NAIL FUNGUS
INFECTIONS CAN
BE TREATED
WHAT IS A NAIL FUNGAL INFECTION?
Nail fungal infection is a common, treatable medical condition that occurs when your nails become infected with a fungus.6
Toenails are more likely to be infected than fingernails.7
The fungus grows by feeding on nails and the outer layer of skin, causing damage in and under the nails.6,8
Untreated, the fungus can spread through the nail, becoming harder to treat. Fungus from an infected nail can also spread and infect other nails and skin.9
*Fungus from an infected nail can also spread to socks and shoes and, as a result, infect other nails and skin.9 This diagram is for illustrative purposes only.
WHAT DOES A NAIL FUNGAL INFECTION LOOK LIKE? 10,11
Build-up of skin and nail debris under the nail?
You might have an infection that could be treated with an anti-fungal medicine.
Does your nail look different to these pictures?
You might have a severe nail fungal infection or another condition that you cannot treat yourself. For a diagnosis, speak to your Pharmacist, GP, Dermatologist or Podiatrist.
WHY DO I HAVE NAIL FUNGAL INFECTION?
You may have been in contact with the fungus on a contaminated floor or surface.7
A warm and moist environment (such as inside closed, tight fitting shoes) helped the fungus grow.7
A third of people with nail fungal infections also suffer from athlete’s foot.9
Factors that can increase your risk of nail fungus include:
- Damaged nails
- Using communal locker rooms
- Poor foot hygiene
- Certain medical conditions, such as diabetes, psoriasis, poor circulation,
immune system problems, or peripheral arterial disease.7,12
HOW DO I TREAT A NAIL FUNGAL INFECTION?
There are many types of nail fungus treatments, including creams, lacquers, devices and procedures.
However, there is no such thing as a quick fix treatment. Even if you use a treatment that removes all of the nail, the fungus can still remain on the nail bed and infect the new nail as it grows.13 The nail fungus must be eradicated completely. It takes an anti-fungal medicine to treat a nail fungal infection.1 Anti-fungal medicines contain an ingredient that actively kills the fungus.
Getting the most from your treatment
Topical anti-fungal medicine (which you apply to the surface of your nail) is most effective if the infected nail is filed down.13
- Filing down and clipping the infected nail helps to remove some of the fungus and makes the nail thinner, so that when you apply the treatment, it can get into the nail.13
Some treatments dissolve the infected part of your nail – but the fungus may still remain on the nail bed so you must apply an anti-fungal medicine to kill the fungus until your healthy nail grows back.13
Different treatment formulations can also affect treatment performance.
Nail lacquer formulas have several associated benefits as they:
- Increase the penetration of treatment into the nail14
- Form a film over your nail, meaning less treatment applications4
- Are easy to use5
Why start treating now?
Just like skin and hair, nails take a long time to grow – up to 6 months for fingernails and 9 to 12 months for toenails.15
The sooner you start treatment, the less time the fungus has to spread and the sooner the infection could be treated
How your nail regrows
*This diagram is for illustrative purposes only
FAST FACTS ABOUT NAIL FUNGAL INFECTION
- Nail fungal infection is also known as onychomycosis6
- It occurs when a type of microscopic organism called a fungus gets into your nail
- Nail fungal infection is more common in toenails than fingernails7
- Once it’s in your nail, the fungus feeds on the keratin, which is the protein that makes up your nails and the surface of your skin6,8
- It’s estimated that around 1 in 12 people have nail fungal infection.7 If you suffer from diabetes the risk is even higher.7,12
- The risk of developing nail fungal infections increases with age.7
- The good news is, nail fungal infection can be treated with an anti-fungal medicine.1,16
