Does this look like a fungal infection (toes)

[Snooks1971]

DD13 big toes, she’s a bit of a toenail picker. Not sure what is going on but I imagine that both L/R can’t both be fungal? Please ignore the manky burgundy nail polish.

GP are phone appointments only… we can self refer to our excellent Podiatry NHS Service but they are still only doing emergency appointments (which I don’t think this is).

I know I can’t diagnose over the internet but opinions welcome thank you!

Yes, it looks fungal. As a foot specialist i can tell you that nhs will not deal with fungal nails full stop. The best advice i can give you is to visit a foot specialist to get the nail prepared and then you can self treat with a topical antifungal. Picking at this will only spread it to other nails. Gp may give you a topical anti fungal, which works but only if the nail is prepped first.

Looks it to me!! Part of my job involves processing and culturing fungal nail samples for the NHS, so it does deal with them, but I'm not sure if they gp will only take a sample if you've previously tried a treatment and have it fail.

Picking at them will definitely spread an infection around, other toes and fingernails possibly too!

@TheLovleyChebbyMcGee

Looks it to me!! Part of my job involves processing and culturing fungal nail samples for the NHS, so it does deal with them, but I'm not sure if they gp will only take a sample if you've previously tried a treatment and have it fail.

Picking at them will definitely spread an infection around, other toes and fingernails possibly too!

NHS podiatry, will not touch fungal nails, which is why i deal with fungal nails far too much! The nhs will tell you from a clipping whether something is fungal or not, and maybe prescribe a topical anti fungal, but believe me that in itself is not “dealing with the problem”.

Oof thank you so much both - where do I find a foot specialist please?
We haven’t used anything on it as yet. She’s been hiding them from me! I took the photos whilst she was still asleep!

That’s more than being a bit of a toenail picker OP. You need to address that issue first.
NHS did prescribe tablets for our youngest.

Just have a look online for your nearest Podiatrist/ foot health professional. I would get it seen to properly first, then self treat. It can spread really quickly to other nails and is a swine to get rid of if left. I would imagine dependent on area you would be looking £35-40 for a treatment to prepare nail. Hope this helps!

@Wolfiefan

That’s more than being a bit of a toenail picker OP. You need to address that issue first. NHS did prescribe tablets for our youngest.

Oh no what do you mean?

I’d say so, yes. Has she had athlete’s foot at all? They’re very like mine - I get recurrent fungal toenails on both big toes despite very careful foot care. Mine probably started when I was about 18. I wear quality shoes, dry my feet religiously, and it still happens. I’ve spoken to the GP who wouldn’t do anything and just said some people are more prone to them. There’s medication that can be prescribed but it’s hard on the liver. I have poor circulation and always have cold feet, which I don’t think helps either. There’s various remedies - some people say Vicks works, others use things like tea tree oil but I’ve never found anything that stops it coming back.

Can you send those pics to the GP?

@WowIlikereallyhateyou

Just have a look online for your nearest Podiatrist/ foot health professional. I would get it seen to properly first, then self treat. It can spread really quickly to other nails and is a swine to get rid of if left. I would imagine dependent on area you would be looking £35-40 for a treatment to prepare nail. Hope this helps!

Her elder brothers suffer with ingrowing toenails and have both seen NHS Podiatry during the last 18 months. DS1 who is 16 was seen last Friday - podiatrist said that the nail is growing back curved, very unlucky. My Dad is the same as am I!

Sorry, waffling. What I mean is would they not treat/prep the nails at all do you think?

NHS podiatry, will not touch fungal nails, which is why i deal with fungal nails far too much! The nhs will tell you from a clipping whether something is fungal or not, and maybe prescribe a topical anti fungal, but believe me that in itself is not “dealing with the problem”.

A touch rude don't you think?!

@Wolfiefan

That’s more than being a bit of a toenail picker OP. You need to address that issue first. NHS did prescribe tablets for our youngest.

I treat alot of GP’s for fungal nails as they wouldn’t take the tablets themselves, so I certainly wouldn’t advise for a child.

@Crunchyorsmooth

I’d say so, yes. Has she had athlete’s foot at all? They’re very like mine - I get recurrent fungal toenails on both big toes despite very careful foot care. Mine probably started when I was about 18. I wear quality shoes, dry my feet religiously, and it still happens. I’ve spoken to the GP who wouldn’t do anything and just said some people are more prone to them. There’s medication that can be prescribed but it’s hard on the liver. I have poor circulation and always have cold feet, which I don’t think helps either. There’s various remedies - some people say Vicks works, others use things like tea tree oil but I’ve never found anything that stops it coming back.

Can you send those pics to the GP?

Good idea re sending the photos -although I suspect they will tell us to self refer to the Podiatrist NHS (who are bloody brilliant btw).

I’ve got awful toenails too.

@TheLovleyChebbyMcGee

NHS podiatry, will not touch fungal nails, which is why i deal with fungal nails far too much! The nhs will tell you from a clipping whether something is fungal or not, and maybe prescribe a topical anti fungal, but believe me that in itself is not “dealing with the problem”.

A touch rude don't you think?!

Not, just the truth. From lots of experience.

@WowIlikereallyhateyou

Just have a look online for your nearest Podiatrist/ foot health professional. I would get it seen to properly first, then self treat. It can spread really quickly to other nails and is a swine to get rid of if left. I would imagine dependent on area you would be looking £35-40 for a treatment to prepare nail. Hope this helps!

@WowIlikereallyhateyou is there anyone you could recommend - loose postcode is LE8 South Leics ish Thank you x

Snooks, Nhs podiatry is pretty stretched. Mostly dealing with high risk foot disorders, uLceration, diabetes, etc. If ingrowers are reoccurring then there is a case for them. However, with a fungal nail apart from the fact that they are not advised to prep nails due to the dust , they are more cosmetic and not the priority in a streched service.

GP prescribed me and my sister tablets when needed, so don't rule out GP.

Snooks, sorry I don’t know anyone in LE8, but if you google there are a good few options coming up. Good luck.

Thanks @WowIlikereallyhateyou I appreciate it. As I said before, hats off to the Podiatry Services during these last 18 months. They’ve been phenomenal and I’ve said so to them. They are a fantastic team in this area.

I will google - thanks again.

@Stevenage689 I will send the photos - thank you.

@WowIlikereallyhateyou well our GP was happy to prescribe and it was the only thing that dealt with the issue.

Have a look here OP

cop.org.uk/find-a-podiatrist#FIND.PODIATRIST

So the NHS will 'deal with it?' Hmm, strange that. Yes OP, sending these photos to your GP sounds like a good start. Oral antifungals can work really well, fingers crossed for your DD.

@TheLovleyChebbyMcGee

So the NHS will 'deal with it?' Hmm, strange that. Yes OP, sending these photos to your GP sounds like a good start. Oral antifungals can work really well, fingers crossed for your DD.

You seem to have a bee in your bonnet about this? Are you a qualified in this area, and are you aware of the side effects of the medications you are advisng a person to take? Again let me get this straight, the nhs let us say a gp, will send off the clippings to confirm whether fungal or not, which can be diagnosed in lots of cases without sending off by a foot specialist. Secondly they can prescribe a topical anti fungal or oral terbinafine the latter requiring a liver/kidney function test, as it is pretty ravaging on the body. In order for the topical to work the nail needs to be prepped which the dr would not be able to do nor have the tools to do either. And the latter approach is a sledgehammer to crack a nut and the gps that come for treatment to me would never use it on themselves, so that says ALOT to me.

Once the nail has been treated I would advise against nail polish for a while. After a year of treating a fungal nail and finally getting rid of it, I decided to paint my nails and it was back again! Apparently wearing nail polish can encourage regrowth.

I have found my pharmacist really good on this oP- I'm still working on mine though! GP was v unwilling to prescribe oral antibiotics to me for this and encouraged me to keep going with the topical treatment

@Bobbybobbins

Once the nail has been treated I would advise against nail polish for a while. After a year of treating a fungal nail and finally getting rid of it, I decided to paint my nails and it was back again! Apparently wearing nail polish can encourage regrowth.

I have found my pharmacist really good on this oP- I'm still working on mine though! GP was v unwilling to prescribe oral antibiotics to me for this and encouraged me to keep going with the topical treatment

I’d agree with this - nail varnish does definitely make it worse. I do wear it occasionally if I wish to wear sandals, but I remove it later the same day.

To help day to day I have the Daktarin spray that keeps athlete’s foot at bay (I’m also very prone to that - only need to look at a wet bathmat and I get cracks between my toes), and I live in Birkenstocks in the house to make sure my feet get lots of fresh air.