How To Get Rid Of Brown Toenails

Fungal nail infections are common. They're not serious but they can take a long time to treat.

Check if it's a fungal nail infection

Fungal nail infections usually affect your toenails, but you can get them on your fingernails, too.

The nail on a person's big toe. The sides of the nail are yellow and the edge that's trimmed is flaky. Shown on white skin. — Fungal nail infections sometimes start at the edge of the nail.

Toenails are covered in pale yellow and brown patches and lines. Shown on medium brown skin. — The infection often spreads to the middle of the nail, making the nail discoloured and sometimes thicker in parts.

The nail on a person's big toe is yellow and crumbling. It has a piece missing over the tip of the toe. Shown on white skin. — The nail becomes brittle and pieces can break off. Sometimes the whole nail lifts off. This can cause pain and swelling in the skin around the nail.

Diabetes advice

If you have diabetes, you should see a foot specialist (podiatrist) because any foot injury or infection can lead to complications of diabetes.

A pharmacist can help with fungal nail infections

Speak to a pharmacist if the look of your nail bothers you or it's painful.

They may suggest:

antifungal nail cream – it can take up to 12 months to cure the infection and does not always work
nail-softening cream – it's used for 2 weeks to soften the nail so the infected part can be scraped off

The infection is cured when you see healthy nail growing back at the base.

Find a pharmacy

Non-urgent advice: See a GP:

if a fungal nail infection:

is severe and treatment has not worked
has spread to other nails

Information:

Coronavirus (COVID-19) update: how to contact a GP

It's still important to get help from a GP if you need it. To contact your GP surgery:

visit their website
use the NHS App
call them

Find out about using the NHS during COVID-19

Treatment for a fungal nail infection from a GP

A GP can prescribe antifungal tablets. But before they give you tablets they should take a sample of your nail and have it tested, to find out what type of infection you have.

You may need to take antifungal tablets for up to 6 months.

The tablets can have side effects, including:

headaches
itching
loss of taste
feeling sick and diarrhoea

You cannot take antifungal tablets if you're pregnant or have certain conditions. They can damage your liver.

Badly infected nails sometimes need to be removed. It's a small procedure done while the area is numbed (under local anaesthetic).

Other treatment

Laser treatment uses laser to destroy the fungus.

You'll have to pay for it as it's not covered by the NHS. It can be expensive.

There's little evidence to show it's a long-term cure as most studies only follow patients for 3 months.

Preventing fungal nail infections

Fungal nail infections develop when your feet are constantly warm and damp.

You're more likely to get an infection if you wear trainers for a long time and have hot, sweaty feet.

To prevent fungal nail infections:

Do

treat athlete's foot as soon as possible to avoid it spreading to nails
keep your feet clean and dry
wear clean socks every day
wear flip-flops in showers at the gym or pool
throw out old shoes

Don't

do not wear shoes that make your feet hot and sweaty
do not share towels
do not wear other people's shoes
do not share nail clippers or scissors

Page last reviewed: 15 February 2021
Next review due: 15 February 2024