The sun is out – and that means feet are out too.
The heavy boots and thick socks of winter have been swapped for sandals and flip flops, and suddenly toenails are on display.
And for many of my patients, that’s a problem. They look down, feel embarrassed, and come to my surgery asking what on earth can be done about their thickened, crusty, yellowing nails.
If that’s you, you are far from alone. About one in ten of us has a fungal toenail infection – and by the age of 70, it’s roughly half of all adults.
The culprit is usually a family of fungi called dermatophytes, the same bugs behind athlete’s foot. They invade the nail and the skin underneath it, and left untreated the nail becomes thickened, discoloured – often yellow, white or brown – brittle and, in some cases, painful.
