Nails Guide

Millions of people all over the world suffer from nail fungus. Although it may seem to be a mild health concern, it is a problem all the same. And if left untreated, symptoms can exacerbate and worsen. But worst than the adverse effects to one’s health, more than anything else, people with nail fungus may find their condition quite embarrassing.

The primary symptoms of nail fungus are yellowish or whitish discolorations, nail-thickening and bad smell. If you have this condition all your life, then what you need is an all-natural nail fungus relief spray. By using nail fungus relief spray regularly your nails will be back to its normal attractiveness in no time.

There are other products available in the market that treat nail fungus such as topical creams, home remedies and oral anti-fungal medications but nothing is as effective as nail fungus relief spray. Topical ointments and creams do not effectively get rid of the nail fungus hence the reason why doctors usually prescribe it together with oral anti-fungus medication. Anti-fungal nail polish is now being introduced in the market but research has shown that only 10% of those who use it have observed improvements. Nail fungus relief spray is one good example of a product that can stop the embarrassing yellowish discolorations in just a few applications. The nail fungus relief spray usually comes with a topical brush to aid in the application process. In choosing the right anti-fungal spray, you need to make sure that it is derived specifically from blended natural oils to ensure that there will be no adverse reactions afterward. One nail fungus relief spray that is admired by many is Zeta Clear. Anti-fungal sprays do not usually need a doctor’s prescription or visits to the physician to obtain.

In choosing the best nail fungus relief spray products, you need to do a background check. Make sure that the product you are selecting has been proven and tested by a wide market because among all the products endorsed and offered, there are only a few products that can truly deliver. These are some indications that you need to know in your product selection:

1. Make sure that they are derived from all-natural ingredients such as tea tree oils to avoid any type of adverse reactions such as burning and itching.
2. By religiously using the anti-fungal spray, you will be able to observe relief of symptoms such as the yellowish discoloration.
3. There is no recurrence of symptoms in case you will be able to forget using the products for several days.
4. There is no recurrence of the discolorations after relief of symptoms has been observed.

Aside from religiously spraying your affected nails with nail fungus relief spray, you need to know how to properly do basic nail care.

1. Wash your hands with a mild hypoallergenic soap and lukewarm water. Lather. Using a nailbrush, brush under your nails. It is where grime usually settles.
2. Soak your hands and feet for a few minutes in warm water to soften the cuticles.
3. Trim your nails with the use of a nail cutter. Never use a sharp pair of scissors in cutting the excess skin from your nails.
4. To prevent ragged and spiky edges, file your nails. The ragged edges can cause skin breakage when scratching therefore contributing to infection.

Now you are ready to apply the spray. Do not wipe your hands off once you have done the application. Let the solution dry on your skin. Creams and powders can also be used in conjunction with the anti-fungal spray. Never allow your hands and feet to sweat because it is exactly the kind of environment that fungi are looking for. You can observe dramatic results through the constant use of anti-fungal spray in the first week alone. However, treatment should be continued for up to four weeks or until such time that the symptoms are no longer noticeable or have totally disappeared.

A yellow or whitish spot under your fingernail or toenail can possibly indicate a nail fungus infection. When the nails are infected by fungi, signs and symptoms such as nail discoloration and thickening of the edges are to be expected. This can be an unsightly problem especially for women. Nail fungus is also potentially painful. Fungal infection or mycosis is a condition that commonly targets the skin and the lungs. The fungus, which is the infecting agent, spreads around through tiny spores in the air that we breathe in or fall on our skin. People who are susceptible to infection are not harmed by this contact. Generally, these infections develop on the nails because of a continuous exposure to moist and warm environments. For example, individuals with sweaty feet or hands will most likely encourage the development of these fungi. Nail fungus and athlete’s foot are different. Athlete’s foot only affects the skin of your feet while nail fungus affects the nails.

Some say that nail fungus relief takes a long time before they can be fully treated. But contrary to what the public say and believe, there are a variety of medications made available in various pharmaceutical outlets to help you get rid of your nail fungus.

Anti-fungal ointments and creams are now bought over-the-counter. However, these over-the-counter medications are not guaranteed effective and recurring infections may occur. Among the fungal nail relief oral medications commonly prescribed by doctors are: Terbinafine; Fluconazole; and Itraconazole. It takes 6 to 12 weeks for you to take these oral medications but until such time that your nail re-grows will the results be seen. Taking these oral anti-fungal medications will help you get rid of infections while your nails are being totally replaced. Do not be surprised if it will take about four months for your nails to be free from any signs of infection. In addition, avoid exposing the nails to moist and warm conditions because this is where fungus thrives. Infections may also recur if you continue to do the same habits as before.

These oral fungal nail relief oral medications are usually not recommended by physicians to patients who have congestive heart failure or liver disease. It is also not advised for patients who are currently taking other maintenance medications or antibiotics. These anti-fungal drugs have adverse effects that can cause liver damage and severe skin rashes. If the above mentioned anti-fungal treatments do not work for you, there are still other fungal nail relief treatments to choose from. Some of the additional options that may also be recommended by physicians include the following:

1. You can opt to take your oral anti-fungal medications in conjunction with topical medications. Topical medications do not actually provide a cure. Doctors often advise patients to use topical fungal nail relief treatments with a lotion that contains urea because urea helps in speeding up the body’s absorption of the medication.
2. An anti-fungal nail polish called Ciclopirox can be used to treat mild to moderate nail fungus infections. The anti-fungal nail polish should be applied to the infected nail as well as the surrounding skin every day. The anti-fungal nail polish should be applied at least one a day and after the end of seven days, you can wipe off the layers of nail polish with alcohol and start applying the nail polish once again. You will observe fungal nail relief within the period of one year. But be warned beforehand that only 10% of people who use anti-fungal nail polish have actually been cured according to research.

If you can find no fungal nail relief despite trying all kinds of medications, the last resort that your physician will suggest is for the removal of your nail. Once the infected nail is removed, a new nail typically grows back however; it takes more or less one year for an entire nail to completely fill your nail bed.

The medical term of nail fungus, onychomycosis, describes both the fungus and the yeast infection in the nail. Nail fungus infection in the United States about 2-3 percent of the population but some reports have shown much higher figures. But even with a low estimate of 2 percent, this would already account for 6 million Americans infected with nail fungus. Research shows that men are infected twice as often as women.

The prevalence rate among elderly individuals and diabetics is 25 percent. During the 1800’s, fungal toenails were very rare. Because of the increased exposure to the fungus, the prevalence rate has also increased. Exposure to the fungus usually happens in showering facilities of gyms, the use of hot tubs, saunas and public pool areas. Other causes of exposure include the wearing of occlusive footwear, an increase in sporting activities, an increase in the number of diabetic people, and an increase in age of the general population. Some of the identified risk factors for toenail fungus are age, the male gender, nail trauma, excessive perspiration of hands and feet, poor peripheral circulation, poor hygiene, foot fungus and a compromised immune system.

Athletes are more prone to developing nail fungus than non-athletes. The chance of infection increases when the moisture in the shoes combines with constant nail trauma. Among the high risk individuals for toenail fungus are hikers, bikers, runners, backpackers, soccer, basketball, and tennis players, as well as athletes wearing loose fitting shoes that allow congestion of the nails against the shoe and even people who wear shoes that are too loose. Once infection sets in, the skin surrounding the nail often becomes inflamed because the dermatophytes that cause the nail fungus also infect the skin. The surrounding skin may show signs of irritation, redness, swelling and pain or may become dry and scaly.

There are a number of treatments to cure nail fungus. The most aggressive and effective way to cure nail fungus is by taking oral anti-fungal medications. Some of the most common oral medications used to cure nail fungus are Itraconazole and Terbinafine. These oral medications can be quite expensive because they are usually prescribed for a period of three months. The medication’s effectiveness is within the 60 to 80 percent range with a 15 percent chance of recurrence. Terbinafine is said to be more effective that Itraconazole and has fewer drug interactions. Some of the common side effects when taking this drug are nausea, vomiting, abdominal discomforts and pain, diarrhea, rash, headache, taste alterations and vertigo.

There are many home remedies available to cure nail fungus which may include bleach, tea tree oil, grape-seed extract and Vicks Vaporub. Home remedies to cure nail fungus usually take a long time to take effect. These home remedies work best in conjunction with other types of medications. For example, while taking oral prescription medications make sure you also use topical anti-fungal agents as well. In order for them to work, you need to religiously apply it every day. Some may find bleach too irritating to the skin or develop other skin reactions with the use of Vicks Vaporub. Other than that, these home remedies are considered safe.

Nail removal can be an option if the infection is too severe. The topical agents can have more access to the nail beds if the infected nail is removed. It takes 8 to 10 months for the nail to grow back. However, the best form of treatment for any kind of condition is prevention.

Athlete’s foot or tinea pedis, is a fungal infection of the skin which causes scaling, flaking and itching of the areas affected. It can also cause blisters and cracking of the skin leading to exposed raw tissue, pain, swelling and inflammation. The most common location where the condition manifests is the area between the toes especially with the space between the fourth and fifth digits. Athlete’s foot nail fungus is typically transmitted in moist areas where people commonly walk barefoot such as in showers and bathhouses. Although this condition usually affects the feet, the athlete’s foot nail fungus can also spread to other body parts including the groin. Athlete’s foot nail fungus can be prevented by practicing good hygiene and can be treated by a number of pharmaceutical as well as other treatments. If secondary bacterial infection occurs, the need for a course of oral antibiotics might be necessary.

A general practitioner as well as a specialist such as a dermatologist or a podiatrist can diagnose this condition. A visual inspection of the skin is commonly done. If the diagnosis or impression is unclear, direct microscopy of a potassium hydrogen preparation is often done to help in ruling out the possible cause such as eczema or psoriasis. A KOH preparation is used to scrape off a portion of the athlete’s foot nail fungus. The preparation has an excellent positive predictive value; with false negative results occurring on an occasional basis especially when the patient has already began anti-fungal medication. If diagnosis still remains unclear, a biopsy of the fungus can be performed for histological examination.

There are plenty of conventional medications or over-the-counter and prescription drugs and even alternative treatments for athlete’s foot nail fungus infections. For a treatment plan to work, proper hygiene should be practiced because it plays an important role in managing the condition. Several placebo-controlled studies show that even without medication, 30 to 40 percent of the athlete’s foot cases were cured through the practice of proper hygiene. Since fungi thrive in moist environments, it is crucial that you keep your feet and footwear dry at all times. Allylamines and azoles, however, have consistently produced a much higher percentage for curing athlete’s foot than the placebo effect in the placebo-controlled trials.

The conventional treatment typically requires the affected person to apply once or twice daily the topical medication in conjunction with proper hygiene measures as well as basic nail care. The recurrence of infection often happens when the affected person does not or refuses to practice proper hygiene. Oral anti-fungal medications may be necessary if the infections become severe or prolonged even with the use of the combined therapies. Zinc oxide diaper rash ointment may be used, as well as talcum powder, to absorb the moisture, killing the fungus causing the infection.

Prevention is still the best cure. Thus there is a need to change bad practices and start doing what is right. When drying your feet after taking a bath, pay particular attention to the web spaces between the toes. If you have sweaty feet, wear open-toed or ventilated shoes. Lightweight cotton socks also help in reducing the sweat. When washing the socks, it must be soaked in hot water and bleached. Foot powder helps in reducing moisture and friction too. When at home, prefer wearing sandals or slippers. Do not use the same pair of shoes every day. Allow them some time to dry. To prevent the spread of infection to other areas of the body, put on your socks first before your underwear.