Nail fungus is a common infection of the nail. It begins as a white or yellow-brown spot under the tip of your fingernail or toenail. As the fungal infection goes deeper, the nail may discolor, thicken and crumble at the edge.
If you're thinking, “Gross, what's that?," don't freak out: it's actually pretty common and treatable. That chalky substance is likely keratin debris, which is formed when keratin protein (a.k.a. fibrous protein found in the nails and outer layer of the skin) breaks down, usually due to fungal infection.
The crumbly residue on your infected toenails is actually keratin debris. You can also get toenail fungus as a result of being more susceptible to foot problems, especially if you're diabetic, have circulation problems, or you have a weakened immune system.
If the toenail fungus progresses, it can go deeper into the nail, causing discoloration, thick white stuff under the toenail (keratin debris), nail thickening and crumbling, and even transmission to surrounding nails.
"The 'gunk' underneath fingernails is most commonly the keratin debris from the underside of the nail, as well as skin cells from the nail bed," says Dana Stern, M.D., a dermatologist with practices in New York City and Southamptom, New York (she's actually one of the few doctors in the country who specializes in nail ...
Treatment usually begins with your dermatologist trimming your infected nail(s), cutting back each infected nail to the place where it attaches to your finger or toe. Your dermatologist may also scrape away debris under the nail. This helps get rid of some fungus.
Oral antifungal drugs.
These drugs are often the first choice. One option is itraconazole (Sporanox). These drugs help a new nail grow free of infection, slowly replacing the infected part.
A lot of people believe that if the fungal nail is removed and allowed to grow back it will be normal. This treatment is a common recommendation from primary care doctors who do not see a lot of this problem. Unfortunately, the nail will grow back the same as before the procedure.
If you do have a toenail fungus, your doctor will likely recommend one or more of the following treatment options: Trimming the Toenail Trimming the toenail is usually combined with medication, but having a podiatrist periodically trim the nail down is helpful and allows the medication to work better, says Sundling.
Fungal infections
A nail infection is a common cause of white spots on nails. Nail fungus, or onychomycosis, develops when fungus grows between the keratin layers in the nail.
The aptly named lunula is the white crescent moon shape found at the bottom of the nails of your fingers and toes, but why do we have them? Your fingernails and toenails are made from keratin protein that is secreted by a layer of living tissue at the base of the fingernail called the nail matrix.
Splinter hemorrhages look like thin, red to reddish-brown lines of blood under the nails. They run in the direction of nail growth. They are named splinter hemorrhages because they look like a splinter under the fingernail. The hemorrhages may be caused by tiny clots that damage the small capillaries under the nails.
When a toenail develops a fungal infection, it typically turns yellow or brown. It becomes thick and overgrown. Foul-smelling debris also may accumulate under the nail. As the infection continues, the nail may crumble gradually and fall off.
Have you ever scratched your scalp and noticed white, waxy buildup under your nails? That's sebum mixed with dead skin cells. It's hard for shampoo alone to wash away your oily scalp issues. And issues like stress and weather can increase the scalp's sebum production, making you even oilier.
Healthy fingernails are smooth, without pits or grooves. They're uniform in color and consistency and free of spots or discoloration. Sometimes fingernails develop harmless vertical ridges that run from the cuticle to the tip of the nail. Vertical ridges tend to become more prominent with age.
If after removing your toenail polish, you see these white chalky patches then in most cases it is a condition called keratin granulation. These occur from constant polish wearing. This is not a fungus but can look much like it and can trigger a fungus so it is important to treat it.
Spoon nails (koilonychia) are soft nails that look scooped out. The depression usually is large enough to hold a drop of liquid. Often, spoon nails are a sign of iron deficiency anemia or a liver condition known as hemochromatosis, in which your body absorbs too much iron from the food you eat.
Fungal nail infections typically don't go away on their own, and the best treatment is usually prescription antifungal pills taken by mouth. In severe cases, a healthcare professional might remove the nail completely. It can take several months to a year for the infection to go away.
If your nails are peeling, brittle, or have vertical ridges, you may be vitamin D deficient. Dubbed “the sunshine vitamin,” one of the best sources is sunlight. It can also be found in fatty fish, beef, liver, egg yolk, and fortified dairy, orange juice, and cereals.
It may be hard to imagine anything remedying the situation. Outright removing your toenails, however, is the absolute last resort option for treating toenail fungus, and only performed in very rare cases.
If your condition is mild and not bothering you, you may not need treatment. If your nail fungus is painful and has caused thickened nails, self-care steps and medications may help. But even if treatment is successful, nail fungus often comes back.
Antifungal treatment will permeate the nails more slowly if non-medicated nail polish is used. If you want to use non-medicated nail polish, give your toenails a chance to breathe and take the polish off as soon as you can.