Medizines

Nail fungus infections, also referred to as onychomycosis, are extremely common. Approximately 12% of all Americans suffer from nail fungus. Toenail fungus infections are much more common than fingernail fungus, and are more difficult to treat. This is because fungi thrive in dark, warm and moist environments. The nail provides the fungus with a strong protective barrier. This barrier makes it difficult for medications to kill the fungus. For this reason, prevention is very important.

The best treatment of course is prevention. Keep your nails cut straight across. If nails are hard to cut, soften by soaking in salt water (use 1 teaspoon per gallon of water and then dry well). Keep feet dry and well ventilated. Be careful with artificial nails and be selective about choosing your manicurist. Ask about how they sterilize their instruments. See a podiatrist or your health care provider if you see signs of fungus.

The prescription medicine has side effects of harming the liver so I looked for something non-toxic. I read about Tea Tree Oil and ordered some from a well know mail order vitimen supplier. I used a cotton swab and worked the oil under the nail and coated the entire outer nail. Within two weeks the decay had stopped and I could see the nail bed attached to the new growth. I'll continue until the nail completely is replaced and that should take about 8 months (my nails grow slowly) This stuff is great!"

Ozone is one of the most effective active ingredients used in our nail fungus treatment. This bio-oxidive is made up of 3 oxygen atoms, and we use it to flood the infected area with oxygen because ozone has exceptional anti–microbial characteristics.

Conventional treatment of fungal nail infections is expensive and long-term. Treatment may include topical preparations and/or oral anti-fungal medications. Nail fungus can be very stubborn to treat and people whose infection clears up often find that it returns soon after discontinuing the medication. Oral antifungals all have significant side-effects and interact with many other medications.

Antifungal lacquer. If you have a mild to moderate infection of nail fungus, your doctor may prefer to prescribe an antifungal nail polish called ciclopirox (Penlac). You paint it onto your infected nails and surrounding skin once a day. After seven days, you wipe the piled-on layers clean with alcohol and begin fresh applications. Daily use of Penlac for about one year has been shown to help clear nail fungal infections, but researchers found that it cured the infections in less than 10 percent of people using it.

Penlac Nail Lacquer is applied once a day with an applicator brush to all affected nails and immediately adjacent skin. Daily applications should be made over the previous coat and removed every seven days. Up to 48 weeks of daily applications, weekly trimming by the patient, and monthly professional removal of the unattached, infected nail, is needed.

If the nail infection does not cause any of these problems, then doctors often discourage treatment because of the potential side effects, the need to monitor the blood throughout therapy and the high recurrence rate. Patients with liver or heart disease generally should not take these medications.By :Peter Hutch

1. Get your feet out of sweaty shoes and socks whenever you can. Fungus loves to grow in warm moist places. Like inside you sweat socks after exercising.
Interesting fact: About 50% the population will have had toenail fungus by the age of 70. Toenail fungus is much more common than fingernail fungus. Once you recognize that you have a nail fungus, it is very important to start treatment immediately before the fungus gets worse and spreads.
2. Use Foot powder to help keep your toes and feet dry while you are exercising. This will help absorb some of the moisture.
Interesting fact: Toenail fungus is not the product of poor personal hygiene.
3. Always wear flip-flops in places like public showers, locker rooms, and pools (walking on your tippy-toes across the bathroom floor won't protect your feet).
Interesting Fact: Nails are made of a protein called keratin (dead cells), which is also found in human hair. Toenail fungus is attracted to keratin and likes to feed on it.
4. Never share your toenail clippers with anyone. This is a big NO NO. Fungus will reside on the ends of your clippers allowing it to be transferred from one person to another.
Interesting fact: Injuring a toenail allows for the fungus to get underneath the nail and thus the nail becomes more susceptible.
5. Wear socks that allow the feet to breathe, such as those made from natural fibers such as cotton. If you have extremely sweaty feet, give them ample time to dry out during the day, if possible.
Interesting fact: Men are twice as likely to have a toenail fungal infection than women.
6. Do not wear toenail polish if you have a toenail infected by fungus. There is some debate on this one whether or not it really matters. When in doubt just don't do it.
Interesting fact: The medical term for toenail fungus is Onychmoycosis.
7. Always keep your nails trimmed short so that you minimize the risk of prying the nail upward and causing injury to the nail bed which in turn allows the fungus to grow underneath the nail.
Interesting fact: It can take 18 months for a nail to be replaced completely by a new one.
8. Stop Smoking! Faster recovery period. Yet one more reason to stop.
Interesting fact: Nail Fungus is NOT the same as Athlete's Foot but can be caused by the same fungus.
9. If your toenail has become inflamed or you are experiencing pain, seek medical advice as soon as you are able to do so.
10. Do not delay in the treatment of your toenail fungus. As the toenail fungus continues to grow it is much harder to get rid of. If you suspect you have toenail fungus, start treatment today.

By Suzanne Whitaker

By Tim Faber

This is the most hated fungus infection as it is very difficult to hide the infected fingernail from others and also contagious. The affected nail will be thicker than the normal one and the color will be either yellow or brown [at times black]. The fungus can also affect the nail bed and there can be inflammation and pain. The major cause of infection is drop in immunity [AIDS, old age] and the factors that favor fungal multiplication such as wet hand, tight fitting gloves. The home remedies for fingernail fungus infection are the best and let us discuss about it here.
Home remedies for fingernail fungus infection has popularly been in use for so many years. The reasons are many. One of the main reasons is that fingernail infection is not a new disease. It is in existence for more than thousand years. Our ancestors practiced home remedies for fingernail fungus, as the science was not developed as it had developed now. Besides the drugs that are used now days cause various side effects and are expensive as well.
One of the popular home remedy is soaking the finger nail infected in a solution that can kill the fungus that cause the discoloration, thickening and disfiguration etc. The solutions that are used most often for this purpose are diluted vinegar, bleaching powder, and hydrogen peroxide.
Generally the soaking has to be continued till the fungus infection is cleared in total which may take few weeks or even few months. In case quick results are expected thinning of the affected finger nail may be tried which will facilitate more absorption of the killer [fungus] solution.
Tea tree oil is one of the most popular home remedy for fingernail fungus. This oil is extracted from the stem and leaves of the tea tree of Australia. This tea tree oils is scientifically proven for its amazing antifungal properties. This tea tree oil can be directly applied over the infected finger nail. This tea tree oil can penetrate the finger nail better than any other oil and banish the fungus there by curing the condition. Tea tree oil is available in the pure form or in the blended form with other ingredients.
There is yet another effective home remedy for fingernail fungus is available in the form of antifungal mud [saprox] and this mud is from Czech Republic. Like the tea tree oil this mud also can be applied over the discolored fingernail. The effect of this mud is enhanced if the soaking of the fingernail with any one of the solutions such as hydrogen peroxide, bleaching powder is combined.

By Rich Fuller