Toenail fungus has one of the highest reinfection rates of any foot condition we treat at Aloha Foot & Ankle Associates in Mission Viejo, California, serving patients throughout South Orange County. Most people assume that once their nail looks clear, the problem is solved. The reality is more complicated.
The fungal spores burrow way down into your nail bed, much deeper than any cream or polish can reach. Most treatments eliminate what you can see but leave behind plenty of microscopic spores. These spores can sit there for months doing absolutely nothing, then wake up when conditions are right.
Your nail grows continuously from the nail matrix at the base. New nail tissue pushes up through the same infected nail bed where spores are hiding. A few surviving spores can restart the entire infection cycle as fresh nail tissue provides new food sources.
The infection actually changes how your nail grows. It leaves behind tiny grooves and rough spots that you can’t see but feel like perfect little pockets for collecting moisture and bacteria. Your nail might look normal, but it’s been damaged in ways that make it easier for fungus to take hold again.
Modified nail structure also affects how topical treatments penetrate the nail. Areas with structural damage may not receive adequate medication coverage during treatment attempts.
The fungus contaminated every surface your infected foot contacted during months of active infection. Most patients treat shoes and nail tools but miss extensive contamination in:
Those spores stick around on surfaces longer than you’d think. Even if you clean your shoes, stepping on contaminated carpet or getting back in your car where spores are still present can lead to reinfection.
Topical antifungals penetrate only the superficial nail layers. Oral medications depend on adequate circulation to reach therapeutic levels in nail tissue — often problematic in toenails due to the distance from your heart and compromised blood flow from previous infections.
At Aloha Foot & Ankle Associates, we use the Q-Clear™ Nd YAG laser because it penetrates directly through the nail plate to reach infected nail bed tissue. This targeted approach addresses spore reservoirs that other treatments can't access effectively.
Getting rid of toenail fungus for good means doing more than just treating the nail you can see. You need to target the dormant spores, clean up your environment, fix the nail damage, and change the daily habits that let fungus thrive in the first place. We look at your specific situation to figure out exactly why your case keeps coming back and what needs to change.
Call Aloha Foot & Ankle Associates in Mission Viejo, California, at 949-364-2525, or use our online booking tool to schedule a consultation.
