Our Waxahachie Foot Doctors Are Toenail Fungus Specialists

Fungus Toenails Should Not Be Ignored

Are you ashamed of your thickened, yellow toenails? Well, you have come to the right place. Here at Family Foot and Ankle Centers, your Waxahachie podiatrist has treatment options that will cure your fungal toenails and get you ready with summer ready toenails.

By staying up to date with the cutting edge treatment options emerging for toe nail fungus, we are able to deliver excellent results to our patients. We treat each fungal toenail case differently as certain types of fungus respond better to certain topical treatments than others or in some severe cases, may only respond to oral medication. Call us to make your appointment today. We offer advanced treatments for toenail fungus in all 3 of our office locations: Waxahachie, Ennis & Corsicana.

What Causes Toenail Fungus?

Toenail fungus, also known as Onychomycosis is a very common problem. It affects the young and old equally. People usually acquire fungal infections from frequent trips to the nail salons, shared locker rooms, gym spaces etc.  It is contagious and spreads easily which makes it hard to treat as fungus is everywhere. The most common organism that causes the fungal infection of the toenails and foot (called athletes foot) is by the fungus known as a Dermatophyte.

In the initial stages of the fungal infection, the toenails may slightly change color or a white spot may develop and then tends to spreads to the other toe nails and then if not treated, causes the nails to thicken and become dystrophic. Although it is usually not painful, if the toenails thicken enough or starts to grow ingrown, then it can cause severe pain. Fungal infection can also spread to your skin or fingernails. However, it is much more common in the toe nails and feet because the fungus often thrives in warm, dark, and often sweaty environment – like in you shoes.

How Is It Diagnosed?

Definitive Diagnosis is made by taking a small sample of the toenail and sending it to the lab for analysis under the microscope. Both the presence of fungus and what type of fungus can be identified through the analysis. Other conditions such as psoriasis and trauma to the toenail can have similar presentation to that of fungal toenails but require different treatment.

How Is Toenail Fungus Treated?

Fungal nail infections can be stubborn and recurrence is common which makes the treatment difficult. Treatment for fungal toenails is a common area of continuing research in the field of Podiatry.

Oral antifungal pill: Oral Terbinafine (Lamisil) is an oral medication that is commonly prescribed for the treatment of fungal toenails. This oral medication is more effective in treating the infection than topical medication. It is taken daily for up to 3 months and helps new nail grow out while the old nail grows off. It may take anywhere from 6-12 months until you see full clearance of the infection.

Topical nail polish: Another option is to apply a topical lacquer to the affected nail. While there are thousands of topical medications out there to treat this, some are more effective than others. Topical forms of the fungal medications are safer than the oral pill form. Newer prescription topicals such as Jublia and Kerydin are very popular with patients. These medications need to be applied to the affected toenails daily for several months, depending on the severity of the nail infection before results are yielded.

Nail removal: Sometimes, especially if the toe nail is very thick and causes pain, it is better to remove the nail and let a new healthy nail grow out. This removes all the fungal colonies so that the topical medicine can then be applied directly to the nail bed and to the new nail as it grows out to prevent it from re-infection.

How Can It Be Prevented?

There are several tips you can follow to prevent getting a toenail fungus or prevent getting re-infected after treatment.

Wash your feet daily. Dry well between your toes afterwards. Always wash your hands after touching your feet. 

• Keep toe nails trimmed straight across and do not push back the cuticles. Keep toenail nippers always clean and disinfected. 
• Change socks daily.
• Spray Lysol in your shoes to help disinfect.
• Remove nail polish regularly to allow the toenails to air out and “breathe”. 

Experience Our Award-Winning Care for Toenail Fungus in Waxahachie, TX, Today!

To experience our award-winning podiatry care, schedule an appointment today by calling us at 972-597-4132 or by clicking here to use our convenient online form. We offer same-day appointments and have bilingual Spanish-speaking professionals on staff for your convenience. During your appointment, our team will be happy to answer all your questions about our treatments, our office, our flexible payment options, and anything else you may want to know about us! Call today – we can’t wait to help you live your life pain-free!

As the premier podiatry centers in Waxahachie, Corsicana and Ennis, TX, our foot doctors and team at Family Foot & Ankle Centers also provide 5-star podiatry care to patients in our surrounding areas.  We proudly serve patients in Navarro and Ellis counties and surrounding areas including Red Oak, Midlothian, Desoto, Cedar Hill, Lancaster, Duncanville, Arlington and Mansfield. The Foot Specialists at Family Foot & Ankle Centers are improving lives one foot at a time.