Why are my toenails turning yellow and splitting? Great question! The biggest culprit for yellow nails and constant breaking or splitting is toenail fungus. However, losing your toenail can be caused by many other factors too, as mentioned in other . Such examples include diabetes, athletic shoes (especially seen in runners), stubbing your toe or kicking something, and just pure accidental mishaps, like dropping a heavyweight on your foot. Therefore, don’t fret, as you are not alone as documented in .Other Symptoms of Toenail Fungus
Toenail fungus not only appears with yellowish nails, but other symptoms include:
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Flaky nails
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Spotty with colors as white, brown, or yellowish tones
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Contains an odor
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Nail becomes thick, dry, and brittle
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Nail loses its natural shape
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Under the nail is scaly
Treatments
Regardless of the cause of yellow or split toenails, we, of course, want to fix it, so you can show off our feet again, especially here in sunny Arizona! Our well-renowned Scottsdale podiatrist, Dr. Forman, DPM, M.B.A. FAPWCA offers many that you can begin implementing at home before your first doctor visit.
Helpful Steps Before Visiting the Doctor
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Maintain smooth even nails by filing any sharp edges.
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Clean your toes well (in between, on, and all-around).
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Soak the infected toe(s) in cold water for at least 20 minutes.
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Keep your foot elevated.
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Cover the infected area after applying antibiotic ointment.
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Take over-the-counter medication if needing help with pain.
How Can Dr. Mark Forman Help You?
If you are not seeing positive results within a couple of days, it is time to seek an appointment with Dr. Mark Forman. Dr. Forman and his Scottsdale team at Put Your Feet First can offer other treatments to help your toenail recover quickly. Such treatments include prescription oral and topical medication and laser therapy.
FDA-Approved Laser Therapy For Nail Fungus
FDA-approved laser therapy may be used to kill nail fungus which allows fungus-free nails to grow back. While over-the-counter antifungal nail treatments may work temporarily, the infection usually recurs.
To find out if you are a candidate for laser therapy, please call our exceptional staff at Put Your Feet First to schedule an appointment with Dr. Forman, DPM. After assessing your condition, Dr. Forman can verify if you are a candidate for laser therapy. Additionally, Dr. Forman can provide you with the necessary proper care kit to make sure that you speed up the fungal nail recovery process at home.
Prevention
There are several things you can do to prevent toenail fungus from occurring. Here are some helpful tips:
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Maintain clean and dry feet.
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Wear shoes, especially in public places
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Utilize proper footwear
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Maintain filed toenails (don’t allow them to grow too long or unstraightened).
Contact Us!
We, at Put Your Feet First, put YOU first. Please call us today to schedule an appointment with Dr. Forman, so we can put your feet first. Reach us by website or by phone at 480.423.8400. Looking forward to your visit!