How To Recognize Toenail Fungus

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August 20, 2017
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Not every Individual who has toenail fungus will experience the same symptoms and depending on how severe the infection is, it may look different as well.

The infection that causes nail fungus to grow has three distinct stages that you should be able to recognize.

Initial Stage (Stage 1) – Infection is less than 30 days old

If you catch the infection during the first 30 days of exposure, you are lucky because Listerine and vinegar foot baths are common home remedies that may work during Stage 1.

Look for the following symptoms because it may be difficult to identity:

Signs of vertical or horizontal streaks that are light in color will begin to develop. This is a sign the fungus is starting to grow.

White fungus may begin growing on the nail’s cuticle

The nail may become brittle and start to chip off on the edges

Rooted Stage 1 (Stage 2) – Infection is one to six months old

This stage occurs after the infection has taken hold for one to six months and it is critical to begin treatment right away. Failing to act may require you to take dangerous prescription medications or undergo expensive laser surgery. You can save yourself money and time by treating the infection at this stage. It may take three to four months of treatment to remove the fungus when it is in this stage.

Here are some symptoms to look for:

Fungus covers the entire nail

The nail takes on an irregular shape and starts to break

The nail becomes thicker and starts to move away from the nail bed.

Fortified Stage (Stage 3) – Infection is more than six months old

If the fungus resembles this image, the infection has been there for sixth months or more and it will be difficult to eliminate. It could take four to six months to clear the fungus even after seeking aggressive treatment.