3 Best Practices for Persistent Toenail Fungus

As anyone who’s dealt with toenail fungus can tell you, it’s a particularly challenging condition to deal with. Medically speaking, fungal infections aren't exactly serious, but they can be hugely annoying, often prompting people to hide their feet due to the unsightly and deformed nails.

We assure you that you're not alone, considering that toenail fungus affects about 1 in 5 adults over the age of 60. We also want to let you know that there are strategies that can help your feet finally come out of hiding.

Our team of multi-speciality providers at LaSante Health Center includes podiatry experts who have a good deal of experience helping patients to navigate the often frustrating world of  toenail fungus. Here’s what we often recommend.

Clearing the initial fungal infection medically

If you have persistent toenail fungus, the first objective will be to clear the infection, which can be challenging. The reason toenail fungus most often affects older people is because of more sluggish circulation to the feet. As a result, your body is less able to fight off infections as readily. 

Fungal infections can be stubborn, especially if they get into the nail bed below the nail. When this happens, any new nail that grows can be affected.

So if you’ve tried over-the-counter toenail fungus medications without success, it’s time to get more aggressive with prescription products.

Depending on the extent of your infection, we can prescribe a strong topical antifungal medication or an oral one. Bear in mind, these medications can take months to work, especially since toenails grow so slowly.

Removing the fungal nail

If you’ve already tried prescription toenail fungus medications and your toenail fungus immediately returned, you’re in good company — recurrence rates for toenail fungus are between 20% and 25%.

So if you feel like you’re going round and round with your toenail fungus, we might recommend removing the nail entirely. By removing the nail, we can also treat the nail bed more effectively to hit the reset button on your affected toenails.

This approach to toenail fungus is highly effective, but it requires patience since it can take 12-18 months for toenails to grow back out.

Preventing toenail fungus from coming back

Once we clear the infection, the goal is to prevent the fungus from returning, which you can do by:

• Wearing shoes in public spaces
• Avoiding moist environments for your feet, such as sweaty socks
• Not sharing socks and towels with others since the infection is contagious
• Washing and drying your feet daily
• Proactively using an antifungal spray or cream on your toenails
• Routinely sterilizing your nail tools, such as clippers

This type of vigilance and care can go a long way toward preventing another fungal infection from taking hold.

If you’re dealing with stubborn toenail fungus, your first step is to come see one of our foot health experts. To set that up, please call our Brooklyn, New York, clinic or use our online booking tool to set up an appointment. You can also visit our clinic during our hours of operation. 

Our team proudly serves the Flatbush and East Flatbush, Crown Heights, Park Slope, Little Haiti, Little Caribbean, and Prospect Lefferts Gardens communities.