Your toenails are vulnerable to trauma and infection – the floors around us are dirty places and in Australia, warmer temperatures leave us barefoot or throwing on our sandals!  Thickened and discoloured toenails may be a result of trauma or dermatological disease, nutritional deficiency or medication.  Your podiatrist is uniquely experienced in assessing toenails, so diagnosis of toenail conditions is usually clinically based.

The treatment of Onychomycosis can be very difficult as it takes a nail 12-18 months to grow. The sooner treatment starts, the sooner the chance of success. Treatment advice may involve use of electric drills to thin the nail plate, in conjunction with topical antifungal tincture obtained from the pharmacy.  Oral medication may be available from your GP, on recommendation from your podiatrist. For persisting infection involving the nail bed, total nail removal as a last resort can be performed.  Early detection will ensure most successful outcomes.