How to treat nail fungus?
A cracked, yellowed toenail… A whitish, crumbling fingernail… What if it was a nail fungus? Rest assured, onychomycosis, by its scientific name, is very common and not at all dangerous. But it is contagious. And for aesthetic reasons and everyday discomfort, it is better to take care of it. Here is our medical advice to learn all about nail fungus.

What is nail fungus?
A yeast infection is the involvement of the skin by microscopic fungi . In the case of onychomycosis, fungi develop on the nails: we also speak of nail fungus. The fungi concerned are generally dermatophytes; these are the same ones that are at the origin of the fungal infections of the foot called “athlete's foot”. In hand nail fungus , the culprits are often yeasts, Candida.
How do you know if you have nail fungus?
Nail fungus has easy to recognize symptoms :
- At first, it is the periphery of the nail that is affected and which sometimes becomes red and swollen , sometimes oozing. When it comes to the hand, it can be painful.
- Then the fungus attacks the nail itself: it thickens, cracks, crumbles . The nail becomes whitish as the fungus spreads under the nail (often on the hand) or a yellowish spot appears and gradually enlarges. Unlike other yeast infections, it is not painful.
- Ultimately, if nothing is done, the nail damaged by the fungus does not fall out but tends to peel away from the skin . And the other nails are gradually affected. Usually, nail fungus does not cause pain.
What areas are affected by onychomycosis?
Most often, it is the toes that are affected by nail fungus. Fungi on the fingernails are less often caught. On the feet, nail fungus often affects the big toe before gradually contaminating the nails of other fingers. Indeed, like all mycoses, onychomycosis is contagious .
Our advice: Do not wait to treat it if you see that one of your nails is changing. The earlier you start, the faster and more effective the treatment for nail fungus will be.
Is a black nail a symptom of yeast infection?
Sometimes you may have a black toenail or one with a black spot and think of a yeast infection. It is in fact the consequence of a trauma: shock, foot crushed by an object… Sometimes, it is about repeated micro-traumas, in the event of sport with narrow shoes for example. A hematoma forms under the nail and gives it this black or dark color ...
Our advice: Maintain impeccable hygiene in the event of a black nail: it is weakened which can facilitate the development of a fungus.
How do you get nail fungus?
Yeast infection often affects the nail after growing on the foot.
- You can catch them in all public places where you walk barefoot : swimming pools, gymnasiums, saunas ...
- They also like heat and humidity .
- It only takes a little tight shoes , wet socks, excessive sweating, for them to develop.
- On the hands, they can appear if you wear gloves often.
- Rest assured, onychomycosis is very common, it affects nearly 10% of the population. They are common in the elderly , and develop more in men than in women. On the other hand, fungal infections of the toenail or the hand are very rare in babies and children.
On the other hand, babies are more often affected by oral yeast infection which can cause a whitish deposit on the tongue , but it can also affect adults.
Find all of our tips for getting rid of yeast infection in the armpits and avoiding vaginal yeast infection .
How can you be sure that it is a yeast infection?
The diagnosis of yeast infection is usually easy to make because the appearance of a nail with yeast infection is easy to recognize. The doctor will rule out the possibility of psoriasis, which can give symptoms quite similar to those of yeast infection. He will eventually refer you to a dermatologist.
To find out which fungus is responsible for the yeast infection , the doctor may choose to take a sample of a small part of the nail, to send to the laboratory for analysis. But as the results take a long time to obtain, he will not wait to offer a treatment for your nail fungus.
How to treat nail fungus?
Nail fungus is not always easy to get rid of. If you see that one of your nails is starting to deform, you must react immediately. The sooner you start it, the more effective the treatment for nail fungus will be . We advise you to consult a doctor to obtain a treatment adapted to your specific case.
Antifungal varnish treatment
The fungal infections are treated first line with antifungal treatments . For onychomycosis, it will be a varnish to be applied to the nails . Depending on the drug chosen, you will need to renew it every day, or two to three times a week. This is quite restrictive and there is no treatment that is both fast and effective for fungal infections of the toenail or the hand: you have to wait for the healthy nail to grow back. It takes three months for the fingernails, and six months for the toenails. Be patient !
Antifungal ointment treatment
Sometimes the doctor will suggest an ointment that mixes an antifungal and urea instead . Here too, the processing is binding:
- It should be applied daily to the affected nails and covered with a bandage.
- Each time, you must first bathe the nail for 10 minutes in hot water and scrape the softened parts.
- This treatment of nail fungus is a little faster: it takes 2 to 4 weeks of treatment.
Oral antifungal treatment
Unfortunately, local treatment is not always 100% effective. There are also oral nail fungus treatments available, but their side effects can be significant. They are therefore used especially in people for whom nail fungus can be dangerous: people with diabetes or those with blood circulation problems in particular. Treatment with tablets is often of the order of 6 months.
The doctor will discuss with you the interest of using them in your specific case.
Laser and natural nail fungus treatments
Many miracle natural remedies are circulating on the internet: treatment of nail fungus with betadine, baking soda for nail fungus, treatment of nail fungus with Dakin… None have shown any medical value . The pharmacist may possibly advise you on an essential oil to help treat a fungal infection of your nails. And above all, we strongly advise against using bleach to treat nail fungus, it is very dangerous!
Beauty centers, some podiatrists also offer laser treatment of nail fungus or hand nail fungus. There is not yet enough medical hindsight to know the effectiveness and safety of this type of treatment.
Hygiene measures to adopt
The best natural treatment for nail fungus is good personal hygiene:
- Change socks every day;
- Choose socks made of cotton or other natural material;
- Dry your feet carefully after showering, including between your toes: humidity promotes yeast infection;
- Change your towels very often and do not share them with other members of your family:
- Cut your fingernails short, to prevent yeast infection from developing;
- Wear slides in the swimming pool and in public places where there is the presence of water;
- Choose shoes that are not too tight, where your foot is not compressed.
And rest assured: nail fungus is never serious. With patience and good medical advice, you'll get the hang of it.