Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsEarly SymptomsCausesDiagnosisTreatmentIf UntreatedPrevention
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Early Symptoms
Causes
Diagnosis
Treatment
If Untreated
Prevention
If your toenail has recently become thickened and discolored, you may be dealing with a fungal infection known asonychomycosis. You are not alone—this has been found to affect about 14% of people.You may first notice the edge of the nail looking thicker and more brittle before it spreads to the rest of the nail.
This article will highlight the first signs of toenail fungus and discuss its causes, how to determine if you have it, early treatment options, and what happens if you leave it untreated.
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What Are the Early Symptoms of Toenail Fungus?
The early stage of onychomycosis may start as a simple, painless spot on the tip of the nail. That area of the nail mayturn a color such as white, brown, or yellow. With time, this may begin to affect more of the nail. Also, residue may build up under the nail.
The nail may also begin to pull away from the bed, and the top may become powdery. Over time, the nail may become discolored and thickened and may start to split and break down. Eventually, this may spread to the other nails.
Iuliia Mikhalitskaia / Getty Images
What Causes Toenail Fungus?
Some of the ways you may acquire toenail fungus include the following:
However, not everybody who comes into contact with a fungal organism will develop toenail fungus. Some things that will make you more vulnerable include:
How Do I Know I Have Toenail Fungus
If you recently stubbed your toe or dropped something heavy on it, you may be contending with a bruise. If there is a black area underneath the nail, that is likely what it is. But if the nail appears gray, yellow, or even greenish, then the likelihood is that this is a fungal infection.
You may also want to check to see if the nail is still fully attached to the bed. If it has begun to separate, it may be a case of toenail fungus.
A fungal skin infection (like athlete’s foot) found in the surrounding area will often appear as nail fungus.
How Is Early Toenail Fungus Treated?
To treat early toenail fungus, a healthcare provider will first trim away as much of the fungus-infected nail as possible, including clearing away any debris in the area.
They will thenprescribe medicinefor you to apply to the affected nail every day or every week. The idea is to keep any remaining fungus from spreading so the healthy toenail has a chance to grow out over the next year or year and a half.
Possibletopical medicines (applied to the nail)you may be prescribed include the following:
If you are prescribed one of these medicines, particularly one you must use less frequently, you may want to develop a system for reminding yourself to apply it so that it can effectively keep the fungus in check as the nail grows.
What Happens if Early Stage Toenail Fungus Is Untreated?
It may be easy to dismiss toenail fungus, especially in the beginning. In the early stages, it doesn’t cause pain and may be confined to just one part of one nail. But it’s important not to forgo treatment. If leftuntreated, it will likely spread, affecting more of the initial nail in question and also beginning to impact other nails and the surrounding skin.
As toenail fungus gets worse, it can become more unsightly and painful. In some cases, it may even become painful to wear shoes.
The condition also becomes more difficult to treat. Early on, topical treatment is the mainstay, but it may not be sufficient to eliminate the infection. Instead, you may need to take an antifungal pill such as Diflucan (fluconazole), Grifulvin V (griseofulvin), Sporanox (itraconazole), or Lamisil (terbinafine), either alone or in combination with topical treatment.
Can You Prevent Toenail Fungus?
Steps you can take to help avoid developing toenail fungus include the following:
Summary
Detecting toenail fungus can be a little tricky in its early stages. It may resemble a simple nail injury, which will resolve on its own. But if it’s toenail fungus, it may only get worse, expanding from a spot on just the tip to thicken and discolor more of the nail and detach it from the bed.
This may be treated early using topical fungal medication. But if this progresses, then more aggressive oral treatment may be necessary. If left untreated, this may spread to other nails and even affect the surrounding skin.
7 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Fungal nail infections.NHS.Fungal nail infection.American Academy of Dermatology Association.Nail fungus signs and symptoms.American Academy of Dermatology Association.Nail fungus: who gets and causes.NHS Inform.Fungal nail infection.Children’s Skin Center.Is that a bruise or nail fungus?American Academy of Dermatology Association.Nail fungus: diagnosis and treatment.
7 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Fungal nail infections.NHS.Fungal nail infection.American Academy of Dermatology Association.Nail fungus signs and symptoms.American Academy of Dermatology Association.Nail fungus: who gets and causes.NHS Inform.Fungal nail infection.Children’s Skin Center.Is that a bruise or nail fungus?American Academy of Dermatology Association.Nail fungus: diagnosis and treatment.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Fungal nail infections.NHS.Fungal nail infection.American Academy of Dermatology Association.Nail fungus signs and symptoms.American Academy of Dermatology Association.Nail fungus: who gets and causes.NHS Inform.Fungal nail infection.Children’s Skin Center.Is that a bruise or nail fungus?American Academy of Dermatology Association.Nail fungus: diagnosis and treatment.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Fungal nail infections.
NHS.Fungal nail infection.
American Academy of Dermatology Association.Nail fungus signs and symptoms.
American Academy of Dermatology Association.Nail fungus: who gets and causes.
NHS Inform.Fungal nail infection.
Children’s Skin Center.Is that a bruise or nail fungus?
American Academy of Dermatology Association.Nail fungus: diagnosis and treatment.
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