Beauty

[ID2]

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@quinny wrote:

I've probably waited too long to do anything about this, but...  Under my fingernail (ring finger) it started turning yellow.  It didn't hurt or bother me, so I figured I had just bumped my nail on something and it was reacting.  Now, the yellow has spread all the way across my nail and the fingernail and begun lifting itself off of the nailbed.  It has a couple big horizontal bumps or ridges going across the nail as well.  I caught the place where the nail was coming up off of the bed and tore it about 1/16th of an inch toward the center of my nail.  Still, it doesn't hurt, itch, smell bad...it just looks hideous.  Have any of you ever experienced this?  Is this an infection?

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OP why haven't you gone to the doctor? Why did you come here to ask if what you described is infected? We are not doctors. What you need to do is make an appt with your doctor to get to the bottom of this problem that is bothering you.

[Nataliesgramma]

sounds like it could be a fungal infection....best to have your Dr look at it at this point though...

[juperier]

First I agree with the other comments that it can't hurt to have a doctor look at it. A physician (or other medical professional) is the only only person qualified to make a diagnosis.

I also agree that the yellowish color is consistant with a fungus. There are many things that could be causing the onycholysis (nail lifting) and it's very easy to get bacterial and/or fungal infections in the space between the nail plate and nail bed once the nail has lifted. 

I recently had onycholysis involving several fingernails and chose to take care of it myself because I knew that it was most likely due to nail products I had used AND was very minor. Only a short portion at the tip of each nail was involved. The detached portion was white and I never developed any noticeable ridges. Even tho I think my nails grow fairly quickly, it has taken way longer than I would have expected for my nails to return to normal.

[Silver Lining]

I've never seen or heard of anything like that but am interested in knowing what a doctor says about it. Let us know what happens.

[Trix]

Quinny, it's never too late to have a doctor take a look at something.  Even if there is no pain, itch, unusal smell, the fact that you state it looks hideous is reason enough to consult your doctor.  

[Quinny]

I'm sorry if my not seeing a doctor upset you so much. I'd had it for a while and it was just a small area of the nail.  Since it didn't hurt, didn't itch and wasn't sensitive I really didn't think that much about it.  Just within the last couple of weeks, it has gotten bad looking, so I just thought I'd ask here thinking someone might have had something similar and treated with a home remedy.  Also, I didn't say it was infected, but rather inquired if it could be one, as I said seeing if someone else may have had it.

I would not assume to find a physician here, and that was not my intent on posting this.  

[Karina777]

It sounds like you have a fungal infection. you can try over the counter ointments, however, it is very difficult to eliminate completely. Your MD can give you a script for an oral medication that needs to be taken for three months, but blood work is usually needed to check liver function. Definately contact your MD because it will continue to spread throughout the nail if not treated.

[Sunnycorle]

Sounds like a fungus and you should go see a doctor for it asap.  It won't get better without a doc's help.  I had one on a nail years ago and tried to treat it with over the counter and the only thing that worked was seeing a dermatologist and he cut off alot of the nail and treated it and it healed quick and has been perfect since.  I remember I suffered along time before seeing the doc so don't wait on it.  I think I got it from a nail salon but this was at least 12 years ago.

[apple1964]

Don't fool around with this... see a doctor everyone is different and I would not take any medical advice from unknown people on a shopping community forum. JMHO!

[Tinkrbl44]

OP,  I'm dumbfounded that you haven't see some sort of medical professional!

At the very least, stop by the drug store and ask to speak to the pharmacist and ask if there's a topical product for your nail situation .....    if they say go see a doctor, then go see a doctor!