Hygiene Key to Avoiding Nail Fungus Infections

There are a number of things you can do to help prevent nail fungus and infections during the hot summer months, says the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery.

The society offers the following tips:

• Purchase your own tools for use in nail salon procedures. Infectious particles can be transmitted on tools such as emery boards, which cannot be sterilized.
• Ask about the sanitation standards of nail salons. How do they clean their equipment and how often? How often do they change the filters in the foot massages?
• Keep your toenails trimmed, clean and neat. Keeping your nails healthy helps prevent the spread of infection and helps your overall health.
• Don't have your cuticles cut during salon procedures. If too much of the cuticle is cut back during a manicure, the cuticle can be separated from the nail, and infectious agents can get into the exposed area.
• Don't shave your legs before they're exposed to circulating water in a pedicure spa. Nicks and cuts from shaving can be infected by bacteria in inadequately cleaned pedicure spas.
• Don't ignore infections. If there's redness or soreness after a procedure, it may be a sign of an infection. See your doctor.
• Only go to licensed, trained professionals.

Importance of Nail Fungus Cure & What Finger–Toenail Fungus Treatment Works?

Most nail fungus sufferers do not want to risk permanent disfigurement of their fingernails or toenails. As such they end up trying treatments that do not cure nail fungus completely. Traditional topical treatments for nail fungus removal are mostly ineffective, and the oral prescription medications carry the risk of severe liver problems, that might lead to liver transplant surgery.

If right oral or topical treatment for nail fungus is not found and used, the infection may spread to other uninfected nails. Left untreated nail fungus disfigures the nails completely, leaving painful surgical options for treatment the only possible way to get rid of onychomycosis (nail fungus).

As finger and toenail fungus is highly contagious, early detection and treatment is the key. The majority of sufferers have no idea of what nail fungus treatment to use for their specific condition. At present, no nail fungus treatment that works to cure nail fungus for everyone is available; however, if you are into such a dilemma of what treatment works the best, your problem can be solved by visiting nail fungus treatment review websites like: http://nailfungustreatment.skincareproductshop.com/. Websites, like these rank each treatment for fungus nail infection according to its effectiveness, popularity, and side effects can assist you in finding an appropriate treatment. A doctor, however, is the best expert to prescribe the best treatment.

The most popular anti nail fungus products, namely Zetaclear and Fungisil, use topical anti fungal approach. These anti fungal medications kill nail fungus, while simultaneously blocking food the fungi requires to feed on. Zetaclear and Fungisil are over the counter products which offer healthy clear nails without harmful side effects.

Fungal nail victims are often annoyed by the extended treatment and persistence of this disease. It should be noted that nail fungus does not goes away easily, and a long term treatment approach is required. Lengthy treatment is the best bet to cure nail fungus completely. Any product claiming results in days are absolutely misleading and a waste of time, money and energy.

Home remedies for nail fungus such as Vicks VapoRub®, tea tree oil and vinegar simply soften the nails and have shown no potency to kill nail fungus on their own in test studies. Nail fungus home remedies might improve nail appearance temporarily from the outside, but with passage of time the fungus becomes stronger beneath and returns with more drug resistant and severe symptoms of nail fungus.

A scientifically developed treatment is the best option to clear nail fungus. Home remedies might agitate nail fungi and are often counter productive.

If you are fungal nail sufferer, it is a good idea to research prescription, all natural and herbal nail fungus removal remedies before trying them as a treatment to get rid of the infection. Some research definitely saves time and your hard earned money. Using a website, such as http://nailfungustreatment.skincareproductshop.com/, that compares and contrasts every fungal nail treatment will help to determine the right remedy for your specific case. This website lists the FDA approved safe list treatments for nail fungus as well as helps explain the results that should be expected. The website also presents dosage recommendations, any possible risks or side effects, and similar products.

You might like to read one nail fungus cure success store here:
http://nailfungustreatment.skincareproductshop.com/

Finger and toenail fungus treatment review websites provide consumers an insight of safe, effective solution currently available for their fungal nail disorder. Such information rich sites should be benefited from in making significant decision of choosing the right remedy.

PSS: This article should not be considered as offering medical advice but a catalyst for your own research in finding an appropriate nail fungus medication.

Fungus Infections: Preventing Recurrence

Doctors have excellent treatments for skin fungus infections that occur on the feet, nails, groin, hands and other locations. Unfortunately, there is a strong tendency for fungal infections to recur in many people even after effective clearing with medication. This is because we all have our strengths and weaknesses. Some people are prone to allergies. Others get lots of colds. Others get stomach ulcers. And some people are prone to recurrent skin fungus infections.

The tendency for fungus to recur in many adults, especially on the feet and toenails, is a genetic condition. Their skin cannot recognize the fungus as foreign and get rid of it. After having a fungus there for a while the body's immune system learns to live with the fungus and no longer tries to get rid of it.

Children only rarely get fungal infections of the feet, especially before the age of five. Their bodies still react vigorously to the fungus. For some reason, they are more likely to get it on the scalp than adults are.

Fungus is all around us, on floors, in dirt, and on other people. It is hard to avoid forever. It likes warmth and moisture, making certain parts of the skin more vulnerable. A fungus is a superficial skin problem, not an internal one. It does not spread by going inside the body. Cortisone creams, tried by many patients, help fungus grow! The rash may get less red and itchy at first, but spreads out and recurs, itchier than ever, when the cortisone is stopped.

A fungus sheds "spores", like tiny seeds, which wait for the right moment to grow into new fungus. The most common place for these spores to collect is in shoes. Therefore, after effective treatment, a fungus may recur quickly where spores are present. Fungus doesn't care what color the socks are. White socks offer no advantage. Absorbent cotton or wool socks are best.

Some Rules for Prevention: Remember, nothing works one hundred per cent. Try combinations of these ideas.

1. Use the medicine completely and as recommended. The fungus may till be present long after it is no longer visible as a rash.
   
2. Keep feet clean, cool and dry. Change socks. Wear shoes that "breathe" like leather, rather than plastic.
   
3. Make sure shoes fit correctly and are not too tight.
   
4. Apply an anti-fungal cream, like Lotrimin or Lamisil, or a prescription antifungal cream to the bottom of the feet, and on the nails, about twice a week. This may help prevent early re-growth of the fungus. In some cases, an oral medication may be prescribed.
   
5. Avoid walking barefoot, especially in bathrooms, locker rooms, gyms, on carpeting, and in public bathing areas. Wear slippers or stand on a towel or piece of paper.
   
6. Keep toenails short, cut straight across and avoid ingrown nails. Do not use the same clippers on abnormal nails and normal nails.
   
7. Family members and close personal contacts should treat any fungus infections they may have to avoid trading back and forth.
   
8. Apply an anti-fungal powder, like Zeasorb-AF to the shoes every day, to keep spores from growing.
   
9. Discard old shoes, boots, slippers and sneakers. Do not share footwear with others.
   
10. If one has had a body fungus, in the groin or elsewhere on the skin, consider using an anti-dandruff shampoo, like Selsun Blue on this area twice a month. Lather up and leave it on the skin for about five minutes, then wash off completely. In some cases a preventive medication may be prescribed.

Nail Fungus

What is Nail Fungus?

Nail fungus, also known as Onychomycosis, is a nail disorder that you would not notice when it starts happen to you unless the condition getting worse. It starts with the discoloration of the tip of the nail (usually yellow or black), then eventually cover the whole nail if left untreated. Typically, nail fungus happens at the toenail because of the environment that it is exposed at. However, there are also some cases that nail fungus happens at the fingernail. This occurs when the hands are usually working in a wet environment.

What really causes nail fungus and what are the common symptoms usually seen in nails so that one may be able to prevent it?

Causes of Nail Fungus?

Nail fungus is caused by the tiny organisms called dermatophytes. It usually lives in wet areas or moistened places including the shower rooms and swimming pools. These dermatophytes embed itself to the small space between the nail and the nail bed. When this happens, the protein that protects the nail called keratin is being destroyed by the dermatophytes. As a result, there would be nothing to protect the rest of the nails as well as the skin that surrounds it. Sooner or later, the nail fungus will spread and will affect the other nails as well. If you are often wearing shoes with warm socks, it can be very cozy. However, you are more prone to have nail fungus since warm socks usually results into a damp environment where fungus may easily breed.

Aside from the environment, nail fungus also happens when the nails experiences trauma. This is when something hard hits against the nail, causing it to have more distance from the nail bed. The bigger the space is, the easier these dermatophytes can creep into your nails. If this happens, you must protect your nails immediately to prevent the fungus from setting in. Home remedies are good, but it is still advisable to ask your doctor first because it might contradict the type of trauma that your nail experienced.

Those who have health disorders such as H.I.V., or diabetes, are also prone to have toenail fungus and fingernail fungus. These conditions cause the person to have weaker immune system. Because of this, the body would not be able to fight infections such as dermatophytes or any type of fungus for that matter. The same goes for the people having poor circulation of the blood. If there is no ample amount of blood flowing in the affected area such as toe nails or finger nails, the immune system will not also properly do its function in that area. Moreover, if there is not enough blood flow it would cause the nails to have poor nail nutrition which makes it more easily to be traumatized. Thus, it would result t nail fungus as well.

The Symptoms of Nail Fungus

The first symptom of fungal infection in the nails is the appearance of yellow or white spot commonly seen under the tip of the affected toenail or fingernail. Eventually, if left untreated, the fungus will go deeper into the nail. As a result, the whole nail will have discoloration, will thicken and will build crumbling that edges which can be a start of a very painful nail dilemma.

Toenail and Fingernail Fungus

More often than not, toenails are commonly affected by nail fungus rather than the fingernails. This is because toenails are more exposed to the perfect breeding ground of fungi – the shoes. The insides of a shoe have a warm, dark, and moist surroundings. Furthermore, studies show that there is a lesser circukation of blood happening in the toes compared to the blood circulating activities in the fingers. As a result, the immune system of the body is having a hard time detecting the affected area as well as eliminating the cause of infection.

Home Remedies for Nail Fungus / Infection

# Natural treatment for nail fungus: put iodine on the fungus and bandage (make sure you are not allergic).
# When just begun apply tea tree oil on the fungus.
# Drip 1 drop of bleach on the fungus, keep applying even after it's gone.
# Keep your feet dry and try to walk with sandals.
# Put talc in your shoes before you wear them.
# Apply lavender oil on the fungus.
# Home remedy for nail fungus: Put baking soda powder in your socks for 2 weeks.
# Soak nails in warm salty water.
# Put the nail in warm water, cut the nail as much as possible and apply bleach on the nail. Repeat twice a day.
# Use a q-tip and apply oregano oil on the fungus. Do not apply on the skin; it might irritate your skin.
# Pour warm water into a tub, add a few drops of lavender oil and apple cider vinegar; put you foot/ hand in for 15-20 minutes daily.

Popular Home Remedies For Nail Fungus

When you contract nail fungus infection, you need to take action immediately with proper treatment. There are different treatment options out there, one of them is the use of home remedies for nail fungus.

Home remedies have been around us forever as a result of people looking for a cure. These are recipes that are passed generation from generation because in most cases they do work. Yes, in most cases. They are based on empirical results, not scientific experiments.

Here are some popular home remedies for nail fungus:

-Soaking the nails on a solution, usually containing chlorine bleach, Listerine mouthwash and/or hydrogen peroxide. This treatment should be applied daily, and with any nail fungus treatment, it takes months to restore the nail.

-Application of Vick Vaporub and essential oils directly on the skin. On all of this treatments if the nail is filed, it will work better. One of the better essential oils for this kind of application is the tea tree oil, commonly found in Australia. There is scientific evidence to this oil's antifungal action, and penetration. Also, as the solution, this home remedy for nail fungus should be applied daily.

-Vinegar. Household vinegar has been reported as a working method to treat nail fungus. You need to direct apply it twice or more a day, daily.

-Pure Oregano Essential Oil. Another essential oil that is very popular because of its properties. This oil is antiseptic, anti fungal and analgesic. A powerful combination for a home treatment.

These are just some of the most known home remedies for nail fungus. You need to keep in mind that they do not work for all people; their effect depends on various factors. I have provided you with the basic information you need on home remedies for nail fungus, this is not meant to replace a visit to the doctors that will help you decide what is better for you. Nail fungus treatments are long and you need professional help to deal with any side effect.

Paolo Basauri, is an expert author who writes for Home Remedies for Nail Fungus
A site specialized in nail fungus information and tips for treatment and prevention.

Low Cost Home Remedies for Nail (Toenail) Fungus

Its been three years since we introduced our "get rid of nail fungus" product. Over that time we've sold a lot, (had no returns) and received numerous thank you letters and repeat orders from folks confronting nail fungus. We've also seen what seems like a million new nail fungus websites enter the scene. (The fact that you are even reading this probably means you're a very dedicated researcher)

We hate seeing people resort to taking expensive, dangerous, highly toxic chemicals internally. So we've decided to share freely what we've learned about getting rid of nail fungus by other means. We won't discuss Lamisil. There are thousands of websites that talk about Lamisil including a few pages of our own here and here. Suffice to say, that's something I'll never ever put in my body.

Lets talk about lesser known remedies (*note.. We can't say "cure"... the word "cure" is verboten by the FDA, only major pharma or MP for short can speak the "c" word). Lets talk about the things people with something to sell don't want you to read about. These are the low cost (practically free) home remedies that (purportedly) have been used successfully to get rid of nail fungus. We'll get to that but first, how about a paragraph about what Nail Fungus is?

Its a parasitic organisim with a long, kind of meaningless scientific name that lives under your toenails or fingernails. These worthless good-for-nothing creatures God obviously invented to aggravate us, spend their worthless good-for-nothing lives feasting on your keratin. Would the Dalai Lama evict the dermatophytes? I think yes! Even the most ardent living creature lover would agree they've got no right to eat away at your keratin and that they've to go!… The good news is you can (most likely) get rid of nail fungus without risking liver damage, having your vision turn green and your hair change. The secret is knowing that nail fungus lives ON THE OUTSIDE of our bodies… the epidermis.

I wonder why anyone would take something internally to get at something external… especially knowing that the majority of the toxic chemical does not even make it to where the nail fungus is! (Most gets removed by the liver and eliminated in your urine… I say "your" because I'll never take that stuff). That seems very dumb doesn't it? With that out of the way… lets move onto the home remedies.

First... know that this information has been gathered from various sources. Newspapers Internet etc. and is provided freely with no warranty expressed or implied. Black Pearl Botanicals llc makes no claim as to its accuracy nor do we accept any liability for any use or misuse for the information. As always... Please read the disclaimer at the bottom of this page. Remember, you should always consult a doctor (Dermatologists are only about $200 an hour... ) and you should also discontinue any remedy that is causing you a problem such as skin irritation.

Vinegar

Probably everyone has heard of vinegar being used as a non-toxic household cleaner. But most people have probably never heard of it being used to get rid of nail fungus. Vinegar is an acid. Nail fungus does not like an acidic environment. What you are supposed to do is spread the vinegar all around the infected toenail. Be sure to get it under the nail where the toenail fungus lives. You can't skip a week or even a day! You must keep vinegar on for as long as it takes to get rid of the fungus. Basically that means until every bit of the infected toenail has grown out. If you skip a day the fungus will move right back into the newly grown toenail and you will have to start the process over again. Their nose may cringe and people may ask: "what smells like vinegar?". Just ignore them… they don't need to know you've got nail fungus.

Vicks VapoRub

This remedy has only recently become in vogue. Apparently some people really like this one, probably because it sounds kind of cool... (pun intended :) What you do is put the VapoRub on your toenails every day, again making sure it gets under the nail where the fungus lives. The drawback with this c*** is your nails may turn dark and people's nose may cringe and they may ask: where's that mentholated smell coming from? Just ignore them… they don't need to know you've got nail fungus.

Oregano Essential Oil (Origanum compactum)

Oregano is (believed to be) a fungicide and therefore is used in many nail fungus formulas. We don't like or recommend putting oregano essential oil on your skin because it is a dermal irritant. Nevertheless, it should be mentioned since people have (apparently) used it successfuly to get rid of nail fungus.