Can You Get a Nail Fungus From Fake Nails?

Yes, you can get nail fungus from having fake nails. The fungus that causes this condition is common, so anything that can act as a trap, such as a fake nail, or irritant, such as nail adhesive, can be a problem.

Causes

• Gaps between fake nails and your nails can trap water, dirt and anything else. If fungus grows in a such a gap, it won't have anywhere to go but into your nail.

Symptoms

• Symptoms of nail fungus may include yellow, thick, rough or crumbling nails that are painful and foul-smelling.

Prevention/Solution

• The best prevention is to not use fake nails. If you do choose to get fake nails, there are steps you can take to try to avoid this condition.

  Have the nails done by a skilled nail tech; they are more likely to avoid allowing gaps between the fake nail and your nail. Keep your hands clean.

Treatment

• Nail fungus under fake nails is difficult to cure. The fungus has grown into and is protected by the nail. Because nails grow slowly, any infected area tends to infect and reinfect the areas around it.

  You may find topical treatments at the drugstore, but according to the Mayo Clinic, they don't work very well. The only proven treatment is to take a long course of oral antifungal medicine.

Risks

• Oral antifungal medication can be hard on your liver. If you have reduced liver function for any reason, your doctor won't prescribe the medicine for you.