatry or book an appointment online today to start nail fungus treatment.

We are proud to participate with several government and commercial insurance plans. The Pacific Podiatry Center accepts most major insurance plans. We also welcome patients without insurance.

Please call our office at (786) 322-3111 and we will be happy to provide information regarding out-of-pocket costs.