Toenail Still Discoloured After Fungal Treatment? How Long a Clear Nail Takes to Grow Out

A fungal toenail does not look clear when treatment ends. The discoloured, thickened nail you already have will not turn back to normal. It has to grow out and be replaced by healthy nail, and toenails grow slowly. For a toenail, expect something like a year or more from the start of treatment before the whole nail looks normal, and sometimes longer. The sources below give ranges rather than one number.

This article covers the wait after treatment. If you are not yet sure that your nail is fungal, start with why confirming the diagnosis matters. It is not a diagnosis, and it does not replace advice from your GP, pharmacist, podiatrist or practitioner.

The short answer: three different timelines

People often treat these as one. They are not.

Milestone	What it means	What the sources say (accessed 6 November 2026)
Treatment ends	The course of tablets or the lacquer regime is finished	The NHS says pharmacy nail medicines need to be used for 6 to 12 months, and GP-prescribed tablets for up to 6 months. The AAD gives 12 weeks for oral terbinafine on toenails, with liver tests needed. Your own course depends on what you were prescribed.
Healthy nail appears at the base	New, clear nail starts to grow from the nail fold	The NHS says the infection is cured when you see healthy nail growing back at the base.
Whole nail has grown out	The old, damaged nail has been replaced	The AAD says that after oral terbinafine a nail can take a year or longer to grow out fully. The BAD patient leaflet says toenail infections treated with nail applications may take 12 to 18 months to clear.

So a nail that still looks bad at the end of a tablet course is not evidence that treatment failed. The clear band at the base is the thing to watch.

Why it takes so long

Toenails grow slowly. In one small study of 22 healthy young adults, toenails grew an average of 1.62 mm a month, against 3.47 mm for fingernails (Yaemsiri et al., JEADV, 2010). At that average a toenail adds roughly 19 to 20 mm in a year (our arithmetic from the study figure). Growth varies between people and toes, and the study did not include people with nail disease or older adults, so treat it as a guide only.

Fingernails are quicker. The BAD leaflet gives 9 to 12 months for fingernails against 12 to 18 months for toenails when treated with nail applications.

What progress looks like

Judge progress at the base of the nail, not at the tip.

• Look for a band of clear, smooth nail growing out from the cuticle edge. The discoloured part moves towards the tip as it grows.
• Take a photo each month in the same light, with a ruler or coin beside the nail. Slow change is hard to see day to day.
• Expect leftover change. The AAD notes that discolouration can persist after the fungus is gone. The BAD leaflet says some nail change may remain, especially in badly damaged nails.
• Do not stop early because the nail "looks better". The NHS describes treatment as needed for months. Check with whoever prescribed it before you stop.

When to go back for a review

The NHS advises seeing a GP if the infection is severe and treatment has not worked, if it has spread to other nails, if you have diabetes (foot problems can be more serious), or if you have a weakened immune system. In practice, also go back when:

• no healthy nail is showing at the base after the months your prescriber expected;
• the nail becomes painful, red, swollen or starts to smell;
• it spreads to other nails or the surrounding skin;
• you are unsure the original problem was fungal. Other nail conditions look similar, and a nail sample can be tested.

Ask your prescriber or practitioner to set a review point at the start, so "wait and see" has an end date.

Can it come back?

Yes. The AAD says nail fungus can return a year or more after it has cleared, and that a topical maintenance treatment may be prescribed for a year or longer, especially for people with diabetes, damaged arteries or veins, or a previous nail injury. The BAD leaflet says that even after successful treatment, it is common for nails to become re-infected.

One long-term study followed 73 people cured with oral antifungals for up to seven years. 16.4% had a recurrence, on average 36 months after treatment: 11.9% of those treated with terbinafine and 35.7% of those treated with itraconazole (Piraccini et al., J Am Acad Dermatol, 2010). The itraconazole group was only 14 people, so the comparison is rough, but it shows that a clear nail is not always permanent.

Where laser fits in the timeline

Laser does not shorten the grow-out. Whatever the treatment, new nail grows at the nail's own pace. The evidence for laser is also weak:

• A 2019 review and meta-analysis of 22 prospective trials (755 participants; 4 randomised) found a pooled complete cure of 7.2%, with a wide confidence interval (1.9% to 23.5%). The authors called the evidence limited and highly variable, and asked for larger randomised trials (Lasers in Medical Science, 2019).
• The BAD leaflet says laser and light-based therapies have not shown consistent and reliable benefits, and that the NHS does not fund them.
• The AAD says the FDA has approved lasers only to improve the appearance of a nail once the infection has cleared, and that research is ongoing.

If you are considering laser, ask your practitioner what it can and cannot be expected to do for your nail, how success would be judged, and how it fits with any medicine you are taking or have been offered. They will confirm what is appropriate after assessing your nails. For a full comparison with tablets, see laser or oral terbinafine for fungal toenails.

If you have diabetes

The NHS lists diabetes as a reason to see a GP about a fungal nail. Please have a changed nail assessed by your GP or podiatry team rather than relying on waiting it out. See diabetes and a changed toenail.

Questions to bring to an appointment

1. What is the nail's current diagnosis, and has it been confirmed with a sample?
2. When should I expect to see clear nail at the base?
3. When will we review progress, and what would make us change plan?
4. Should I use a maintenance or preventive step afterwards?
5. Is there anything about my health or medicines that changes this plan?

If you would like a nail assessed at the clinic, you can read about fungal nail infection treatment in Bournemouth and ask about a consultation.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take a toenail to grow out clear after fungal treatment?

Usually a year or more from the start of treatment. The AAD says a toenail can take a year or longer to grow out after oral terbinafine, and the BAD leaflet gives 12 to 18 months for toenails treated with nail applications. Your own time depends on the nail, your age and health, and the treatment.

Does a discoloured nail mean the treatment failed?

Not necessarily. The old nail stays discoloured until it grows out. The NHS says the infection is cured when healthy nail grows back at the base, so look for clear nail there and ask your prescriber for a review point.

Can fungal toenail infection come back after it clears?

Yes. The AAD says it can return a year or more later, and the BAD says re-infection is common. In one seven-year study, 16.4% of 73 people had a recurrence, on average 36 months after treatment.

Does laser make the nail grow out clear faster?

We found no evidence that it does. The new nail grows at its natural pace. A 2019 meta-analysis found a pooled complete cure of 7.2% and called the evidence limited, and the BAD says laser has not shown consistent, reliable benefit.

When should I go back to my GP or practitioner?

If no healthy nail has appeared at the base after the time your prescriber expected, if the nail is painful, red or swollen, if it spreads, or if you have diabetes or a weakened immune system.

Read about fungal nail infection treatment in Bournemouth

Sources and further information

• Pharmacy nail medicines need 6 to 12 months; tablets up to 6 months; cured when healthy nail grows back at the base; GP advice for severe/spreading infection, diabetes, weakened immune system.
• Toenails treated with nail applications may take 12 to 18 months and fingernails 9 to 12 months; some nail change may remain; re-infection is common; laser and light therapies have not shown consistent, reliable benefit and are not NHS funded.
• After oral terbinafine a nail can take a year or longer to grow out; discolouration may persist; oral terbinafine is 12 weeks for toenails with liver tests; recurrence possible a year or more later; maintenance therapy; FDA approval of lasers is only for improved appearance after infection clears.
• Toenails grew 1.62 mm per month and fingernails 3.47 mm per month in 22 healthy young adults (Yaemsiri et al., JEADV 2010).
• Meta-analysis of 22 prospective trials (4 randomised, 755 participants): pooled mycological cure 70.4%, complete cure 7.2% (95% CI 1.9-23.5%); evidence limited and highly heterogeneous (Lasers Med Sci 2019).
• Piraccini et al., JAAD 2010: 12 of 73 patients (16.4%) had a recurrence, mean 36 months after successful treatment; 11.9% after terbinafine (7/59) vs 35.7% after itraconazole (5/14).