Can you get a pedicure if you've got fungal toenails?

[NowhereToSleep]

If someone turns up for a pedicure and they've got nasty yellow fungal toenails, will they be shown the door?

Asking for a close friend.

I've tried all sorts but can't take the anti fungal medication due to interactions with other tablets. I listened to a BBC sounds documentary on it (Sliced Bread) with a consultant doctor giving advice. Unless you're prepared to keep treating your nails and socks, shoes, towels forever there isn't an easy solution. I've given up but it's miserable never being able to get a pedicure. I do my best at doing my own now.

You need a proper chiropodist, not just a pedicure. My late husband had a fungal toe-nail, and it took months of work to clear it up.

I took Terbinafine - took a few months to clear the infection, but I'd had it for several years, so was happy!

I don't think I'm going to ever get a pedicure again after reading this thread. Surely it's not worth the risk of catching a fungal infection that you then have for decades?

I have a grotty toenail it is an absolute nightmare to try and shift. I’d be too embarrassed to go for a pedicure irrespective of whether a salon would do it or not

Have you had the tablets from the GP? I battled it for over 10 years. I completely lost my big toe nail. Got 3 months prescription for anti-fungal tablets when they had swabbed it. All clear and new nail grew through within 8 weeks. Wish I’d done it sooner!

I have what salons assume is fungal nails (thickened yellow nails) but that the podiatrist assures me is nail damage from the repeated impact of running, which is why treatments aren't improving it.

Grim. Why would you even want to?

You can get some polish with fungicide in it.

To avoid contaminating polish use a Q tip dipped in it once to use on the infected toe, then throw it out.

Exactly -
trauma can cause the nail to thicken and discolour but a damaged nail is more likely to be affected by a fungal infection as it lifts off the nail bed .

OP - your friend can try asking the GP for tablets (Lamisil is one of the best known) a 12/52 course is usual for toenails .
You can belt&braces with topical application as well.
Most GPs will want a positive fungal nail sample before treatment and a blood test (liver ) , it;s a long job.
And it works on the new nail growth so after finishing you need to wait for results , you;ll see the nail growing clear from under the cuticle (eponychium)

Tea Tree Oil works but takes months

If your friend has diabetes they should definately see their GP , fungal nails can spread

Nail removal (avulsion) is done with phenol under local analgesic and considered permenant if they thinks of that .
If the nail is damaged then it will grow thicker anyway even after treatment

Edit , I've made your friend a "he" !

For anyone that's been trying to clear this for a few years... I 100% recommend going to your gp for the tablets. I had 20 years of trying every cream and powder and anything i could find, and the tablets sorted everything. Such a relief to be able to wear sandals again with out getting my grim toes out 😂

It depends on what you mean by a pedicure.

I'm from Eastern Europe, and when you get a pedicure there, you get the full treatment; they don't just paint your nails like they do in the UK.

I also have a fungal nail issue, but when I go to my Eastern European pedicurist, she still paints my nails or applies gel. Most of her clients have similar issues and know what products and hygiene procedures to use to avoid spreading it.

I'd suggest looking for Eastern European or non-UK-run salons. Depending on where you live, there are usually at least a few in bigger cities. Their approach to pedicures is quite different from what you'll typically find in the UK.

Topical treatments won't work. The GP will do tests and give oral medication to help. Mine cleared up very quickly with this.

Just seen this thread. My 11 year old has a fungal nail infection on the small toe. GP has prescribed the cream listed above. Can you give any advice? Should I get tea tree oil too? Be grateful for your thoughts.

i had a pedicure at the salon where i was getting laser treatment (it didn’t work)

basically, they did the whole pedicure (since they sterilise everything after), and then i had all my nails painted other than the affected one.

i then went to boots and found a nearly identical colour and i would paint it myself throughout the summer as needed.

@Greenteaandbiscuits did you need a blood test before and after?

i have a needle phobia and that’s what’s putting me off.

thanks a lot

Have you seen the GP and asked about a course of oral antifungals? That will clear it up.

I’ve had a badly fungal affected/damaged toenail for 32 years. I think it can be extremely difficult to get them sorted. Mind you I wouldn’t go for a pedicure, the way my feet look has been a closed book for nearly all my adult life.

I’d had a fungal nail
for years which slowly spread to the other nails. Had a course of terbinafine and omg it was incredible. Within a month I could see healthy nail and by the time a year had passed I was pretty much fungus free and have remained this way for the last 10 years.
I had tried everything otc, the lamisil, the cursnail etc to no avail. I tried soaking every night in listerine, rubbing with vicks, absolutely no change. The tablets were a miracle.
Obviously during that period of time when I had fungal nails I didn’t get my feet out let alone consider having a pedicure, the idea of asking someone to work on them was too embarrassing to think of! And I would have seriously questioned the hygiene practices of anyone who would have actually done it.

Not always possible. The pills can have side effects and don't work for everyone, same as the gels, and laser. Podiatrist said nearly ten percent of people will have one which doesn't heal. Probably won't be as many in the future, as people might get them treated earlier/people are more likely to not get them in the first place.
OP, you can get a medical manicure at a chiropodist. They can also do a type of reconstruction, as in they remove a lot of your nail, and put on this gel that they harden, and it lasts maybe a couple of months

Tell your friend to get her nails treated first. There are plenty of people who look after feet and toe issues…
why would she want a nail salon to be exposed to revolting nails? I would be mortified.

I had my toenail permanently removed! Fungus is so hard to get rid of and even if you do it will likely come back so I just said goodbye to the nail entirely and just have a blank space where the nail was now. Very pleased I did it.

I went to see a podiatrist with what I thought was the start of a fungal toenail infection, but she was certain it was caused by trauma. She trimmed away the damaged part of the nail and then gave me the best pedicure I've ever had. Using a scalpel, she carefully removed all the hard, dry skin from my feet, leaving them incredibly smooth. She cut my nails, tidied everything up, and my feet looked as soft as a baby's afterwards. It was far better than any salon treatment I've had.
My podiatrist also offers toenail reconstruction for nails that are infected or cosmetically unattractive. My son had a fungal toenail infection and was prescribed terbinafine; after a six-month course, the infection had cleared.
Treatment isn't usually a quick fix. If you're going through your GP, you'll often need a blood test to check liver function before starting terbinafine. Your GP may also take a toenail clipping and send it to a laboratory to confirm the presence of fungus, which can take several weeks because the organism needs time to grow in culture.
While treatment takes patience, a good podiatrist can make a huge difference to the appearance and health of your feet. In my experience, they can provide a much better pedicure than a salon. The professional removal of hard skin with a scalpel leaves your feet feeling amazing, and you can always paint your nails yourself at home afterwards or maybe they would do it for you.

Jackdog39 This is exactly what my chiropodist does. For some reason, I get a lot of hard skin, no matter what I wear on my feet; and the over the counter products do nothing. So I see her ever seven weeks, and always come out walking on air.

you can always paint your nails yourself at home afterwards or maybe they would do it for you

they won't
Podiatrist is a specialised medical health care professional