Fungal nails suddenly mar your ever so fluffy feet. Not so nice in your peeptoe pumps, but be comforted: you are not the only one bothered by this! But what is a fungal nail and how do you get rid of it as quickly as possible? We explain it.

What is a fungal nail?

Lime nails (also called fungal nails) are a fungal infection of the nail. Bacteria and fungi live on your skin, which in themselves do not harm at all. But in some situations fungi get the chance to penetrate your skin or nails, after which a fungal nail may develop. About ten percent of the Dutch suffer from fungal infections on the feet. Men are slightly more affected than women.

How does a fungal nail develop?

A fungal nail usually develops on damp or damaged skin or nail. Fungi love warm, damp places and therefore find sweat socks and shoes an ideal breeding ground. The drier the environment, the less mold will grow. Factors that increase the appearance of a fungal nail are hereditary predisposition and a reduced immune system due to illness or medication.

What are the symptoms of fungal nails?

You can recognize a fungal nail by the following symptoms:

• Thickening of the nail
• Brittleness or brittleness of the nail
• White-yellow, green or brown discoloration
• Flakes on and under the nail
• Slow growing nails

Are fungal nails contagious?

Since you transfer fungi easily, fungal nails are contagious. For example, flakes can peel off your skin and nails and then infect another. The opposite also applies to you! Therefore, always wear slippers in public places where people walk barefoot, such as the swimming pool, sauna or gym.

Are fungal nails dangerous?

In healthy people, fungal nails are not dangerous. In people with a weakened immune system or people with diabetes, the infection can become more severe and spread faster. Do you have a fungal nail and also a reduced immune system or diabetes? Then visit your doctor.

How do you treat a fungal nail?

Do you want to get rid of your fungal nail? First make sure that you don’t give foot fungi a chance. Also, you can treat a fungal nail with:

• Vinegar
• Laser treatment
• Anti-fungal nail products

Vinegar

Vinegar is a natural remedy that can help against fungal nails because it is very acidic. The fungus that causes fungal nails cannot withstand high acidity. What should you do? Soak the affected nail every day in a container of pure vinegar. Do this for fifteen minutes, so that the vinegar can penetrate well under your nail. Then rinse your feet with water.

Laser treatment

Are you curious about other ways to get rid of a fungal nail? Then you can also have a laser treatment against fungal nails. The laser heats your nail and kills the fungus. The surrounding tissue remains undamaged. This treatment is painless and must be repeated several times. Be patient as it can take a few months to a year for a completely healthy nail to grow!…

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Bruising under the nail is an accumulation of blood. Usually, it occurs after a blow to your nail or after your finger has become stuck. Read all about the symptoms of bruising under the nail and find out what you can do about it.

What are the symptoms of bruising under the nail?

A bruise under your nail is often clearly visible from the blue to black color. With large bruises, it covers the entire nail. The bruise can be very painful for the first few hours. This is because the amount of blood under the nail increases and presses harder and harder on the sensitive nail bed. The nail discolors and eventually turns almost black. The trouble will reduce after a few days. After a few weeks (part of), the nail can come off, fall off, and be replaced by a new nail.

How does bruising occur under the nail?

A bruise under your nail is usually caused simply by bad luck. Well-known examples are accidentally hitting the nail with a hammer or getting a finger in the door. A lesser-known cause occurs with an athlete’s toenails. When they suddenly come to a standstill from a quick movement, the feet in the shoes shoot forward. This forward shot can hit so hard that a bruise will develop under the toenail. Too narrow shoes can also cause bruising due to excessive pressure on the nail.

Is bruising under the nail serious?

A bruise under the nail is not dangerous. There is no need to do anything about small bruises that do not hurt further. The nail may come off and falls off afterward. A new nail will grow within a few weeks to months. Large bruises under your nail can be painful. Making a small place in your nail, in the center of the bruise, and allowing the blood to drain from under your nail, you can reduce the pressure. Read below how you can best approach this.

In principle, you can remedy a bruise below your nail yourself. Are you worried, or don’t you dare to pierce your nail? Then go to the doctor.

What can I do about a bruise under my nail?

A bruise under your nail can be very painful due to the pressure of the blood. You can easily relieve this pressure by making a small hole in your nail in the middle of your bruise. How to proceed:

• Heat a small sharp object like a needle or bent paper clip in a gas flame until it is glowing red.
• Keep the hot tip gently on the nail; no pressing is necessary.
• If you can find a small hole in the nail and the blood flows out, you can remove the needle or paper clip.
• Make sure that you do not put pressure on the needle or paper clip to shoot through the nail into the nail bed.

Often you don’t feel any extra pain, but you feel that the pressure under your nail decreases. It’s smart to keep a tissue or washcloth handy to dab away the blood.

How can I prevent bruising under my nail?

Usually, a bruise under the nail is just bad luck. So there is nothing you can do about this. In some cases, shoes that are too small are the cause. Therefore, always make sure you wear the right size shoes.…

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