Fungal Nail?

[Enchanting Beauty]

When I was giving my mum a pedicure last night, after I removed the old polish, she had a big white patch on her big right toe and a little patch on her big left toe. I was wondering if this is a fungal nail infection? It does look a lot like it. Her nails have become separated from the nail bed so there is a possibility the nail has become infected, but I wanted to make sure before she goes for treatment.
Have attached photos.
If anyone can help, I would be grateful.

 

[Enchanting Beauty]

bump

 

[Envy]

Very difficult thing to diagnose

One good test would be to try gently filing it with a 240 grit file and then a good dose of oil. If this clears it up there is a chance it's just dehydration from the polish removing...

As toe nails take so long to grow they can become very dry and damaged on the surface layers

This does not look like the mass majority of fungal infected nails: these are normally yellow/creme coloured and thick/ crumbly and generally will make you step back when you see them...

(I have however seen images that look like this from having a 'yeast' infection on the nail. This you are not able to diagnose - she would need to go to a professional foot therapist, eg. Podiatrist, to have checked, possibly even the GP to take a cultrure...)

As always, infections should not be diagnosed by techs, that's a medical professionals job...

Hope that helps.

 

[lasach66]

Ah, just seen this only last week. Went to do a lady's pedicure, she's a regular and took existing polish off to find exactly the same on both big toes, very dry white patches. Only seen this once before and that client said always has it and has been told it is from permanently wearing nail polish but when she doesnt have any on it goes away? Anyway told lady I didnt like the look of it , refused to paint them again and to go to GP. She texted me at teatime that day to say had disappeared entirely but was happy to leave polish off for a while?! Anyone have any ideas, she never has her toenails unpolished usually, could this be dehydration from wearing polish permanently? She keeps the polish on for 4 wks then I go again and reapply another colour.

 

[Envy]

She texted me at teatime that day to say had disappeared entirely but was happy to leave polish off for a while?! she never has her toenails unpolished usually, could this be dehydration from wearing polish permanently?.

Dehydration - you answered your own question

leaving the polish off for a short period of time allows oils & moisture to compensate, hence it goes away very quickly... (however this is not nessecary)

Cheap nail polish can have formaldehyde derivatives in it (as can nail hardner) and these will exagerate the dehydration. Also not using base coat of a decent quality will also not help as it won't protect the nail with a strong base.

hope that helps

 

[lasach66]

Thank you Envy. Was scary when I first saw it, tried to do a gently buff with an old file but didnt seem to budge then within hours she said it had gone. Go to her apx every 4 wks never had it before but now you've mentioned cheap nail polishes, she did ask if I could use hers last time which was from the chemist, mind you still put a good base coat on. Thank you x

 

[Envy]

No worries,

the easiest test for dehydration is to wet or oil the nail - this will in a short period of time reduce the appearance of dehydration

(just remember to re-prep/dehydrate prior to further application of polish)