What are infectious nail diseases?
Definition. Fungal nail infections are common infections of the fingernails or toenails that can cause the nail to become discolored, thick, and more likely to crack and break. Infections are more common in toenails than fingernails. 1. The technical name for a fungal nail infection is “onychomycosis.”
What is the most common nail disease?
Background: Onychomycosis is the most common nail disorder, affecting 2%-13% of Americans. The prevalence of this disease is higher in men and in elderly, diabetic, and immunocompromised patients.
When should I be concerned about a nail infection?
When to See Your Doctor Fungal nail infections can get worse over time. See your doctor if you notice your nail has turned brown or black, if it suddenly hurts, or if it pulls away from the nail bed.
What are the five nail diseases?
This article therefore helps clinicians to find the right treatment of the 5 most common nail disorders (brittle nails, onycholysis, paronychia, psoriasis, and onychomycosis) and provides practical tips that might improve patients’ compliance.
What does a bacterial nail infection look like?
The skin appears reddened and swollen, and the infection may discolor the nail or lead to distortion of its shape. In more severe cases, pus may collect and form an abscess at the base or sides of the nail. In such cases the skin feels fluctuant and looks whitish.
What does a cuticle infection look like?
Infected cuticles redness of the skin around the nail. tenderness. pus-filled blisters. changes in nail shape, color, or texture.
What happens if paronychia is left untreated?
The painful lesion usually occurs on one side of the nail, but if left untreated, it can become a “run-around” infection that spreads to the entire peri-nail area. It can also develop on toes. Patients may report a traumatic injury, hangnails, or cracks around the nail preceding paronychia.
What can I do about an infected toenail?
You can do several things at home to treat an ingrown or infected toenail to help relieve pain and pressure: Soak your toe in a warm foot bath with unscented Epsom salt. Keep your feet dry, unless you’re soaking them for treatment. Carefully pull skin away from your ingrown toenail with a small nail file that’s blunt and won’t cut your toe. Wear comfortable shoes. Keep antibiotic ointment on your ingrown toenail to reduce infection.
What antibiotic is best for a toe infection?
Antibiotics for ingrown toenail infections. One of the most popular antibiotics recommended by doctors to people with ingrown toenails is amoxicillin. The antibiotic is penicillin like, and it targets a specific type of bacteria. Normally it will target paronychia, which is normally caused by the streptococcus bacteria.
Should I remove infected nails?
Nail removal. If other treatments don’t work, or you’re in a lot of pain, your doctor may want to remove the infected nail. This allows a new healthy nail to grow in, although it could take more than a year for that to happen. Your doctor will either remove the nail by putting a strong chemical on it, or you may need surgery.
How do you know if you have a nail fungal infection?
You may have a nail fungal infection if you notice one or more of the following symptoms plaguing your nail(s): Appear thickened. Are brittle or crumbling. Appear distorted in shape and color. Have lost all shine and appear very dull. Show a dark color on the underside.