How to Treat a Nail Infection

If you're undergoing chemotherapy, you're likely to experience some of the side effects associated with these powerful drugs. Chemotherapy drugs specifically attack the fast-growing cells in your body, such as those in your hair and your nails, which can make you more prone to nail injuries and infections.

During chemotherapy, you may experience several changes in your nails. They may look bruised, develop blemishes such as lines or indentations, become dry and thin or grow more slowly. Your nails are likely to break more easily, your cuticles may fray, and sometimes a nail may fall off. These side effects are temporary, but they can lead to a more serious problem: infection [source: Healthline].

Chemotherapy suppresses your immune system, which is the set of processes in your body designed to fight infection -- with a weaker immune system, your nails and other tissues lose strength. You'll be more likely to develop an infection through a skin opening where your cuticle has frayed or in the nail itself, and you'll be less able to combat it. If you suspect that you have a nail infection, see your doctor immediately.

A variety of nail infections can occur among chemotherapy patients and other people:

On the next page you'll learn what physicians can do to treat nail infections.

Different types of nail infections call for different treatments, and some infections are easier to treat than others.

Fungal nail infections, including yeast infections, can be stubborn and often recur even with treatment. If you suspect that you have a fungal nail infection, see your doctor. Over-the-counter remedies are inadequate for fighting fungal infections, and you don't want to waste time while the infection worsens.

A doctor can treat infected nails in several different ways. One method is to prescribe an oral antifungal medicine, such as terbinafine or itraconazole -- these medicines help a new fungus-free nail grow. If your doctor prescribes an oral medicine, you'll need to take it for six to 12 weeks, and you probably won't have a completely clean, healthy nail for at least four months. Antifungal medications can also cause side effects, including rashes and liver damage [sources: Harvey, Mayo Clinic].

For mild infections, your doctor may prescribe ciclopirox, an antifungal nail polish that you paint on daily for a week. After a week, you wipe the nail clean with alcohol and start again, repeating the weekly applications 52 times. This treatment requires you to apply the medicated polish every week for a year, and the nail polish isn't guaranteed to clear up the infection. A doctor may also recommend applying over-the-counter creams that contain urea, or he or she may file down the nail, which is known as debridement, to increase healing time [source: Mayo Clinic].

Finally, for severe or particularly painful infections, your doctor may suggest removing the infected nail entirely. The surgery is quick and simple, but you may have to wait as long as a year for the new nail to grow [source: Mayo Clinic].

Bacterial infections, such as paronychia and pseudomonas, require different treatment. People with bacterial infections can alleviate pain and swelling by soaking their hands or feet in warm water three to four times a day. Your doctor may prescribe an oral or topical antibiotic, depending on the cause of the infection. Some forms of paronychia may result from fungal infections, meaning the doctor will probably prescribe an antifungal medical as described above [source: American Academy of Family Physicians].

For more information on treating nail infections, see the links on the following page.