Nail discoloration and thickening is a common complaint, especially in middle-aged women. These may have different causes. Although it is common especially in patients with diabetes or circulatory disorders, using pills and lotions automatically in all cases is unfortunately not always a solution.
Many patients use fungicides for months, donate blood once a month and have liver function tests done, but the thickening and discoloration of the nails they complain about never get better.
The cost and inconvenience of this practice for patients and society are clear.
In some cases, this thickening may cause the nail curve to turn inward too much and cause ingrown nails. Unfortunately, well-intentioned beauty and cosmetic nail applications can sometimes be responsible for these fungal infections.
In 99% of the patients who applied to us with this complaint, non-dermatophyte mold fungi were found to be the main responsible for fungal typing using the MALDI-TOF technique. Since these fungi may not respond to systemic treatments, we generally recommend applying keratolytic effective mixture lotions to the inner surface of the nails for a few months.
Although nail thickening is often due to fungal infection, especially in our country, taking pills by heart does not always solve the problem and therefore seems increasingly unnecessary. In addition, these applications do not correct the complaints and may cause the infection to spread to other nails over time.
When there is discoloration or thickening of the nail, it seems safer to plan the appropriate treatment by making sure that the fungal infection is present and the type of fungus, than to use a pill, pen or lotion by heart.
