Painful fungal nail? Why it hurts and what helps
Do you have a fungal nail, and does it hurt? A thick or misshapen nail can press on the skin, especially in tight shoes, and the skin around it can get sore. Take pain seriously: have it checked by your GP or a podiatrist, who can also thin a thick nail. Alongside their advice, you can care for the nail at home with the tiptoe routine.
- Know the common causes of a painful fungal nail
- A home routine alongside your GP’s or podiatrist’s advice
What causes a painful fungal nail?
There are several reasons a fungal nail can hurt. A fungal nail is a nail infected by a fungus (onychomycosis). Once the fungus gets the chance to get into the nail, the nail can thicken, change shape and press on the skin around it.
Things that make a fungal nail more likely:
- Tight shoes
- A damaged nail
- Nail biting
- Long or frequent showers and baths
- A skin condition
- Using a lot of soap and shampoo
- Diabetes
- A weakened immune system
Different ways to treat a painful fungal nail
There are lots of products and medicines for fungal nails, and not all of them do what they promise. A GP may prescribe tablets such as terbinafine or itraconazole. They don’t work for everyone, they can have side effects, and your GP will check whether they’re right for you. Home remedies such as vinegar, tea tree oil or baking soda are popular too, but they often can’t reach fungus that sits deep in the nail.
What can you do about a painful fungal nail?
Start with the pain. Have the nail checked by your GP or a podiatrist (chiropodist), especially if you have diabetes, if the skin around the nail is red, warm or swollen, or if walking hurts. A podiatrist can thin a thick nail so it presses less.
Alongside their advice, you can care for the nail at home with the tiptoe routine. Twice a day, you apply tiptoe naildrops at the base of the nail, look after the skin with tiptoe care foam and use tiptoe protect your feet on your feet and in your shoes.
How long does it take?
A fungal nail develops over time, and recovery takes time too. The affected nail won’t go back to normal: it grows out. A nail grows about 1 mm every 6 weeks, and how long it takes depends on how deep the infection goes.
Pain often comes from pressure: a thick nail in a tight shoe. So don’t wait for the new nail to grow out before you get help. Wider shoes and a podiatrist who thins the nail can make a difference now, while you stick with the routine.
How to avoid another painful fungal nail
Has the new nail grown out? Keep your feet and nails in good shape to lower the chance of a new infection. A few simple habits:
- Clean the shoes you wear most, and let them air out
- Dry your feet well after swimming, between your toes too
- Boil your nail scissors to clean them
- Only use breathable nail polish
What you need to get started
The tiptoe starter kit has everything for the three steps: naildrops, care foam and protect your feet. You’ll find the current price in the shop.
- All three steps of the routine in one kit
- Use it alongside your GP’s or podiatrist’s advice
Why tiptoe
From start to finish
You know what to do at every step: the nail test to begin with, a clear routine for nail, skin and feet, and honest advice on what to expect.
Fungal nail specialists
tiptoe is a Dutch company that focuses on one thing only: fungal nails. We’ve been looking at them every day since 2018.
Years of expertise
We keep building on what we’ve learned about fungal nails, and we share it openly, so you know where you stand.
A complete peptide routine to use at home
The trick isn’t rubbing harder. It’s sticking with it. Three steps that work together: apply, care and protect.
tiptoe naildrops
Twice a dayThe active step. You apply the drops with the patented peptide at the base of the nail, where new nail grows.
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tiptoe care foam
Twice a dayThe skin around the nail and between your toes. Leave it untreated and it can reinfect the nail. Back to square one.
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tiptoe protect your feet
Every dayOn your feet and inside your shoes, so you don’t reinfect yourself while the new nail grows out.
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Think months, not weeks. A nail grows about 1 mm every 6 weeks, so sticking with it is what makes the difference. Not sure which steps you need?