When warm weather hits and we ditch our socks for the foot freedom of sandals, many of us head to the store to pick up our favourite nail polish color. This summer I urge you to ditch your nail polish along with those socks and embrace your natural look.
One of the more common conditions I see in my practice is fungal infections of the toenails. Along with wondering what causes the infection, a common concern I hear is “what about using toenail polish”. Until recently, my patent answer was an unequivocal NO…except for special occasions. While I still believe this is the best policy for healthy nails, new studies are showing that you can use nail polish even while trying to treat the unsightly fungal nail. However, there are still a few caveats to consider.
In the last year new prescription topical anti-fungals have emerged onto the market. Along with the new treatments came new studies looking into the effect of nail polish use in conjunction with the new topicals. It turns out that wearing a few layers of nail polish does not inhibit the absorption of the medication into the nail plate (the normally flat/hard part of the nail complex).
Now for those pesky little caveats I eluded to earlier. It is still not clear whether wearing nail polish will affect the final outcome, i.e cure. And the only color analyzed in the studies was red. So, I still stick to my original advice, bare nails are best with occasional use of nail polish for when it matters.
Book an appointment with me or your medical doctor to discuss these new treatment options.
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