Nails Health And Beauty » Fungal Infection

Thick, Discolored Toenails – Causes and Treatments

Mon, 18 Apr 2011 10:16:23 +0000

Neil Marez asked:

Have your nails lost lustre and shine? Are they brittle? Thickening? Crumbling? Are your nails discoloured, and distorted? If the answer to any of these questions is yes, then you probably have a fungal infection and fungal infections aren’t nice. These little things can be painful, and horrible to treat.

But I treat my feet well! I hear your cry. Pedicures, the lot. But fungal toenail infections are easier to pick up than you imagine. Visiting pools, gyms and shower rooms are quite often the cause of fungal infections. Fungi thrives in damp, warm areas such as these, and quite often these are the places we go bare foot.

Other common causes are moist feet in closed in footwear, wearing running shoes which have not been cleaned properly and rotated, or nail and skin injuries. No matter how much you take care of your feet, it seems that every time you put your foot inside of a shoe, or onto the ground barefoot, you are at risk of picking up a nasty infection.

But fear not, for it can be treated. Eventually. Over the counter treatments, such as creams and ointments, are not effective at treating toenail discolouration or thickness. Neither are medicines which have been prescribed by your doctor. In fact, prescription medication is not only ineffective, but can have serious side effects.

So if medication is not going to work, how can you treat it? Well there are some specific creams on the market, which actually do work. These do take a long time to fully eliminate an existing fungus infection however, and so you should continue to treat it even when the symptoms of thick, discoloured toenails disappear.

There are other treatments which can help alleviate your symptoms. These are natural treatments. Soaking your feet in beer for example can actually help as beer has antifungal properties. Always get advice about how best to treat your thick, discoloured toenails, and always remember to prevent infection in the future.

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Artificial Nail Fungus

Thu, 20 Jan 2011 05:07:03 +0000

R. Drysdale asked:

You might think that with an artificial nail fungus would not be a problem, but in reality, fungal nail infection can be even more of a worry when you apply false nails on top of natural nails. This is because fungi grow well in damp airless places, like inside shoes, and on warm sweaty feet, and false nails do restrict the flow of air around the nail. Fungal infections of the fingernails are much less common than toenail infections, so the issue is not a big one, but bear in mind that a natural fingernail covered with a sheet of acrylic, fiberglass, or other synthetic material does not get as much exposure to air.

A fingernail discolored and distorted by fungal growth is not a pretty thing, and when your fingernails look like this it’s tempting to cover up the damage so that other people won’t see it. However, when you apply an artificial nail fungus does not go away, it just gets put out of sight. Untreated, and possibly even more comfortable, it will continue to grow and to destroy the natural nail. It may spread to other fingernails, and toenails, or to the skin around the nails. Eventually, natural nails may disintegrate so badly that it’s no longer possible to apply a false nail, and by this time the appearance of the nail will be very much worse. You need to deal with your fungal infection, not hide it.

One more artificial nail fungus connection comes as a result of the booming nail industry: many women are now visiting professionals to have their false nails applied. They are enjoying nail spas, and getting manicures and pedicures in greater numbers than ever before. Unfortunately, this gives the fungi that invade human nails a chance to spread. Some of the women that visit your nail-care professional already have fungus growing in their finger- and toenails. While they are receiving services, fungal spores contaminate the equipment in the facility, and if the facility doesn’t follow strict rules for cleaning and disinfecting, these spores will still be around when the next customer arrives. Then, with each artificial nail fungus gets a free ride onto a natural nail and another chance to flourish in a comfortable environment. This is not a theory: fungi and other infectious organisms have been spread by nail-care procedures.

If you use artificial nails fungus may become an issue for you. To avoid it, choose a nail-care professional carefully and ask about disinfection procedures, follow recommendations for the care of your false nails, and deal with any symptoms of fungal infection promptly.

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Nail Polish Seem to eat Away Toenails

Thu, 26 Feb 2009 01:16:08 +0000

emijea4 asked:

I always have nail polish (usually red) on my toe nails, but over the years, the nails themselves are starting to have deep creases and craters on top, as if the polish were eating away at the surface.

Is this possible, or is it probable that it’s just a fungal infection and I need to get some prescription medication. Thanks!Similar Posts:

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