marti I need help - Nail Problems Message Board

myboysmom · 08-05-2007, 05:00 PM

Hello again Marti! You have answered a couple of questions for me before and your always so helpful. I have been treating nail fungus on three toes for about 3 months. all is looking pretty except a couple of things. On my right big toe which was by far the worst to begin with it has grown in what looks to be healthy about a third of the way I'd say the only problem is it looks so dry. I mean I understand the old nail that is growing off should look dry with the discoloration and all but even the new part coming in looks dry yet good color. There is also what looks like a tiny scratch coming up the nail from the cuticl. This scratch does not stretch up the entire nail. Could I have scraped my nail or done damage when pushing back cuticle or applying the vinegar(my treatment of choice) ? In every other way this nail seems to be growing in well. Also on my other big toe I have been treating it for fungus as well even though I'm not sure it was infected it just looked like one of the corners was white too far down at the free edge but I could have done this by cutting into my corner too far. However I decided to be on the safe side and treat this nail too. Well the nail looked great this corner of white seemed to be growing a little and the rest of the nail looks pink with no problems until today. I noticed a little white in the other corner which I really think I causes by trying to cut this corner down to match the other side and I cut too short but today it looked like I could really notice the white part so I went to clean under it to see if there was any debris. There was a little but it looked mostly just like dry skin not the real yucky stuff but it seemed that the area of white seperation got bigger. Did I make this worse by cleaning under it? Do you think I could be getting a fungal infection in this area or if I had one could it be getting worse while I'm treating it? This is so frustrating to me because I'm trying so hard to get my nails back to normal. I've even stopped wearing polish these last 3 months something I always done. Please can you help me? One more thing. How likely is it that this will spread to my fingernails. I have lovely fingernails and I'm just so afraid of them getting infected. How could I prevent this?

Marti · 08-05-2007, 06:56 PM

To prevent the spread of infection form toe to toe and finger to finger, never use the same files on the infected nails as you do the healthy nails. You may want to get two sets of files and implements. Sanitize each set of files and instruments after each use and store them in a sealed container until the next use. To properly sanitize, wash the files and implements with warm soapy water and rinse them really well. Then totally immerse them in a sanitizing solution for a full 10 minutes, take them our and wash them with warm soapy water again. Rinse really well and dry them thoroughly. Place them in a sealed container ( a Freezer Ziplok baggie willwork just fine)and mark the container saying to use on healthy or 'bad' nails.

You can make a simple Quaternium compound at home to sanitize them in: mix 1 part clorox to 10 parts water.

Do not agressively cut or clean out from under the nail plate - you can cause yourself further problems. If you are treating the nails for fungus with Vinegar, you will usually get a 'white' look to the nails because the vinegar will kill off whatever spores may still be living in the debris under the nail plate. Be GENTLE with the nails until the fungus is dead and the nails are 'normal' again. Fungus can make the nail plate crumble and agresively digging under the nail plate can allow them to go further back under the healthy portion of the nail.

myboysmom · 08-05-2007, 08:00 PM

Thanks Marti! What about the one nail looking so dry? Is this normal you think as long as there is no discoloration on the new growth for it to look dry? I appreciate all your help.

Marti · 08-06-2007, 06:13 AM

The nail bed on your toes does not produce the same amount of oils and moisture that your fingernails do; therefore they will usually look drier than your fingernails. If this is one of the nails that has an infection, then it will be drier looking than the others.