Q:
I cut my nail too far down on it’s side, and now the nail is yellowed and cloudy, which leads me to think I have nail fungus. Is there anything I can do to get rid of it? It looks really awful.
A:
Nail fungus is incredibly common, but thankfully it’s easy to treat. Fungus typically enters the nail bed through trauma to the nail or nail bed. Over time, as the fungus spreads, yellowed or white cloudy nails are the result. If nail fungus goes unchecked it can thicken the nail and damage the surface, causing bumps in the nail.
The number one thing I would recommend is tea tree oil. It has antibacterial and antifungal properties, and works very well when applied to clean, bare nails twice daily. The brand Thursday Plantation has a product called The Tea Tree Antifungal Solution for Nails that I’d especially recommend. I’ve used it personally and it works wonders.
It may be tempting to cover the nail with nail polish, but don’t! To regain health, it’s important for the nail to be able to “breathe”. Tea tree oil does work very well, but you will need to be patient. There is no miracle cure which will restore your nails overnight (sadly!), but with continued use the nail will grow in healthy.