Fungal nail infections are common, impacting 10 percent of people under 60 years old, 20 percent of people older than 60, and half of people above the age of 70. Also known as onychomycosis, fungal nail infections are more likely to impact patients with a history of foot fungus or athlete’s foot, exposure to warm and moist places like a pool or locker room, having wet nails for a long time, or being in contact with someone with the fungus. When it comes to toenail fungus, New Jersey’s Skin & Laser Center of NJ explains that some people are genetically more susceptible to developing this infection and often have family members with the problem. Because of this genetic risk, it is likely that it will recur even after successful treatment of the fungus.
Signs of toenail fungus include part of the nail turning another color, nails splitting or crumbling, and debris building up beneath the nail. Nail fungal infections are typically painless, but in rare cases patients may experience physical discomfort as a result of their infection. Whether you’re in pain or just embarrassed by the symptoms that come with having a toenail fungus infection, the providers at Skin & Laser Center of NJ can help provide relief with effective, noninvasive treatment options.
In late 2016 she founded the Skin & Laser Center of NJ, LLC in Mahwah, NJ where she continues to treat her medical and cosmetic patients, and further pursues her interest in laser medicine. Dr. Lieb’s mission is to provide high quality dermatologic care using up-to-date medical information and cutting edge technology in an efficiently run practice. Dr. Lieb is board certified in dermatology, is a Fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology, a member of the American Society of Dermatologic Surgery, the American Society of Laser Medicine and Surgery, and the New Jersey Dermatologic Society. Dr. Lieb is a Staff Dermatologist at The Valley Hospital in Ridgewood.
Because toenail fungus is generally painless, many patients might be tempted to ignore the problem—but treatment is important and can prevent your infection from causing further damage to your nails. After getting a fungal nail infection, patients with diabetes have an increased risk of developing sores that do not heal. Because of this, it’s important to consult with a dermatologist (or other doctor) at the first sign of a nail problem. A provider at Skin & Laser Center of NJ can either confirm your toenail fungus diagnosis or offer an alternate diagnosis after a visual examination of the affected nails and nearby skin. This may involve taking a sample of your nail and sending it to the lab for evaluation to confirm the diagnosis.
Treatment for toenail fungus usually begins by trimming the infected nails and keeping them short. If you have a mild infection, a medicine that you apply to your nails may get rid of the problem. This treatment helps keep new toenail fungus out while new, healthy nails grow. Toenails usually take 12 to 18 months to grow out.
Toenail fungus patients that require more aggressive treatment may get a prescription for antifungal pills. These have a higher cure rate than medicine you apply to your nails, but they also have more potential side effects. Antifungal pills also work more quickly than medicine applied directly to the nails. Taking antifungal pills for three months can cure an infection under the toenails.
Toenail fungus can return even after a successful antifungal pill treatment, so it is important to continue preventive foot care. Spray an antifungal spray into your shoes before you put them on and after taking them off. Allow your shoes to air out for 24 hours before you wear them again.
Skin & Laser Center of NJ in Ramsey provides a wide range of medical, surgical, and cosmetic services for patients in and around New Jersey. Patients can get diagnosis and treatment for acne, skin cancer (with Mohs surgery), chronic conditions (like psoriasis, rosacea, and eczema), moles, melasma, vitiligo, athlete’s foot, toenail fungus, scabies, contact dermatitis, and more. Cosmetic options include wrinkle-relaxing BOTOX® and Dysport®, dermal fillers like Juvederm® and Restylane®, Kybella® for reducing a double chin, chemical peels, Hydrafacial MD, microneedling, laser hair removal, laser acne treatments, laser scar treatments, laser tattoo removal, CoolSculpting®, laser vein treatments, sclerotherapy, and more.
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