Which doctor will treat toenail fungus?
If your fungus doesn’t clear up at home, you should check in with a dermatologist (a skin, hair, and nail specialist) or podiatrist (a foot doctor.) They may gently scrape under your nail to get rid of some of the fungus or send it to the lab for diagnosis. They can also prescribe stronger medicines.
Can a doctor help with toenail fungus?
If you recognize the symptoms of toenail fungus, you must meet with the right doctor, a podiatrist, for proper treatment. Podiatrists will treat toenail fungus by using topical creams, removing part of the nail, and or using more modern methods like laser therapy to eliminate the infection.
When should you see a doctor about toenail fungus?
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.
Are white spots on toenails fungus?
Nail fungus is a common condition that begins as a white or yellow spot under the tip of your fingernail or toenail. As the fungal infection goes deeper, nail fungus may cause your nail to discolor, thicken and crumble at the edge.
Does a podiatrist deal with toenails?
But one question we often get is whether podiatrists also help patients cut their toenails. So can a podiatrist also help patients with their toenails? In most cases, yes; they regularly assist patients with toenail care.
Does a dermatologist look at nails?
Board-certified dermatologists specialize in diagnosing and treating the skin, hair, and nails. They have the expertise to tell you whether the change is harmless or requires medical testing.
What happens if toe fungus goes untreated?
If you have toenail fungus and it goes untreated, you may experience: Pain in your feet and toes due to thickened, distorted toenails. Spread of the fungus to your skin, causing athlete’s foot. Infection of the surrounding areas, causing cracked skin, and increasing bacterial spread.
Do Dermatologists treat nail fungus?
How do dermatologists treat a fungal nail infection? 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.
Do Dermatologists treat fungal infections?
Dermatologists treat fungal infections of the skin, as well as fungal infections in hair and nails. Often, these infections appear as itchy, scaley, rashes on the skin.
Can I get a pedicure with fungus?
If you get a nail fungal infection, you may still be able to wear nail polish, but you should not wear artificial nails because it will be hard for your doctor to monitor your improvement.
Should you go to a dermatologist or podiatrist for toenail fungus?
The truth is that you can go to either a dermatologist or a podiatrist to have your nail fungus treated, but it is especially important to see a podiatrist when it affects your toenails specifically.
What do dermatologists do for nail fungus?
Why do my toenails have white spots?
White Spots and Streaks Stubbing your toe doesn’t always lead to a bruise. That’s because the blood vessels under the nail might not break and leak blood. Instead, you might get a white spot on your toenail. It won’t don’t disappear like a bruise, but it will grow out in time.
Why do my toenails get white spots?
If you do not have a well-balanced diet, you could get white spots on your nails. Calcium deficiency can appear as white spots on the nails. Zinc deficiency can also cause white spots on the nails. If you injure on your toe, it can cause fungus to grow and white to appear on the nails.
Should I see a podiatrist or dermatologist for toenail fungus?
What causes white toenail fungus?
It may be a toenail fungal infection, but there’s a good chance that another condition could be to blame. Proximal white subungual onychomycosis. This is a relatively uncommon form of toenail fungus, seen most often in people with weakened immune systems due to a condition such as the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
What are the symptoms of white spots on toenails?
Symptoms include opaque, white areas on the toenail that may eventually spread to cover the entire nail. The nail becomes soft and crumbly in texture. Candida Infection of the Nail Candida is probably best known for causing vaginal yeast infections, but the fungus also lives on the skin.
How do I know if my toenail fungus is serious?
If you notice changes in the appearance of your toenails, see a doctor promptly. If a toenail fungal infection is suspected, a sample can be taken and analyzed by a lab to make a diagnosis. If the test comes back positive, an oral or topical antifungal medication may be prescribed to help treat the fungus.
How do you get rid of toenail fungus on your feet?
If you prefer not to use medication, toe fungus can be cleared up with some at-home approaches. Applying VapoRub, Listerine, or vinegar to a cotton ball and then wiping over the affected area or soaking the foot in a vinegar bath a few times each day may help, though speed is not this method’s forte.