Affects Ears Fingers Nails Toes And Genitals
Fungal infections are some of the most common infections, affecting various parts of the body like, ears, fingers, nails, toes, genitals etc. Nail fungus is one such infection.
Onychomycosis is the name of the type of fungus that causes infection on nails both toenails and fingernails. This infection takes time to develop so you might not notice is initially.
Fungi are always present in your body alongside bacteria. The nail becomes infected when there is an overgrowth of fungus on or under the nail.
This infection is communicable and can spread via direct or indirect contact. For example, if you borrow an infected persons shoes or gloves, you too might catch the infection.
The fungus develops in warm, moist environment. This is why it usually affects toenails rather than fingernails as your feet are mostly covered while you wear shoes which provide the fungus an ideal environment to grow.
Causes and Risk Factors for Nail Fungus
Living or working in a hot, humid environment
Constantly covered feet
Diabetic patients, who have reduced blood circulation in their feet
Direct contact with someone who has nail fungus
Minor cuts or injuries around the nail
Using communal showers or public swimming pools
Sweating a lot, especially in your feet and on your hands
A weak immune system
Medications used to treat toenail fungus include terbinafine and itraconazole . Laser treatment is also available but it is expensive and doesnt guarantee results.
Tea Tree Oil
Vicks
Is It Possible To Prevent The Recurrence Of Nail Fungus
Tinea pedis, also known as athlete’s foot or foot fungus, can cause recurrence of fungal nails. Therefore, it is important to manage this condition. One can apply over-the-counter antifungal medicines such as clotrimazole or terbinafine cream as directed to affected skin. Keeping footwear and socks clean can be helpful. You can also use portable UV light sanitizers to disinfect shoes.
How To Prevent Toenail Fungus
Toenail fungus seems not such a serious issue. But it may damage your nail permanently, and it also may start other serious infections. So we must follow some tips to prevent it
- Always wash your feet with soap and pat them dry. Do not leave moisture in between your fingers.
- The fungus is contagious, and it spreads in warm and wet places. So avoid going to public places like swimming pool, toilet barefoot.
- Try to change your diet and make yourself habituated with enough protein-enriched foods. Take foods or supplements that contain iron, calcium, and vitamin D. This will prevent brittle nails.
- Put a habit to wear clean socks and shoes. The fungus often grows in moist shoes.
- Do not allow your toenail to grow big. So trim your nails short.
- Use food gel or powder to keep your foot fresh and dry.
- If you have a previous history of toenail fungus, keep antifungal cream and use it once a week.
- Check your nails and feet daily if you have diabetes.
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How To Use Them
A person interested in trying a blend of essential oils can buy the oils online or from a health food store. Mix the oil with a carrier oil before applying the mixture to the affected nails.
Ozonized oils are oils infused with ozone gas. Examples of oils that are available in ozonized form include sunflower oil and olive oil.
According to , ozonized oils show positive effects similar to a traditional medication called terbinafine cream in treating one type of fungus. In this study, the researchers used rabbits to test the effectiveness of the treatment.
Another study carried out on 400 people tested how ozonized oils affected fungal infections. In this 2011 study , researchers used ozonized sunflower oil to treat toenail fungus.
Their results indicated that ozonized oils cured up to 90.5 percent of the total infections with only a 2.8 percent relapse rate after 1 year. The researchers concluded the ozonized sunflower oil works more effectively than ketoconazole cream, which is an antifungal medication.
How Effective Are Tablets In Treating Nail Fungus
Tablets for the treatment of nail fungus have been tested in several studies. All participants had an infection on their toenails caused by a skin fungus. Overall, the study results showed that tablets are considerably more effective than nail polishes or creams.
One year after a three-month treatment with terbinafine:
- About 17 out of 100 people who didnt have this treatment no longer had a detectable fungal nail infection.
- About 76 out of 100 people who had this treatment no longer had a detectable fungal nail infection.
In other words, the treatment with terbinafine got rid of the fungal infection in about 59 out of 100 people.
Itraconazole also proved to be effective. After one year,
- 7 out of 100 people who didnt have this treatment no longer had a detectable fungal nail infection.
- About 43 out of 100 people who had this treatment no longer had a detectable fungal nail infection.
In other words, the treatment with itraconazole got rid of the fungal infection in about 36 out of 100 people.
Some studies directly compared itraconazole and terbinafine with each other. They confirm that terbinafine is somewhat more effective than itraconazole.
Treatment with breaks is thought to be about as effective as continuous treatment. But that has only been looked into in a few studies.
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Pros And Cons Of Home Remedies
- Can take longer for severe nail infections
- Many different creams to choose from – hard to know which ones are good
What Works?
Creams such as tolnaftate have proven to be very effective in the treatment of toenail fungus. I write about them in more detail on my blog which you can view by clicking on best toenail fungus treatment.
What you are about to see
Are the best products for thickened and discolored nails caused from a nail infection. They are personally vetted by Toe Fungus Journey and are products that have been highly rated or personally used by my family and I to get rid of our fungus for good.
Most are:
- Designed specifically for thicker toenails
- Helps in getting healthy and supple nails.
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Top 12 Home Remedies To Get Rid Of Nail Fungus Naturally
Commonly known to the layman as fungal nail infection, Onychomycosis is an infection that occurs when fungus forms beneath the nails. The condition can develop as a result of poor foot hygiene, continuous exposure to moist environments, wearing unbreathable synthetic socks, accumulation of sweat in shoes, imbalanced pH levels of the skin, a compromised immune system, and conditions like diabetes that constricts blood flow.Upon infection, Onychomycosis will cause the nail to thicken, discolor, and eventually crumble into pieces. If left untreated, the condition can become painful. As the infection progresses, areas around the infected toenails or fingernails may swell and begin to give off a foul smell too.
Contents
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If youre suffering from fingernail fungus, you are not alone
Nail fungus, also known as onychomycosis, is one of the most common fungal infections. In fact, some estimates show that around 12 percent of the population suffers from fungal infections on their fingernails.
Fingernail fungus can develop over a long period of time before your nail yellows, becomes brittle, soft, changes shape, and even causes serious discomfort! This is why nail fungus can make sufferers embarrassing. That yellowing nail seems to rot and youre left hiding your feet from your friends and family.
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What Is A Fungal Nail Infection
Fungal nail infections are a common problem that can affect any nail, but most often affects the toenails.
They’re caused by the growth of fungal spores that make their way between the toenail and the skin underneath the nail bed. The spores feed off the skin or the keratin in the nail.
The type of fungi responsible for athletes foot, another common foot condition that affects the skin mainly between the toes, can cause the infection to spread to the nails.
More rarely, fungal nail infections can be caused by other types of fungi, usually yeasts, which tend to attack nails that are already damaged because they are easier for the fungi to invade.
What Is The Prognosis Of Fungal Nails
Curing fungal nails can be difficult and treatment can take up to 18 months. Relapse and reinfection are common. Trying to remove or modify your risk factors, if possible, is essential to preventing reinfection. People who have medical illnesses that predispose them to fungal nails can have an even more difficult time eradicating the fungus.
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Treatment Options For Thick Nails
The best way to treat your thick toenails varies on the underlying cause.
For all cases of thickened toenails, clipping your toenails correctly and some work with a nail file can help with the thickness and overall appearance. If you are not comfortable with filing your toenails yourself then you could go to a podiatrist, who can do this for you.
They may also use a mechanical grinder to file down the nail, which can be less painful and quicker. Although this typically assists the appearance of the nails, it will not tackle any of the underlying issues such as a fungal infection.
In order to get healthy toenails, you need to address what is causing the thickness.
If you have a fungal infection then there are a myriad of treatments you can follow. The treatments range in price, effectiveness and side effects of the products. The treatments vary from topical creams, sprays, oral medications, and laser treatment.
Toenail Fungus Treatment Options
Treatment of onychomycosis will vary, depending on the severity of the infection and the type of fungus that initially triggered the infection. Topical treatments like antifungal creams and medicated nail lacquers are among the most effective treatment options for toenail fungus.
Laser treatment or the surgical removal of the toenail may be necessary in more severe cases of toenail fungus. Over-the-counter products and home remedies are also methods used alone or in conjunction with prescription drugs to treat nail fungus and prevent reinfection.
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Understanding Nail Infections To Get Rid Of Toenail Fungus
Any one of these treatment options can offer relief for toenail fungus, but in order to effectively treat and then prevent re-infection, it is important to understand how nail infections work. Knowledge is power, and, in this case, it gives you the tools to answer the question, how to get rid of toenail fungus fast!
Approximately 12% of the adult population suffers with a nail fungus to some degree. This problem can affect both old and young but is more common in older adults and particularly those with a compromised immune system.
You should understand you have both good and bad bacteria in and even on your body at all times. Inside the body, the good bacteria work to keep bad bacteria in check, but when the scales get tipped in the other direction, it can leave you vulnerable to all sorts of infections, including toenail fungus.
Of course, imbalances in your system is only one of the many ways you could acquire a toenail fungus. Here are just a few more culprits:
- Tight, dirty footwear
- Contact- nail salon , pool, gym or sauna that are contaminated.
- Athletes foot
- Poor circulation arterial disease or diabetes are common causes
- Genetic condition
- Contaminated nail utensils
What Causes Fungal Nails And What Are Some Of The Risk Factors
In normal, healthy people, fungal infections of the nails are most commonly caused by fungus that is caught from moist, wet areas. Communal showers, such as those at a gym or swimming pools, are common sources. Going to nail salons that use inadequate sanitization of instruments in addition to living with family members who have fungal nails are also risk factors. Athletes have been proven to be more susceptible to nail fungus. This is presumed to be due to the wearing of tight-fitting, sweaty shoes associated with repetitive trauma to the toenails. Having athlete’s foot makes it more likely that the fungus will infect your toenails. Repetitive trauma also weakens the nail, which makes the nail more susceptible to fungal infection.
Elderly people and people with certain underlying disease states are also at higher risk. Anything that impairs your immune system can make you prone to getting infected with the fungus. These include conditions such as AIDS, diabetes, cancer, psoriasis, or taking any immunosuppressive medications like steroids.
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How To Cure Toenail Fungus With Sea Salt
Sea salt is a cheap and easy remedy for treating toenail fungus. The natural treatment helps in curing the fungal growth and preventing the infection.
How to use?
- To a bowl of water add half a cup of sea salt
- Soak your feet in the sea salt solution for at least thirty minutes
- After that rinse your feet and pat them dry.
Benefits of Sea Salt solution
Sea salt is one of the most effective ways for how to get rid of toenail fungus. It not only prevents the fungal growth but also pampers your feet. You can dip your feet in the solution as and when you want to treat the fungal growth and rejuvenate yourself. It gives you excellent results.
Precautions
After dipping your feet in the solution do moisturize them as the sea salt solution will dry your skin.
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Other Options For Toenail Fungus Infections
Removal of the toenail is only used when just one nail is infected, but it does work. Light therapy and lasers are also being studied as possible toenail fungus treatments. Laser therapy has shown promise when combined with oral or topical antifungals. A multicenter trial investigating the efficacy of a device, the Pinpointe FootLaser, is currently underway, so stay tuned to that.
Sets With Creams And A Nail Scraper
Treatment sets that contain two creams and a nail scraper can also be used for the topical treatment of nail fungus:
- One cream has urea in it, which softens the nail so it can be removed.
- The other cream contains bifonazole, which has an antifungal effect.
For this treatment, the affected toe or finger first has to be soaked in warm water for ten minutes and then dried. After that, the urea-based cream is applied to the nail, and the nail is covered with an adhesive bandage. After 24 hours, the bandage is removed and the toe or finger is held in warm water again. The softened layer of the nail is then scraped off using a spatula, the cream is applied again and the nail is covered with a new bandage. This treatment is carried out over 14 days. Once the infected part of the nail has been scraped away completely, the skin beneath is treated for another four weeks with a bifonazole cream.
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How Fungi Infect The Nail
Onchomycosis, or toenail fungal infection, is an invasion by a microscopic organism that thrives in warm, damp environments. Fungal spores are in the air, and they will grow if they land on a receptive surface like your toenail. They feed off the nail tissues, burrowing into the skin under the nail. Over time the nail thickens and may lift off the nail bed as fungal debris accumulates. Once your nail is raised off the nail bed, it won’t reattach, and a new nail won’t grow from that part of the nail bed. However, your nail will continue to grow from the root at the base.
What Is The Best Home Remedy For Toenail Fungus
Self-care and body awareness can be key in keeping toenail fungus at bay. Wash feet with warm soapy water and pat completely dry to reduce the spread or growth of fungus on the feet. Allow feet to breathe when possible. Protect your feet and wear breathable shoes and clean socks. Change socks regularly and wash in hot water if you are struggling with toenail fungus. Over-the-counter antifungal powders used for treating athlete’s foot can also be used for treating mild cases of toenail fungus.
Avoid nail polish and pedicures that use polish or nail plate coatings. Even though you may want to conceal the discolored or warped look of an infected toenail, allowing maximum air circulation to the nail and skin of the toes is best.
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