How to tell if I’ve got a fungal infection?

Posted , 4 users are following.

Hello, for a year-ish now, my big toenail's had weird, white spots/marks on it, and the part of the nail not attached to the nail bed has a brittle texture. I don't use nail polish, and I wear socks every hour of the day, even sleeping. I tried clipping my nails to get rid of the white spots, but they came back when the nail grew again. It's only on the big toenail.

I tried doing research on it, and my nail is not yellowed, or thick, or peeling or breaking off. It's just a little brittle and with some white spots.

I will include pictures below:

Left foot:

image

Right foot:

image

Thank you.

0 likes, 1 reply

1 Reply

  • Posted

    If you push your cuticles back on those nails you can can cause damage to the nail bed and white spots and brittleness may occur.

    Although you say the nails are not yellow, thick and peeling, it would be a good idea to use an antifungal preparation on them daily for a year or two to stop any form of fungal possibility. If you wear socks 24 hours a day you are highly likely to get a fungal infection. Try going barefoot or wearing open toe shoes whenever possible

    PS Yes, I did mean a year or two to treat your nails. Once these infections set in they can be very difficult to get rid of and treatment is usually ongoing..

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.