Causes of White Spots on Toenails

When you look at your feet, you probably don’t inspect them thoroughly. A lot of people forget about their feet during their daily lives because they are so busy getting from one place to another. Sadly, a lot of our foot and ankle problems go ignored because of this common occurrence. Early prevention can help a person fight off disease, injury and other conditions. With just a quick glance every now and then they can even see if they have white spots growing on their toenails.

Causes of White Spots

  • If you have a fungal infection on your feet, it could be appearing on your toenails as white spots. Feet that are constantly enclosed in shoes are especially prone to fungal infections due to the dark, moist nature inside the shoes.
  • If you are wearing shoes that are too tight, it can be depriving the feet of much-needed air. Some microorganisms thrive in this environment and grow. Fungus is well known for growing in this condition and showing up as white spots.
  • If you do not have a well-balanced diet, you could get white spots on your nails. Calcium deficiency can appear as white spots on the nails.
  • Zinc deficiency can also cause white spots on the nails.
  • If you injure on your toe, it can cause fungus to grow and white to appear on the nails.

How To Get Rid of White Spots on Toenails

While white nails are not life-threatening, they can be seen as a cosmetic issue or may be due to an underlying disease. If you notice white spots on the toenails, it is important to see a podiatrist immediately for treatment. Often a podiatrist will start by prescribing an anti-fungal cream. If this course of action does not work, they may order more tests or biopsies to make a better determination of the cause.

White nails can be a real bummer, especially if you were planning on wearing those nice new summer sandals you bought with the open toes. Do not let these spots get you down! Instead, call Dr. Andrew H. Cohen of Mid-Michigan Foot & Ankle Center, located in Saginaw and Bay City, Michigan. You can reach our office at 989-790-8009 or make an appointment online today. White spots are not a permanent part of your toenails.

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