If you’ve noticed yellow, crumbly nails with white spots, you may have a fungal nail infection. Nail fungus is a common condition that begins as a white or yellow spot under the tip of your fingernail or toenail.<\/p>\n
As the fungal infection goes deeper, nail fungus may cause your nail to discolor, thicken and crumble at the edge. If you have nail fungus, you may wonder if simply applying hand sanitizer to the affected nails will kill the fungus and cure the infection.<\/p>\n
If you’re short on time, here’s a quick answer to your question: Using hand sanitizer alone will not cure a nail fungus infection<\/b>. While the alcohol in hand sanitizer may temporarily reduce fungal growth, it does not penetrate deep enough into the nail to kill the fungus at its source.<\/p>\nWhat Is Nail Fungus?<\/h2>\n
Nail fungus, also called onychomycosis, is a common condition caused by a group of fungi known as dermatophytes that feed on keratin, the protein that makes up hair, skin and nails. These microscopic organisms can infect fingernails and toenails, causing thickening, discoloration, crumbling and distortion of the nail.<\/p>\n
If left untreated, the infection can spread and eventually destroy the nail, causing pain, discomfort and embarrassment. According to the American Academy of Dermatology Association (AAD), about 10% of the general population suffers from toenail fungus.<\/p>\n
Dermatophytes thrive in warm, moist environments like public showers, locker rooms and pools, infecting nails through tiny separations or cracks in the nail bed and cuticle. People with certain medical conditions like diabetes, psoriasis and poor circulation are more prone to the infection.<\/p>\n
Other risk factors include overexposure to water, family history, aging, nail trauma, walking barefoot in damp communal areas and having reduced immunity. Using acrylic nails or artificial nails also raises the risk due to extra moisture trapped under the false nail.<\/p>\n
The most common signs are a white, yellow or brown-colored discoloration under the tip of the nail with associated thickening and crumbling. As it progresses, the infection causes the nail to detach from the nail bed. Early signs include the nail becoming dull, scored and ragged with raised streaks.<\/p>\n
Other symptoms are foul-smelling nail debris, pain or discomfort, and oil spots under the nail. The nails may also emit a foul odor. Toenails tend to be affected more than fingernails as they endure more exposure to fungi-friendly environments.<\/p>\n
While a simple fungal infection may cause concerns over appearance, if left untreated for long periods, severe health issues can occur especially for those with diabetes or impaired immunity. Cellulitis, a bacterial skin infection, can happen if the infection spreads into the skin and underlying tissues.<\/p>\n
The spreading infection may also damage adjacent toes and lead to foot ulcers. In rare cases, a serious bone infection called osteomyelitis may develop, requiring hospitalization. People with continuing issues should see a podiatrist or dermatologist for professional treatment.<\/p>\n
Nail fungus, also known as onychomycosis, is a common nail infection that can cause nails to become discolored, thickened, and brittle. Many people wonder if using hand sanitizer can help treat or prevent nail fungus.<\/p>\n
Here’s an overview of how hand sanitizer works and its effectiveness against nail infections.<\/p>\n
Hand sanitizers are liquid solutions that typically contain alcohol, such as ethyl alcohol or isopropyl alcohol, as the main active ingredient. Many hand sanitizers contain 60% to 95% alcohol by volume.<\/p>\n
When applied to the hands, the alcohol in hand sanitizers destroys many disease-causing microbes and viruses.<\/p>\n
By breaking down the outer membranes and proteins of microbes, alcohol denatures and kills many types of germs, including fungi. This makes hand sanitizer an effective way to eliminate germs that can cause infections when introduced into openings in the skin.<\/p>\n
Hand sanitizers also evaporate quickly, which further prevents growth of remaining microbes.<\/p>\n
While hand sanitizers kill many microbes on skin surfaces, they have significant limitations against nail fungus. Fungi that cause nail infections live under the nail bed, deeper than hand sanitizer can reach.<\/p>\n
So while using hand sanitizer may kill some fungal spores on skin surrounding nails, it likely cannot penetrate down into the nail bed to access established infections.<\/p>\n
In one small 2021 study<\/a>, researchers tested an ethanol-based hand sanitizer gel on fungal spores and found it only inhibited growth by about 34%. They concluded hand sanitizer has minimal fungicidal effect compared to oral and topical nail fungus treatments.<\/p>\n Using hand sanitizer around infected nails may provide some temporary benefits by killing fungal spores on nail edges and surrounding skin. This can slow transmission and reinfection. But its effectiveness only reaches the surface.<\/p>\n Dermatologists universally agree that hand sanitizers do not cure nail fungus. At best, they may temporarily suppress additional growth before more effective topical or oral antifungal treatments can work within the nail bed to eliminate infections.<\/p>\nCan help temporarily reduce growth<\/h3>\n