Fungal toenails, 8yo

[FAFO]

DD has had a fungal infection on four of her toes on one foot only since she was 2. They told me then that it was nothing and would disappear soon enough. A year on, I took her back to the gp, they took a sample and said fungal infection, and gave us an ointment. A year on, no change, different ointment. A year on, different potion, still no joy. We have been filing and trimming, and applying all the lotions and potions. I bought curanail otc despite it not being quite aimed at children her age (7, last year), didn't help. It's been at least six years, and nothing it helping.

I think they need to be extracted.
Can I push for this?

Or any other solutions?

Hopeful bump.

Have you found out what is causing it? Does she wear socks all the time? Or have sweaty feet? Not drying them well enough after bath/shower and wearing socks?

I used Excilor Ultra Nail Fungus Treatment once and it worked a treat on one of my kids

Thanks for replying. I didn't see a notification that I had one.

Don't know what caused it. Started as a toddler. She was hardly in shoes, barefoot a lot. Her little feet aren't sweaty at all. We have tried a fair few treatments, but not the one you've mentioned. They all cost sooo much and I'm stressed spending money on things that haven't worked. I'll look more at your suggestion, thank you.

I've just tried tea tree oil on my own feet after a recommendation on here and it seems to be helping. One part of the nail has peeled off and it's back to a nice flat surface underneath.
I put a drop or two on a cotton pad and dab it on. I read to keep out of sunlight and many people warned that it should only be used with a carrier oil.

Thanks for replying.
I have tried teatree oil but possibly not for long enough. Will try again.
Currently using Curanail.

Photos:

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I have had one for 9 years after visiting a dodgy nail salon. I’ve tried everything including oral medication. It helped and I thought it worked but it suddenly came back. I was hoping to have the nail removed but my local chiropodist stoped doing the procedure due to a lack of anaesthetic since covid. It’s a long wait on the nhs. I’m going to look for another chiropodist and pay to have it removed if I can.

in the meantime, I apply tea tree and I use to (think I will start again) soak my feet in apple cider vinegar. I felt it definitely helped as my nail can be quite sore sometimes.

I think I’d definitely be pushing to have those removed. She’s still a child she should have to be putting up with that. Nails grow back quickly, especially in children. My DD lost one of her nails after an accident once it fell off it didn’t bother her and grew back in months. Summer is a good time as she can wear open toe shoes to let her toes breast and heal.

Yeah, I'm not letting her have the oral medicine, even if the GP suggested it (they haven't). She has such pretty little feet apart from the toe nails on just the one foot. There's another thread running at the moment with some suggestions, and one of the podiatrists on there has messaged me too, so I'm going to try all th things.

@FAFO totally agree on the oral meds, I hated taking them but was desperate after 4 years. I certainly would not let child take them.

Good luck with what you try x

Thank you. I feel desperate, it's been six years of her life, so all her aware years so far. Just wish there was a fix. I know people have it way worse with serious illnesses.

My DD also has fungal nails that started when she was 2 1/2, sadly still like it at 15. I suggest you take her to a chiropodist. DD has hyper-mobile feet, they’re constantly sweaty and a breeding ground for athletes foot and fungal nail. DD was given lifts for her shoes to help keep the feet straight (can’t remember exactly), nails were trimmed and we were told to use Lamisol. It never cleared up, she was probably 9 when I took her to chiropodist, but it never got any worse either. Sadly at 14 DD decided not to wear the lifts and slowly the fungal nail is spreading.

We've had 2 years of this with my 13 year old. Finally given medication after using every otc method we could along with several trips to a private clinic.
Your DD might be too young for medication though, this was only thing that came close to working before we had tablets:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Canespro-Fungal-Treatment-toenails-Infection/dp/B00D431UPO/ref=mpssa1126?crid=1CULKHCSZFEMJ&keywords=fungal+nail+treatment&qid=1688197998&sprefix=fung%2Caps%2C74&sr=8-26

Really sorry for your DD that she has it still as a teen.
Did the chiropodist not help at all?!

My daughter's feet aren't sweaty, very normal in all other regards. I'm ramping up the treatments, more soaking, more lotions and potions, more filing and shaving it down, really feeling desperate for her.

Does it bother your DD? Is she self-conscious about wearing shoes with her toenails exposed?

I was very put off medication by the threat of side-effects. She's only eight, so will avoid the tablets.
Are your daughter's nails clearing up with the tablets?

My 12 year old has had it for 7 years. We recently switched to lamisil and excilor and for the first time 2 nails are healed and the others are improving. Just keep going.

The chiropodist and suggestions didn’t get rid of the fungal nail but it definitely didn’t spread while DD was using. DD had athletes foot and that definitely went away with the lifts. DD plays sports every day, all day if she could so perfect breading ground for fungus.

DD is very conscious of the nails. She paints them and that looks okay, but the older ones are slightly misshapen & thick which really bothers her. I’m going to make a real effort once the summer holidays start to deal with it. I’m not keen on the oral medicine and Dr previously said she couldn’t have it until at least she’s 14. We may try the medicine in the new year if all else fails.

I don’t understand how DD got it? She had a cut under her toe from the beach that wouldn’t heal, may be that was it.

I have it three years and currently trying nailoc and think there is some small improvement. I put the plug in bath and add AC vinegar when showering, use electric nail file and proper clippers etc. A huge part of my big toenail came away, crumbled really and came away then when clipped but it looks like being thick again when growing back. It's an absolute pain and very difficult for such a young child. My DSis used rejuvenail and it worked but I think used it v early on which possibly made the difference.

PS air and the sun help so get the toes out as much as possible.

Don't paint them, or if you do take the polish off afterwards ie if wearing for an occasion. Polish blocks off the air.

My DD has one foot exactly the same as your pic, so frustrating the GP keep fobbing us off with the medicated nail varnish so I'm watching this thread for tips.

I've had athletes foot and then resulting crappy toe nails since I was a teen so about 15 years now. Lamasil kicks it temporarily but weirdly so do footner style peels, after a while I noticed that after a peel some of my affected my toe nails would temporarily grow in normal looking. The peeling and slightly deformed thing comes back on some of them eventually but it's something. I can never remember to do it regularly to try and see if I can make it stick. Doesn't help my thicken toenail though, I don't think anything will.

I saw a YouTube video of someone treating their fungal foot issue with a peeling mask because something in them is anti fungal, not sure though. I think the main ingredient is something like salicylic, lactic, glycolic, citric acid which work as chemical exfoliants but idk if they're anti fungal

@FAFO it's my son and yes they are clearing up now. I was also concerned about the side effects but he's had none. Tbh if your DD has had this for 6 years out of 8 then it's not going to go away without medication but she's probably too young for it to be prescribed anyway. I think the nurse said they had to be 12 but I'm not 100% on that x

This is promising, thank you. And congratulations! 🤞

My DD is sporty too, but as a toddler, when this started, she wasn't doing anything particular, apart from swimming, but I've always been insistent on flip flops there.

Good luck x