An essential part of maintaining healthy feet is making sure your nails are also healthy. When the nails on our feet begin to change in the way they look, whether it’s shape or color, then there’s probably something going on.
Possible Conditions Affecting Your Toenails
When we realize that there’s something funky going on with our toenails, we automatically assume it’s a fungal infection. However, various other conditions that can affect your toenails, including:
- Alopecia Areata
- Yellow Nail Syndrome
- Skin Cancer
But did you know that another possible condition is nail psoriasis?
What is Nail Psoriasis?
According to the National Psoriasis Foundation, psoriasis is “an immune-mediated disease (a disease with an unclear cause that is characterized by inflammation caused by dysfunction of the immune system) that causes inflammation in the body.” While rare, people who have psoriasis can develop this condition in the toenails.
Symptoms of Nail Psoriasis
When differentiating nail psoriasis from nail fungus, it’s vital to know what symptoms to look for on your toenails. Nail psoriasis will:
- Make your nails turn yellow or brown.
- Cause the nails to detach from the nail bed, increasing the risk of gaps becoming infected by bacteria.
- Create a chalky buildup underneath your nails that will lead to subungual hyperkeratosis.
- Lead to tenderness or pain if one of the two symptoms above causes buildup under the nails.
Symptoms of Nail Fungus
Both nail psoriasis and nail fungus will create pitting, thickening, or deformation of the toenails. But when it comes to nail fungus, you will notice these differences:
- Your toenail color will darken rather than turning a specific color.
- The darkened color will make the toenail appear dull
- There will be a progressive distortion in your nail shape.
- Your toenails may be brittle.
Keep in mind that someone with psoriasis can suffer from both nail psoriasis and nail fungus simultaneously.
Treatment Options for Nail Psoriasis
When it comes to treatment options for both of these conditions, nail psoriasis is the hardest of the two to treat. If topical medications don’t do the trick, then you should try:
- A vitamin D ointment
- Phototherapy
- Corticosteroid. These are steroids that are injected directly into the nail bed.
- Biologics. Biologic drugs are medications made from living organisms and have proteins that target specific cells inside your body. These medications will assist your immune system by interfering in the inflammatory process.
Treatment Options for Nail Fungus
When it comes to nail fungus, the first treatment option is an over-the-counter antifungal medication. In the cases that these do not work, your podiatrist may recommend:
- Getting a culture to determine the cause of the fungus.
- Using prescription-strength topical or oral antifungals. BUY IT NOW!
- Removing the diseased nail.
The Most Trusted Podiatrists In Fresno, Visalia, And Porterville
The experts at Canyon Oaks Foot and Ankle understand that it may be difficult to tell the difference between the various conditions affecting your toenails. If you want to find relief fast, you need to identify the culprit to use the correct treatment.
Schedule an appointment today, and we will have you back on your feet in no time.
