What Other Conditions Can Be Mistaken For Fungal Nails
Here are some other conditions you may have instead of fungal nails:
Trichophyton
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How To Avoid The Toenail Fungus Infection
Now, as you have got an idea about the best antifungal nail polish, it is time to guide you a bit about how you can avoid it. There are different ways, but the most important ones are either related to the way you apply the nail polish or the diet you take.
Toenail fungus will attack you only when your body is unhealthy. One needs to take care of the food he eats, and his lifestyle. Unhygienic lifestyle can potentially cause the toenail fungus.
For some people, an unhealthy diet is the sole cause, and without taking any supplements it will not go away. We have enlisted a few tips that can help you fight this infection.
Using Nail Polish When Having Toenail Fungus
Toenail fungus can cause an inferiority complex, that is why many people try to hide their bad looking toenails. However, the method of applying these nail polishes should be very careful, and beneficial. Many people do not care much about it, and they end up destroying the toenail fungus.
You need to take care of your toenails, and follow these steps.
- You should clean the toenails first.
- Use rubbing alcohol to clean the toenails.
- Clean your hands before applying.
- Always use medicated and anti-fungal nail polish.
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How Can You Prevent A Fungal Nail Infection
Fungal nail infections often come back after treatment. It is important to take steps to prevent this.
- Before bed, wash and dry your feet carefully.
- Wear sandals or roomy shoes made of materials that allow moisture to escape. Let shoes dry for 24 hours before you wear them again.
- Wear socks. Change them if your feet get sweaty.
- Do not share nail files or clippers, socks, towels, or other personal items.
- Wear flip-flops or shower sandals in wet public areas, such as locker rooms or showers.
Preventative Steps To Take
While you cant always help your risk factors for toenail fungus, there are some preventive steps you can take:
- Bring your own sterilized instruments, such as nail clippers, to a nail salon.
- Keep your toenails short and clean to prevent nail trauma that can lead to cracking. If you have difficulty trimming your own toenails, your doctor may recommend seeing a podiatrist to help.
- Dont share personal care items like fingernail clippers or pumice stones with another person.
- Throw away or treat potentially infected footwear.
- Wear clean socks and wash socks after use.
- Wear sandals when walking in a locker room, public shower, or any other places where fungus is likely to grow.
Toenail fungal infections have a high rate of recurrence, even after youve treated them. Thats why its important to couple treatment measures with preventive ones to give yourself the best chance for keeping your toenails healthy in appearance.
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Home Remedies For Toenail Fungus
Risk factors | Diagnosis | Home remedies | Over-the-counter medicine | Prescription drugs | When to see a doctor
Toenail fungus, also known as onychomycosis or tinea unguium, is a common nail condition affecting millions of people in the United States. Fungal nail infections can develop on the nail from various organisms such as molds, yeasts, and fungi. This usually occurs after these organisms come into contact with a cracked nail or skin surrounding the nail as the opening provides a portal of entry for these organisms.
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.
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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.
The Secret Society Of Sufferers
Even though its so easy to catch, toenail fungus embarrasses people. Its a hush-hush topic and only a fraction of the estimated 55 million Americans who have the condition seek treatment in a doctors office.
Im part of this secret society of tonail fungus sufferers. We can, like, band together and have meetings or something, said Liz, a Philadelphia mom in her thirties. She doesnt want to use her full name for this interview. It looks terrible if you dont maintain it, and I mean toenail fungus? That is the grossest thing!
It started about 10 years ago when Liz cracked her big toe nail. After that, the nail started to look funny and became discolored. Then it spread to three more toes on that foot. When Liz realized she had nail fungus, she was faced with another unpleasant fact: Its really hard to treat.
The toenails have the smallest blood vessels, explained podiatrist Tracey Vlahovic. They are the furthest away from the heart. Its going to take anywhere from six months to a year, to even two years for some people, for the nail to grow from cuticle to the tip of the nail.
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How Are Fungal Toenails Treated
As a starting point, we have to mention that you can find over-the-counter products that advertise as being able to help with this condition. The fact of the matter, though, is that they are not effective.
Many of those OTC use natural ingredients that arent proven to work. When you want the fungus to be eradicated, you need the right kind of medication, which is where our office can help.
Dr. Scudday can prescribe oral and topical medications to target the fungus and restore your nails back to a healthy, clear state.
The oral medications target the infection from the inside-out. They travel through the bloodstream and can reach dermatophytes residing underneath nail tissue. Conversely, topical medication is applied to affected toenails and works to eradicate fungus residing on the surface.
If you have a case of fungal toenails, come in and see Dr. Scudday for treatment at the earliest opportunity. The infection will only continue to worsen the longer it is left untreated.
Best Antifungal Nail Polish For Toenail Fungus
Toenail fungus can be a nightmare for those who wish to keep their nails on point. Ladies, it is a real threat for you if you cannot imagine a life without manicured nails. Toenail fungus can spread, and damage the entire toenails. Moreover, it will not go away within a few days, one needs to carry out an entire treatment for months to make it look normal.
Worse than the toenail fungus itself, is the treatment of the toenail fungus. Even though this infection will only take a few hours to spread, it can take months to cure. Moreover, the sufferer will need to go through a tough treatment that will require a lot of effort and time.
Therefore, as they say, prevention is better than cure, one should always think of using the best nail paints. If you are wondering if it is possible, then keep reading as we have highlighted the most fantastic nail paints, which are best for those who are always in a worry because of the toenail fungus.
Contents
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Nail Removal Home Remedies And Laser Treatment
In the most serious instances of toenail fungus infection, the toenail may be removed surgically or dissolved with acid. This can be done to just a portion of the nail in the hope that the remaining nail will grow back healthy. In cases where the entire toenail has to be removed, artificial nails and products using light-cured resins to form a temporary covering can be used to protect the underlying tissue until the nail grows back.
If you prefer to go the home-remedy route, such as applying tea tree oil or Vicks VapoRub to your nails, keep in mind that the effectiveness of these products for treating toenail fungus hasnt been well studied, and they are not recommended by podiatrists.
Finally, the Food and Drug Administration has approved several laser devices for temporary increase in clear nails in patients with onychomycosis. But while laser treatments are vigorously marketed, clinical trials of lasers have reported mixed results, and the treatments may not be covered by health insurance. If you wish to try laser treatment of toenail fungus, speak to your doctor about what to expect from the treatment, and call your insurance carrier to find out whether the treatment will be covered.
Additional reporting by Susan Jara.
Whos At Risk For Fungal Infections
There are many different causes of fungal nail infections. Each cause has a treatment of its own. Although many of the causes of a fungal nail infection are preventable, some risk factors increase the likelihood of developing one. Youre more likely to develop a fungal nail infection if you:
- wear closed-toe shoes, such as tennis shoes or boots
Nail infections occur more often in men than in women, and the infections are found in adults more often than in children. If you have family members who often get these types of fungal infections, youre more likely to get them as well.
Older adults have a high risk for getting fungal nail infections because they have poorer circulation. The nails also grow more slowly and thicken as we age.
A fungal infection of the nail may affect part of the nail, the entire nail, or several nails.
Common signs of a fungal nail infection include:
- a distorted nail that may lift off from the nail bed
- an odor coming from the infected nail
- a brittle or thickened nail
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Natural Ways To Get Rid Of Toenail Fungus
One of the most dreaded and, lets face it, a disgusting ailment is toenail fungus . As most who read my blogs know, I usually write about topics that I have experienced personally and/or observed in patients. Well, for this one, it is both. For years, one of my toes would become afflicted, Id treat it, and then a year or two later, it would return.
The truth is that fungus is among us! You may view yourself as one with good hygiene, but even you are loaded with fungus on your skin. Fungus does not need much to overgrow and is exceedingly difficult to get rid of when it does. The three changes in our local skin environment that cause it to grow are 1. A decrease in good bacteria , since bacteria can suppress its growth 2. Excessive water/moisture 3. Sugar.
But to get fungus on your nail, a few things must happen. Diabetics, because of elevated sugar, are at higher risk. However, many, like myself, who dont have diabetes, are still prime targets. Thats because of what I call the blotter effect. To understand this effect, imagine the following scenario. You are sitting behind a wooden desk with a glass blotter on top to protect the surface. You place a cup of water on the blotter and turn to work on your computer. As you turn, your elbow knocks over youre cup, and the water spills over the edge of the desk. You then see some water track itself under the blotter.
The following natural approaches will work whether you have taken a medication or not .
Are Nail Polishes Harmful
Yes, many nail polishes are harmful. These contain three main ingredients, and they are slightly harmful. Let us see each compound used in the making of the nail polish.
- Dibutyl Phthalate is a plasticizer. It gives the regular texture of the nail polish. It is not very harmful, and its quite rare that someone had any nails or skin issues because of it.
- Toluene is also a part of the nail polishes. It is a paint thinner, and only a specific concentration of toluene can be used. Luckily nail polishes have very less quantity than them.
- Formaldehyde is also a common ingredient used in almost all types of nail polishes. FDA has restricted the use of formaldehyde in cosmetic products, but it is only allowed for the nail polishes, still there are chances that it can be harmful when used in higher concentration.
So in a nutshell, nail polishes can be harmful for the skin and the nail when used regularly. So someone who tends to apply nail polish every.
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I Would Highly Recommend This Doctor For Any And All Foot Issues
Prior to having my bunion removed , boy was I nervous. But to tell the truth, Dr. Patel put me at ease with everything from start to finish. My foot healed exactly as he said, and I wondered why I put it off so long. Susans nurse/office staff took care of all the paperwork and working with my insurance always on hand to assist with all my questions.
When the time came for my other foot, well it was a no-brainer. Dr. Patel is my only choice! I would highly recommend this doctor for any and all foot issuesnothing to be afraid of -take care of those feet.Sincerely,
Donna C. Hamden. CT
How To Avoid Spreading Nail Fungus To Your Family
The thickened, yellowish, and ugly looking nails that result from a fungal infection of the nail bed can cause a lot of frustration and embarrassment. They can also cause a bit of fearfear that you might have to show those nails in public, yes, but also fear from your family or housemates that you might pass the condition on to them as well.
Fungal toenails are not nearly as contagious a cold or flu, but it can be transferred from person to person under certain circumstances. And the penalty for transmission is high, since the condition wont simply go away in a few days. Indeed, fungal toenails can last indefinitely if not treated, so while they make their home in your feet, its best toat the very leastkeep them to yourself!
Here are some steps you can take to contain the fungus and reduce the risk of transmission:
These steps can protect your family during an ongoing infection, but the best long-term prevention strategy is treatment. If you only live with an active fungal infection for a few months, the risk of spreading it is relatively low. If you ignore your fungal nails for years , each new day is a new opportunity to infect others.
We can help with that, of course! As a matter of fact, we offer advanced laser therapy for fungal toenails, which has proven significantly more effective than drug-based treatments. To schedule your appointment with Dr. Sanjay Patel in either Milford or Hamden, CT, give us a call today at .
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Dangers Of Traditional Treatment Options
Fungal nail infection is treatable with oral anti-fungal drugs, topical medications, surgery, or laser treatments. The problem with these modern treatments, however, is that they can sometimes cause complications. Depending on the chosen treatment, some of the possible side effects that may occur include skin rashes, blisters, loss of appetite, gastrointestinal issues, headaches, respiratory problems, abnormal nail growth, or liver damage.
Due to the many risks associated with modern treatments for fungal nail infection, many people are now opting for alternative remedies that are relatively safer. As an added bonus, its also possible to treat fungal nail infection using just a few basic ingredients one already has available at home.
So How Long Does It Take For A Toenail To Regrow
A good long while.
After losing a toenail to fungus, or an injury, it can take up to a year or a year and a half for it to fully grow back. But youâll start to see the nail beginning to grow back in after a few months.
This new growth is vulnerable to the fungus that remains on the area so treating this new growth is important to avoid recurrence.
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