One of the major causes of ingrown toenails is incorrect nail cutting, particularly in children. Correct nail care involves cutting the nail straight across in a line with the end of the toe- lightly filing the nail. Cutting the nail down at the sides and pushing the cuticle back should be avoided. If your child develops an ingrown toenail seek professional advice from a podiatrist as early as possible to prevent complications developing.
FUNGAL NAIL INFECTIONS – ONYCHOMYCOSIS
Fungal infection of the nails, can be difficult to diagnose. There are many conditions that are not fungal that will cause discoloration of the nail. These conditions may also be present along with the fungal infection. The diagnosis and treatment is best supervised by the podiatrist. The appearance of the nail will vary but usually a, brownish/yellow or white, discoloration appears and sometimes spreads through the nail.
It is caused by one of several microscopic organisms, same as those that cause Athletes Foot (dermatophytosis). Fungi thrive in a dark, warm, moist environments, such as within shoes and stockings. They grow in the nail bed, beneath your nails, and live off Keratin, the protein in the nail. Minor repeated trauma from a short or shallow shoe may also predispose the condition.If the infection continues to the base of the nail, it can invade the nail root (matrix) and cause the nail to grow thickened and deformed. (IT IS COMMON ALSO TO HAVE THICKENED AND DEFORMED NAILS WITHOUT A FUNGAL INFECTION ) Some people complain of a foul odor associated with this condition. It can also spread to other nails. The fungus sometimes spreads to (or from) the adjacent skin surrounding the nail.
NONE OF THE DISCOLORED AREAS IN THIS PHOTOGRAPH ARE FUNGAL!
BEWARE, SOME PHARMACISTS, WHEN A DISCOLORED NAIL IS MENTIONED, WILL AUTOMATICALLY WITHOUT ANY INVESTIGATION, OFFER AND EXPENSIVE OFF-THE SHELF ANTI-FUNGAL PRODUCT.
Treatment needs to be supervised and is usually slow because the nail need to grow out . The risk of re-infection also needs be addressed as well as any other concomitant nail conditions. Oral anti-fungals prescribed by the GP , in my view , are rarely required. Some of the drugs used can have unwanted side-effects and there have been a number of cases where certain oral anti-fungal drugs have been prescribed and no fungus has been present!