How To Prevent Nail Fungus

The Danger Of Waiting To Treat The Fungus

The greatest danger of not treating the foot or toenail fungus is that it can spread to other parts of the body, such as the hands and groin.

If for some reason you cant treat your toenails or your feet right away, at least use an antifungal topical cream on the surrounding skin, Dr. Ng says. That will help keep it from spreading and keep the skin intact.

The Initial Causes Toenail Fungus And Hair Loss

The main cause of hair loss is stress. While most of us shed about 50 to 100 strands of hair daily, we also continue to grow new ones at the same rate. This shedding is normal, and its perfectly natural to replace lost hair with new ones. However, if youre losing hair that is excessively slow or isnt growing back, youre experiencing hair fall. There are many possible causes for this condition, but theres no one single solution.

Tinea capitis, also known as scalp ringworm, is a fungal infection that affects the scalp. Symptoms include bald spots and patches of hair loss. Infection may be caused by fungus, and scaly, red patches may develop. In severe cases, sores may develop on the scalp and oozing pus may be present. Treatment with a prescription may be necessary, but the long-term results of taking these medications are not always permanent.

In some cases, temporary hair loss may be the result of a hormonal imbalance. While some women experience hair loss due to hormonal fluctuations, others may experience permanent loss of hair. These changes can be caused by hormones in the body, such as those produced by the thyroid or by the adrenal glands. In severe cases, the loss of hair is caused by medical conditions. Inflammatory diseases can cause an excess of androgen, a male hormone. High levels of vitamin A in the blood and in the body can also result in hair thinning.

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How To Treat And Prevent Toenail Fungus

Millions of people contract toenail fungus in the United States every year. Although this condition is usually cosmetic, it can cause discomfort and lead to more serious complications if you suffer from other health conditions. Our latest blog explains the risk factors, prevention tips, and treatment methods to stop toenail fungus in its tracks.

Nail fungus, also called onychomycosis, is a very common condition that causes thickened, discolored, brittle, and crumbly nails on the hands or feet. Fungus is more likely to occur on the toenails than the fingernails because our toenails grow more slowly, have a reduced blood supply, and are often confined in dark, moist environments.

While toenail fungus is experienced by many as merely an embarrassing cosmetic issue, its important to note that it can lead to more severe symptoms in older adults and diabetics. Furthermore, fungal nail infections rarely go away on their own, and can spread to other nails on the foot.

Risk Factors For Toenail Fungus

Toenail infections can happen to anyone, however, you are more likely to experience this condition if you fit one or more of the following criteria:

• Being an older adult
• Athletes foot

How To Prevent Toenail Fungus

Nail fungus often develops as a result of athletes foot, so preventing athletes foot can also help you avoid toenail fungus.

Practice the following tips to minimize your risk:

Treatment For Toenail Fungus

Softening And Scraping Away The Nail

As it can take a long time for antifungal medication to work, some people may prefer to use a treatment that involves softening and removing infected parts of nail over a few weeks.

Treatment kits are available from pharmacies that contain a 40% urea paste, plasters and a scraping device. The paste softens the infected parts of the nail, allowing them to be scraped away so they can be gradually replaced with healthy nail.

To use the treatment:

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Treatment Options For Nail Fungus

Interviewer:

Most of my conversation is usually discussing medical therapy, so things that are available by prescription only. And those come in two main forms, which are topical antifungal medications, and then oral antifungal medications. There are other surgical or procedural options, so you can remove nails as well. And then there’s starting to be more interest in technologies like lasers for nail fungus.

What Is Nail Fungus

Nail fungus is also called onychomycosis, is a pretty common kind of body fungus that can affect both your finger and toenails. Nail fungus is easy to spot by its characteristic yellow or whitish color most nail fungus conditions begin as a single spot beneath your finger or toenails.

Over time, the fungal infection can develop and eat into the keratin a protein similar to collagen of your finger and toenails. Nail fungus can affect more than one nail at the same time, so its important to treat infected nails when you see them, as well as practice some good habits to prevent it from affecting you in the first place.

Additionally, lots of people think that toenail fungus is the same thing as athletes foot but the latter condition is actually a separate type of fungus that can affect the skin between your toes. Its not the same kind of fungus that develops beneath your toe or fingernails. A few different types of fungus and bacterial infections include dermatophytes, Candida onychomycosis, and cellulitis.

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Can You Catch Toenail Fungus From Another Person

Yes, several sorts of toenail fungus are highly transmissible. By having close contact, an infected person might pass the disease on to another person. Toenail fungus can also spread through direct contact with a contaminated surface. This includes towels, shoes, and showers.

Toenail fungus spreads very easily. It can also affect your fingernails or hands or skin. That is why it is always better to prevent the disease, instead of trying to cure it later on.

What Are The Treatment Options

There are three types of treatments available for nail fungus depending on the degree or severity of the infection. You can treat nail fungus orally with antifungal medicines which could take up to four months of daily medication. There are topical treatments that can easily be applied like nail polish. However, in extreme cases where the topical medication cannot reach the infection, the doctor might remove the entire nail for proper application.

There are also a lot of home remedies that you can try. Here are is a short list of the best natural ingredients for the treatment of nail fungus.

• Apple cider vinegar

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Can You Really Pick Up Infections Or Nail Fungus At Salons

You can. Anytime your nails are getting wet, cut or filedor your cuticles are being trimmedit is an opportunity for bacteria and fungi to get in under the nail.

Both bacteria and fungi can cause nail infections and are very common in the environment. You can easily pick up a nail fungus, for example, at a swimming pool, from the gym floor, the dirt outside or even from a family member.

The Signs That You Have Nail Fungus And How To Prevent It

Having mushrooms is more common than you think. Thus, 18% of the adult population suffer from onychomycosis, an annoying toenail fungus infection that is much more frequent in summer. Know those signs you may have fungus on the nails and especially to prevent them.

Although we can have this problem in the nails of the hands, it is more common in those of the feet, a fungal infection whose main risk factors are aging, humidity, heat, genetic predisposition or suffering from skin diseases.

What indicates that we have nail fungus?

The color change in the nail is one of the signs of onychomycosis, according to Mario Arques, from Arques Clinic, as it usually manifests itself by a change in color or shape in a nail, generally that of the big toe. Thus the nail is thicker, yellow and with a fragile, brittle or deformed structure.

Although at first we do not give importance to it, we must go to the doctor because there may be an infection that spreads and pain appears that can even become chronic.

How to prevent this problem?

From Arques Clinic they present some of the preventions to prevent foot fungus from getting out.

What treatments to apply?

We have the creams, the drugs and the laser. In addition, Orly has an extra strong Fungus MD serum, a fungicidal ally that eliminates them and is indicated for athletes foot, with a topical antifungal ingredient approved by the FDA.

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Tips For Keeping Toenail Fungus From Returning

Toenail fungus is a tough foe to battle. The sooner its found out, the easier it tends to be to treat. Unfortunately, most cases are not discovered until the fungus has had a good opportunity to entrench itself in your toenail.

Treatment has likely taken months, but youve reached that light at the end of the tunnel. The fungus has been declared eradicated and youre already growing new, clear toenails to replace the war-torn battlefields that once were. Well done!

Unfortunately, it can come back.

A fungal toenail infection is not like a cold. Having had it doesnt really mean your immune system is fully geared up to keep the same case from returning. And, like a cold, there is more than one type of nasty organism out there that can cause similar symptomsin this case, discolored, crumbling, thickened nails.

You know how bad it is. The last thing you want is to fight that battle over again, and people with diabetes should be especially careful of any type of infection. You also dont want anyone you live with to have to go through it, either!

So what can you do to prevent toenail fungus from coming back? Quite a lot.

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What You Should Know About Nail Fungus

Toenail fungus can be embarrassing. The thick, yellow, and crusty nail can make you self-conscious about exposing your feet. But nail fungus isnt only a cosmetic condition. Onychomycosis, ortoenail fungus, changes the appearance and health of your nails and can lead to further infections that can spread to other areas of the body.

AtNew Canaan Podiatry, board-certified podiatristJennifer Tauber, DPM, offers effective treatment for toenail fungus to patients in New Canaan, Connecticut. Dr. Taub identifies the underlying cause of your fungal infection and provides customized treatment to make onychomycosis a thing of the past.

If youre one of the20% of Americans struggling with nail fungus, heres what you need to know!

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What Is The Treatment For Fungal Nails

Oral antifungal therapy has a high cure rate, depending on the medication. It can take nine to 12 months to see if it has worked or not, because that is how long it takes for the nail to grow out. Even when therapy works, the fungus may come back. Currently, an oral antifungal therapy is considered the best treatment for toenail fungus because of higher cure rates and shorter treatment duration compared to topical therapy.

Prescription oral medications that are effective against nail fungus include the following:

There are several innovative treatments that are still being tested:

• Laser therapy or uses application of light-activated agents onto the nail followed by shining light of a proper wavelength on the nail.
• Use of electrical current to help absorption of topical antifungal medications into the nail: This is also called iontophoresis.
• Use of a special nail lacquer that changes the micro-climate of the nail to make it inhospitable for the fungus to grow: If this works, it may be an inexpensive way to treat this problem in the future.

One way to definitively get rid of toenail fungus is by surgery. Surgical treatment of onychomycosis involves nail removal. However, this often only provides temporary relief, and recurrence is common unless additional antifungal medication is simultaneously used. However, surgical removal may be warranted when the affected nail is associated with other factors such as trauma and or infection.

Toenail Fungus Prescription Medications

Sometimes prescription medications are needed to treat a toenail infection that just wont go away with natural remedies or over-the-counter medication in a few months. In this case, prescription-strength antifungal medication can eradicate stubborn onychomycosis.

Topical medications often are effective in treating mild to moderate toenail fungus. Topical solutions may include medicated nail polishes or liquid medications. Loprox , Penlac , Kerydin , and Jublia are among the top prescription drugs for toenail fungus.

Oral medications can come in capsules, tablets, or liquid. Some common prescriptions are Diflucan , Lamisil , Onmel , and Sporanox .

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Dont Forget About Hygiene

Toenail fungus is contagious. Practice good foot hygiene by not sharing nail grooming supplies or shoes with other people. If you choose to get pedicures in a nail salon, be sure the salon thoroughly sanitizes and disinfects foot baths, nail clippers, and files before each use or consider bringing your own tools.

What The Experts Say

The most common presentation of toenail fungus is a white/yellow discoloration of the nail that is thick and filled with yellow/white keratin debris. The more severe the toenail fungus, the thicker the nail, and the more nails involved makes it that much harder to treat the nails even with effective therapies.Orit Markowitz, MD, founder and CEO of OptiSkin treatment center in New York City.

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Getting Toenail Fungus Treatment Immediately

If you suspect that you have been exposed to toenail fungus, you must act immediately. The longer you leave it, the more likely it will grow and spread across your home. Worse, it can even spread to your hands and groin.

Applying a toenail fungus cream or nail repair gel can eliminate the infection and remove any of the accompanying symptoms, while helping your nails grow back stronger than ever before.

Sometimes, despite our best efforts, a fungal infection can return. If so, continue applying your toenail fungus cream and make use of these preventative measures.

Dr. Mitchell Kline and Dr. Jeremy Green are widely recognized as two of the most admired and trusted dermatologists globally. Due to our patented Drs. Kline + Green product line, we can provide instant nail repair relief. To enjoy beautiful clean nails, place your order today. You wont be disappointed.

Tips On How To Prevent Nail Fungus

Your first line of defense against nail fungus is a strong immune system. This can be achieved by following a healthy diet and getting regular sleep and exercise. When were run down we tend to succumb to infections far more easily, so be sure your diet contains adequate vitamins and minerals and if possible aim for eight hours of undisturbed sleep each night.

Take care of your nails with regular manicures. While in itself this wont prevent nail fungus occurring, if you pay attention to your nails by trimming them, filing, and removing old nail polish regularly, you will notice any tell-tale changes in your nails early and be able to start treating them before the condition takes hold. A hangnail or ingrown nail will make you susceptible to a fungal infection, so deal with these before they become a problem.

Fungus thrives in hot, moist environments. Short of moving theres not much you can do about living in such a climate. What you can do though is thoroughly clean and dry your feet twice a day and make sure your socks or pantyhose are washed and dried well between wears. If you have an office job, rather than confine your feet in shoes all day, slip them off under the desk if you can.

If you are unlucky enough to develop a nail fungal infection, visit your doctor sooner rather than later or buy an effective treatment such as ZetaClear. Fungal infection treatments can take months to work so they require dedication. The sooner you take action the better, so dont delay.

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Treat Other Fungal Infections

Nail fungal infections may also be a result of other fungal infections that has spread into the nail. Skin fungal infections, such as athletes foot and psoriasis, can spread to the nails just by simply scratching the affected area. Have these infections cured using proper treatments to avoid them from spreading to the nails.

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Tips For Preventing Stubborn Toenail Fungus This Summer

Do you know that toenail fungus is an infection caused by microscopic organisms? Even if you dont understand the cause, youre probably familiar with the effects of these tiny invaders.

Most toenail fungal infections start with a small yellow or white spot beneath the nail. As it develops, the fungal infection can cause other symptoms, including:

• Nail discoloration
• A foul smell
• Pain or discomfort

Your toenails have many layers and the microorganisms that cause fungal infections can get between these layers. This means that once they take root, toenail fungal infections can be challenging to treat and can spread to other nails or even the skin on your feet.

At South Sound Foot & Ankle in Olympia, Washington, our team can help with hard-to-treat fungal infections. That said, prevention is often the best medicine. To prevent stubborn toenail fungus this summer,, recommends taking these five steps to stop fungus before it starts!

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