WARNING: The Embarrassing Bodies website contains images of an explicit medical nature and nudity in a medical context.

Embarrassing Bodies, 2:05am Tuesday 7th February 2012 on Channel 4. Catch up for free on 4oD »

Conditions

Nail Problems

Fungal infection in the toenail

Perfectly manicured nails are every woman’s dream. Well, except for those who are besieged by all manner of toe and fingernail complaints. And men, you’re at risk too! These problems range from fungal nail infections to white spots, or an ingrown toenail. Either antibiotics or the gentle removal of the offending nail spike by a podiatrist will usually treat an ingrown toenail. Infected nails on the other hand (no pun intended), can be white, yellow, green or black and may look distorted, thicken or crumble. As they won’t go away on their own, it may be better to talk to your GP who will pin point the exact cause and offer suitable treatment. To avoid such problems all together, you should give your feet plenty of air, because warmth and sweat only encourage fungi growth. Another condition, Koilonychia or ‘spoon–shaped’ nails usually indicates an iron deficiency. So women everywhere, take note: if you just paint them, you’ll only be painting over the cracks!

Comments and Questions

You can share your experiences and thoughts with other Embarrassing Bodies site-users below. Comments & Questions are reviewed by moderators, but if you see anything on the site that worries you, please report it and one of our moderators will look at it as soon as possible.
Please note: Unfortunately Channel 4 cannot respond to individual inquiries. If you have any concerns, you can check out NHS Choices, but ultimately it is always best to check with a health professional.

As my big toenail is growing,its growing white from the bottom n spreading up as its growing its not painfull i am a little concerned that its white.





This will be published. Surnames, nicknames or usernames are not allowed


Your email address will be kept confidential and will NOT be published – it is only being collected here in case Channel 4 need to contact you in relation to your comment.


Please don’t swear or be rude in your comments, as they will not be added to the site. Please do not use your full name when posting comments. If in doubt, refer to the community guidelines

By posting on this website you are agreeing to abide by our community guidelines

I have a lump/growth under my toenail of the big toe at the top right corner of the left foot. It is very tender and is sore all the time. I cannot wear normal shoes as the top of the shoe puts pressure on the area and causes great discomfort. The nail is growing normal from the bed but is raised at a 45 degree angle over the growth. I also have an infection on the other side of the toenails edge as it is being depressed into the flesh causing it to be ingrown. Using fucidin cream on the infection to keep it at bay but not sure what to do for the lump/growth. I keep the free edge of the nail trimmed to below the growth so it does not grow over and at an angle. Doctor said I will have to have the nail removed but that seems a tad drastic. I would like to leave that option as a last resort. Would it be possible to have the lump/growth removed and not the nail or would the nail need to be removed to treat the lump/growth?





This will be published. Surnames, nicknames or usernames are not allowed


Your email address will be kept confidential and will NOT be published – it is only being collected here in case Channel 4 need to contact you in relation to your answer.


Please don't swear or be rude in your answers, as they will not be added to the site. Please do not use your full name when posting answers. If in doubt, refer to the community guidelines

Questions submitted to the site will be answered by other site users, not by medical professionals, so if you have a medical concern, please book an appointment with your GP.

By posting on this website you are agreeing to abide by our community guidelines

i had the same thing at the age of 16, its cause by some sort of trauma to the toe which grows of the bone upwards, the only cure is the have the lump removed which does entaile having the nail removed. its a simple operation which is done with you still awake, they just numb your feet so you can feel anything. i was told that my nail would not grow back but it did and 14 years later i still have a nail. id get it done soon than later or its just going to kep growing

About 6 years ago I damaged one of my toenails. The nail bed is damaged and has never properly grown back. Since then I have had a nail infection which is sore and looks much worse after showering. It has spread to the next toe and appears as tiny circles. The doctor cannot say what it is and results from tests came back as inconclusive. I have used Aloe Vera, Lamisil and Clear Zal which cost me £20! Nothing works. Does anyone know what it is and how I can get rid of it before is spreads further?





This will be published. Surnames, nicknames or usernames are not allowed


Your email address will be kept confidential and will NOT be published – it is only being collected here in case Channel 4 need to contact you in relation to your answer.


Please don't swear or be rude in your answers, as they will not be added to the site. Please do not use your full name when posting answers. If in doubt, refer to the community guidelines

Questions submitted to the site will be answered by other site users, not by medical professionals, so if you have a medical concern, please book an appointment with your GP.

By posting on this website you are agreeing to abide by our community guidelines

I bite my finger nails all the time it is a real bad habbit.i bite them till ther sore.sometimes bleed.i bite them till i nearly av no nails left to bite.then i start to bite the skin around it.i really want to stop but i cant.ive tried so many times eaven with nail biting liquids.i can bite threw them too.my fingers eaven go septic n inflamed.i need seriouse help n sojestions please.as this needs to stop before i have to av my fingers aputated. Thankyou..





This will be published. Surnames, nicknames or usernames are not allowed


Your email address will be kept confidential and will NOT be published – it is only being collected here in case Channel 4 need to contact you in relation to your comment.


Please don’t swear or be rude in your comments, as they will not be added to the site. Please do not use your full name when posting comments. If in doubt, refer to the community guidelines

By posting on this website you are agreeing to abide by our community guidelines

I have bits missing from my finger nails on 1 hand , its not sore i just want to no whats causing it ??





This will be published. Surnames, nicknames or usernames are not allowed


Your email address will be kept confidential and will NOT be published – it is only being collected here in case Channel 4 need to contact you in relation to your comment.


Please don’t swear or be rude in your comments, as they will not be added to the site. Please do not use your full name when posting comments. If in doubt, refer to the community guidelines

By posting on this website you are agreeing to abide by our community guidelines

my nail on my toe is green and ingrown . when I'm at school when we have to change for pe I don't like changing my socks because it embrasses me. I'm only 13 years old I've had it all my life.the nail dropped off 1 or 2 times when I was little! I just want a normal toe nail!





This will be published. Surnames, nicknames or usernames are not allowed


Your email address will be kept confidential and will NOT be published – it is only being collected here in case Channel 4 need to contact you in relation to your comment.


Please don’t swear or be rude in your comments, as they will not be added to the site. Please do not use your full name when posting comments. If in doubt, refer to the community guidelines

By posting on this website you are agreeing to abide by our community guidelines

I have a sore toenail. Its sore from the nail bed and really hurts when I feel it I've also noticed that nail has not grown. Only had this a couple of weeks havnt bashed it or anything. What could be causing it?





This will be published. Surnames, nicknames or usernames are not allowed


Your email address will be kept confidential and will NOT be published – it is only being collected here in case Channel 4 need to contact you in relation to your answer.


Please don't swear or be rude in your answers, as they will not be added to the site. Please do not use your full name when posting answers. If in doubt, refer to the community guidelines

Questions submitted to the site will be answered by other site users, not by medical professionals, so if you have a medical concern, please book an appointment with your GP.

By posting on this website you are agreeing to abide by our community guidelines

I'm not sure what mine is!! My toenail is not discoloured, isn't crumbling away but the skin around the toenail is cut and is almost like a skin tag?? Now (where i think some nail has snapped off in the cut) there is a hole where when i walk the inside seems to be pushed out?? Very painful and difficult to diagnose as I live and work in China ?!?!?





This will be published. Surnames, nicknames or usernames are not allowed


Your email address will be kept confidential and will NOT be published – it is only being collected here in case Channel 4 need to contact you in relation to your comment.


Please don’t swear or be rude in your comments, as they will not be added to the site. Please do not use your full name when posting comments. If in doubt, refer to the community guidelines

By posting on this website you are agreeing to abide by our community guidelines

I have a dark brown spot under my big toe nail its coffee staining down towards the nail bed and is painful, I've noticed that little dark spots are appearing on my other toes. My triage nurse has no idea what it is! she has taken a scrapping and I've got to wait a week for results...I'm worried I've never had any thing go wrong with my feet :(





This will be published. Surnames, nicknames or usernames are not allowed


Your email address will be kept confidential and will NOT be published – it is only being collected here in case Channel 4 need to contact you in relation to your answer.


Please don't swear or be rude in your answers, as they will not be added to the site. Please do not use your full name when posting answers. If in doubt, refer to the community guidelines

Questions submitted to the site will be answered by other site users, not by medical professionals, so if you have a medical concern, please book an appointment with your GP.

By posting on this website you are agreeing to abide by our community guidelines

I have 3 infected toe nails, also on the same foot My skin is hard and peels. If I have the nails removed And the toe treated will the nail grow back and the Skin problem go ???? Any help would be nice





This will be published. Surnames, nicknames or usernames are not allowed


Your email address will be kept confidential and will NOT be published – it is only being collected here in case Channel 4 need to contact you in relation to your comment.


Please don’t swear or be rude in your comments, as they will not be added to the site. Please do not use your full name when posting comments. If in doubt, refer to the community guidelines

By posting on this website you are agreeing to abide by our community guidelines





This will be published. Surnames, nicknames or usernames are not allowed


Your email address will be kept confidential and will NOT be published – it is only being collected here in case Channel 4 need to contact you in relation to your comment.



Please don’t swear or be rude in your comments, as they will not be added to the site. Please do not use your full name when posting comments. If in doubt, refer to the community guidelines

By posting on this website you are agreeing to abide by our community guidelines

It looks like no one else has asked this question, so please fill in the rest of your details below.





This will be published. Surnames, nicknames or usernames are not allowed


Your email address will be kept confidential and will NOT be published – it is only being collected here in case Channel 4 need to contact you in relation to your answer.



Please don't swear or be rude in your questions, as they will not be added to the site. Please do not use your full name when posting questions. If in doubt, refer to the community guidelines

Questions submitted to the site will be answered by other site users, not by medical professionals, so if you have a medical concern, please book an appointment with your GP.

By posting on this website you are agreeing to abide by our community guidelines


Important Notice

The information provided on this website (including any NHS Choices medical information) is for use as information or for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical care by a qualified doctor or other qualified healthcare professional. We do not warrant that any information included within this site will meet your health or medical requirements. This Embarrassing Bodies site does not provide any medical or diagnostic services so you should always check with a health professional if you have any concerns about your health.


If you want to embed our videos in your site, read our embedding T&Cs here


More Information

  1. Episode 6

    In Episodes - Conditions being seen by the doctors in a jam packed Episode 6 incl…

  2. In Detail: Fungal Toe

    In Videos - We take an in detail look at an operation to remove a fungal toenai…

  3. Episode 4 - Feet

    In Episodes - This week's episode includes a podiatry roadshow, a mouthful of man…

  4. Episode 3

    In Episodes - Patients consulted and diagnosed by the doctors in Episode 3 includ…

  5. Consultation: Second Adult Circumcision

    In Videos - Dr Jessen examines a patient in need of a new circumcision

  6. Dr James Russell

    Doctor Info - Find out more about Dr James Russell.

  7. Dr Priya Manickavasagar

    Doctor Info - Find out more about Dr Priya.

  8. Body Check: Feet

    In Videos - Dr Christian talks about common foot conditions and the importance…

  9. Consultation: Soreness on the Penis

    In Videos - A patient is examined for soreness around his penis

  10. Dr Pixie McKenna

    Doctor Info - Find out more about Dr Pixie.

  11. Dr Dawn Harper

    Doctor Info - Find out more about Dr Dawn.

  12. Dr Christian Jessen

    Doctor Info - Find out more about Dr Christian

  13. How To Check Your Testicles

    In Videos - Dr Harper's guide to how to self-check your balls against testicula…

  14. Consultation: Ear Infection

    In Videos - A patient with an ear infection is diagnosed by Dr Jessen

  15. Bodies Behaving Badly

    In Episodes - Episode 1 of Embarrassing Teenage Bodies examines conditions includ…


Be On Embarrassing Bodies

The clinic is opening again for a new series.
Apply for Embarrassing Bodies >