Fungal Toenail Treatment in Islington
A fungal nail infection is slow to develop and slow to resolve, which is why so many people put off doing anything about it. Getting the diagnosis confirmed is the useful first step, because several other conditions look similar and are treated quite differently.
What you might notice
- Thickening of one or more toenails
- Discolouration, typically yellow, white or brown
- A crumbly or brittle nail edge
- Distortion of the nail shape
- Separation of the nail from the nail bed
- Debris building beneath the nail
Discomfort in footwear often develops as the nail thickens, and the big toenail is the most commonly affected.
Why it happens
The fungi responsible thrive in warm, damp, enclosed conditions, which describes the inside of a shoe accurately. Infection frequently follows athlete’s foot spreading to the nail, or enters through a nail damaged by trauma.
Risk increases with age, with circulatory problems, with diabetes, with communal changing facilities and with repeated nail trauma from sport or ill-fitting footwear. A nail that is also curling into the skin needs separate attention, which our ingrowing toenail page explains.
Assessment and treatment
Your podiatrist will examine the nail and surrounding skin and consider whether the appearance is consistent with fungal infection or with one of the conditions that mimic it, including nail trauma, psoriasis affecting the nail and bacterial infection.
Treatment generally starts with reducing the thickness of the affected nail, both to make it more comfortable in footwear and so that any topical preparation can reach the nail bed rather than sitting on the surface. Alongside that, your podiatrist will go through footwear, hosiery and foot hygiene, since reinfection is the most common reason treatment fails.
Where a nail is extensively affected, your podiatrist may suggest discussing oral antifungal treatment with your GP. That route requires a prescription and, in some cases, monitoring, so it sits with your GP rather than with us.
Your podiatrist will talk you through the options that are appropriate for your nail at your assessment, including how long each takes and what it involves, so you can decide what is worth doing.
Progress is measured by new, healthy nail growing from the base. Because toenails grow slowly, a full nail replacement typically takes many months, and patience with the process matters more than intensity.
Practitioners
Both work across the full range of our podiatry care.
Fees
Both first and subsequent 30-minute podiatry appointments are £65. If you only need the nail reduced and trimmed, a 15-minute appointment is £40. Full pricing is on the fees page.
Questions
Can I paint over a fungal nail?
Nail polish traps moisture and makes the nail harder to monitor. It is better avoided during treatment.
Will it spread to my other nails?
It can, and it commonly spreads to the surrounding skin as athlete’s foot. Treating both together gives a better result.
Do I need to throw away my shoes?
Not usually. Shoes should be aired thoroughly between wears and given time to dry out fully, and your podiatrist will advise on managing footwear during treatment.
How long before it looks normal again?
Toenails take many months to grow out fully. Improvement is judged on the new growth at the base rather than the appearance of the old nail.
