Eczema of the toenails???? - Nail Problems Message Board

Gerdie · 12-18-2005, 09:14 AM

For years I thought I had toenail fungus. I've taken Sporanex, Penlac and various home remedies to no avail. Some things helped slightly, but my toenails remain thick and yellowish. My doctor took some scrapings and cuttings of my toenails at my last visit and the test showed no fungus, but eczema of the nail. I tried researching this on the internet, but I'm not finding anything worth mentioning. Sites on eczema talk about this skin and not the nails, and anything related to nail disorders brings up fungus.

Has anyone heard of this condition? If so, what can I do for treatment? My doctor didn't mention any treatment at all. My overall skin is very dry, but I wouldn't say I have eczema on my skin.

Thank you for any help anyone can give me. I would so love to have nice looking nails for once in my life!
Gerdie

Marti · 12-22-2005, 06:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gerdie

For years I thought I had toenail fungus. I've taken Sporanex, Penlac and various home remedies to no avail. Some things helped slightly, but my toenails remain thick and yellowish. My doctor took some scrapings and cuttings of my toenails at my last visit and the test showed no fungus, but eczema of the nail. I tried researching this on the internet, but I'm not finding anything worth mentioning. Sites on eczema talk about this skin and not the nails, and anything related to nail disorders brings up fungus.

Has anyone heard of this condition? If so, what can I do for treatment? My doctor didn't mention any treatment at all. My overall skin is very dry, but I wouldn't say I have eczema on my skin.

Thank you for any help anyone can give me. I would so love to have nice looking nails for once in my life!
Gerdie

Can you describe for me please, exactly what the nails look like? It might help a lot!

Gerdie · 01-07-2006, 04:22 PM

Sorry it's taken me awhile to check back on this.

My toenails are thick, yellowish and don't really grow like normal nails. I have had toenails like this since I was a teen and I'm mid-fifties now. It hasn't gotten much worse over the years which is what made my doctor suspicious about it being fungus. I file them down to keep them from being so thick, but that is about all I normally do for them now.

I hope that helps with a description. One doctor said it was candida, and my latest test results were non-fungus, but the doctor said it's an eczema.

Thanks!
Gerdie

Marti · 01-08-2006, 07:43 AM

Let me look into this a little further and I will get back with you. by the way, candida is a 'yeast' infection of the nails and does not usually result in thickened, yellowish nails as you describe.

Is the nail plate separated from the nail bed in any way? This usually occurs if there is fungus, yeast or bacterial infection present, so if there is NO separation, it is something else. Are your parents nails like this as well? /we inherit our nails from our parents as well as everything else.

Gerdie · 01-11-2006, 08:04 PM

Hi,

My parents don't have the problem. I am the only one in my family with toenails like this. It started early - I remember them being thick in high school and I'm now 56. I've taken various fungus treatments but nothing really helped.

Under the nail, the bed is soft. I can scrape away a white goop from under my big toenails. Close to the cuticle, the nail looks fairly normal, but then gets thick. I usually file them down to keep them from being so thick and that is all I've been doing lately. I had tried the Vick's for several months, but that is messy and didn't seem to be helping any. Same for tea tree oil.

I was very surprised at what my doctor said. I still think it's fungus, but if she had scapings lab tested and said "no fungus"....I don't know!

I'd be interested in anything you can come up with, and especially any idea for treatment.
Gerdie