You probably don't think of a yeast infection as a nail problem, but it's a common issue. It's basically Athlete's Foot on your nail instead of your skin, and you can get it whenever you come into contact with fungus. "We live in a world filled with bacteria and fungal organisms, so an injury on a nail is open to infection," says Bailey. And, unfortunately, she says a fungal infection is harder to treat than a bacterial one.
If your nail is infected, you'll start to see yellow or green discoloration, and the nail will become thick, says Sutera. Then, it'll start to become flaky and develop a crumbly appearance; creating thick debris under the nail that looks almost like Parmesan cheese you can scrape out (again, so gross, we know).
Before your nail starts flaking away, try over-the-counter remedies like Fungi Cure, tea tree oil, or Lotrimin -- the same OTC treatment Bailey recommends for paronychia. Drip it under your nail morning and night to help kill the fungus. "The problem, however, gets worse when water gets stuck under the nail, enabling the organisms to flourish and grow again," says Bailey. So after water contact, Bailey recommends patting the nails dry, and applying rubbing alcohol to the nail as an antimicrobial. But if the nasty Parmesan action starts happening, you'll want to go to the podiatrist.
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Splitting nails
If you're prone to brittle, weak nails, pop biotin supplements. Biotin is a B vitamin that is necessary for the production of keratin, a structural protein in your skin, hair, and nails.
To fix a splitting nail, Bailey says you want to clip and file your nails when they're wet. To avoid making the split worse, file in the direction of nail growth, which is from the sides to the middle. "Nails are made of layers and they're also made of parallel ridges that grow from the cuticles to the ends," she says. "You want to go with the growth -- not against it."
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Melanoma
It's uncommon, but cancer cells can grow under nails. Geogha says you can typically tell something's amiss if there are blue-black or brown discolored, asymmetrical lines showing up on your nail beds. Of course, there is no at-home treatment for melanoma. If you see this kind of asymmetrical discoloration under your nails, see your doctor immediately. "You'll likely need a biopsy," says Geogha.
Now that you've got your nastiest nail issues in check, see how to fancy up those digits with these fab nail art ideas.
There was a time when a hangnail or dry cuticles would've gone unnoticed. Now, nail issues are front and center thanks to the ubiquitous nail art trend and the popularity of polish in general. With nails becoming more of an accessory required to complete your look, nail issues have never been more important.
And we're not talking "issues" like chipped polish or short stubby nails that refuse to grow. This isn't #firstworld(nail)problems. These are disgusting -- and serious -- issues like discolored nails, fungal infections, and even nail tumors.
If your gross nail issue is making you feel less than pretty, we've got good news: You don't have to be the pariah of the nail-loving community. You can fix your problems with the ingenious cures board-certified dermatologist Cynthia Bailey, MD, shared with us here.
Bailey says that while these at-home treatments should solve your nail issues, they need to be coupled with some patience (nails grow just one millimeter per month after all). Ready to get your nails in check? See the genius at-home fixes now.
