Fungal (?) toenail - can it grow back after years?

[ElizabethinherGermanGarden]

My big toe nail is detached down to about 4mm from the bottom. It looks okay on the surface and I am (sorry, gross) careful to keep it cleaned out underneath. It's been like this for many years - I think it started about 20 years ago.

I was originally told by a GP that it was a trauma to the nailbed rather than a fungus so didn't treat, then was worried about medication interfering with the pill or pregnancy and then was just lazy about it (if painted, it looks fine).

If I were to go to the GP or a podiatrist now, is there any chance it could be cured and re-grow, or is the damage likely to be permanent?

No once you've damaged your toenail it is permanent.

My big toenails on both feet were detached to about halfway down when I had my fungal nail infection, nobody could tell though unless I wiggled it (a bit like a wobbly tooth!) and my nails were always painted.

I finally went to the GP last summer after around 10 years of ignoring it and they put me on 6 months of terbinafine. I can honestly say I was kicking myself for not going sooner! I'd had dry, flaky feet and fungal nail infections from about 14-24. The terbinafine cleared up my dry feet completely (DP was amazed!) in about a fortnight and now they're soooooo smooth and soft. The nails took slightly longer but I can happily say that all nails (and the infection was in every nail on both feet) are now completely fungal free and fully reattached to the nail bed. I honestly thought it would never be possible for my feet to look the way they do now, I thought I was destined for a life of manky feet and nails that crumbled away/fell off!

That sounds hopeful! Any side effects from the terbinafine?

Can podiatrists prescribe?

Not sure if podiatrists can prescribe or not sorry. Main potential side effect of terbinafine is effects on the liver so they ask that you go in for a blood test after 3 months of taking it I never experienced any side effects thankfully

Thanks for your help

I took Terbinafine and my white blood cells count decreased dramatically, especially the neutrophils. This is really rare but just make sure you contact your GP if you do take it and start to feel ill. It took 18 months for the blood count levels to return to normal. It did cure the fungal infection though!