Posts Tagged ‘nail fungus’

Easily Applied Home Nail Fungus Remedies

Having unattractive toenails is embarrassing and even humiliating. There are many ways to solve this incredibly common problem.

How Does My Nail Become Infected?

Toenails come into contact with microorganisms that get onto the skin, the nail sheath and underneath the nail to the nail bed. Any and all of these places can easily become a hotbed (literally) for infection. Once you have contracted a fungal infection, it can be very difficult to cure.

As these microorganisms are fungal spores, they thrive in places that have no light and high humidity. This makes the feet very susceptible to infection because we are all accustomed to wearing shoes. Especially because many people wear the same pair of shoes day in and day out, not allowing time for them to dry and air between wearings.

Trimming your toenails too close to the skin can cause accidental cuts, providing another entry point for these fungal spores.

Shoes that fit to tightly can also be a cause of toenail fungus infection as they leave no room for your feet to breath and they can cause the breakdown of the nail where they rub, leaving an opening for the fungus to invade.

Standard Symptoms of Nail Fungus Infection

Here are some very simple ways to recognize a toenail fungus infection:

• A discoloration of the toenail, white to yellow
• The nail becomes thick and disfigured
• A stinging pain from under and around the nail
• Brown or black spots developing on the nail
• Parts of the nail crumble or flake off
• A foul odor coming from the nail
• Oozing pus from around the nail
• Toenail falling off entirely

Recommended Home Remedies for Fungal Nail Infection

The faster you catch a fungal nail infection, the easier it is to get rid of it. The early stages can be treated with any of the remedies listed below:

• ClearFungus  – This is the leading natural remedy for curing toenail fungus. This is considered more of a natural product anti-fungal treatment than a home remedy as it is specially formulated to kill toenail fungus and promote new nail growth.
• Vicks VapoRub – Although no one quite understands why, Vicks VapoRub seems to prove very effective at stopping the growth of fungal infection. It does not kill the fungus but does inhibit growth, which can encourage healthy nail growth until the infection has been trimmed entirely away. No studies have been done on this but many people swear by it.
• Hydrogen Peroxide, Listerine and Rubbing Alcohol – Combined or separately, all of these chemicals have been shown to have some effect on nail fungus as they all posses antiseptic properties. Soak your toenails in your choice of these solutions (again, combined or separately) for twenty minutes, two times a day.
• Tea Tree Oil – This is a powerful essential oil that contains antiseptic and antifungal components. Wash and thoroughly dry the foot, then rub the affected nail(s) and surrounding skin with Tea Tree Oil twice a day.
• Vinegar – Soaking your toes in a solution of equal parts vinegar and water in a large tub or bowl for 20-30 minutes, then washing and thoroughly drying your feet until the infection has cleared.

These remedies are good for stopping the infection early on. If you follow these instructions closely and stick to the regular process, you should be able to clear up your infection by yourself. If your symptoms are bad to begin with, or if they worsen, seeking the help of a medical professional will become necessary.

Curing Toenail Fungus with Tea Tree Oil

It is very uncommon for a doctor to recommend an alternative remedy over a prescription medicine. However in the case of Tea Tree Oil, this happens more often than not. Tea Tree Oil is a naturally occurring medicine and has been shown to be effective at eliminating the fungus that causes toenail infections. The Mayo Clinic has even run studies to confirm this. So why is this oil so effective? Because of its own natural physical properties.

This plant is native to Australia and has been used for centuries by the aboriginal people for curing and preventing infections. The plant acts as an antimicrobial and while the medical community sees much potential in the Tea Tree, the majority of studies have centered around Tea Tree Oil being used as an antifungal. The treatment of a fungal infection takes a long time and it is not uncommon for someone participating in a study to give up and drop out part way through. Even one person doing this can throw off the results of a study, leaving it with the result of “null and void” or “unclear”.

Tea Tree Oil Popularity

No matter that the Mayo Clinic has run studies on this product, the general public has taken to Tea Tree Oil like a duck to water. If you run a search on Tea Tree Oil, you will find not only a wide variety of products and distributors, but also people singing its praises, telling how it helped them treat their toenail fungus infections. This information can be found both as testimonials on distributor websites but also as entries and responses on forums. This is real data submitted by real people, saying how happy they are that they were able to find a natural remedy to cure their nail fungus infection completely and inexpensively. As with all medications, both prescription and alternative, the results will vary from person to person and how long it takes or if it is effective will depend on the severity of the infection.

It is recommended that the strength of the Tea Tree Oil is 100% and that it is applied to the surface of the infected nail and surrounding tissue to ensure that all hiding places for the fungus are covered. If you plan on a Tea Tree Oil regimen, it is recommended to purchase some soap or shampoo that contains Tea Tree Oil and use it to wash your feet several times a day. Once your feet are clean, dry them thoroughly and then apply the Tea Tree Oil directly to the affected areas. Mind the amount you use as too much can cause irritation.

Please note: Tea Tree Oil is a topical treatment only and should never be ingested as it can cause a severe toxic reaction! As with any medication, if you experience an allergic reaction, discontinue use immediately, wash the affected areas with soap that doesn’t contain tea tree oil and contact your doctor. This may be an herbal remedy, but your doctor should still be informed that you are using it and how you are progressing because it is still a medication, even if it is a natural one. This is even more important if you have any sort of skin condition, such as eczema. Remember that fungus like dark, damp environments and the more you can do to discourage a place for them to develop, the less likely it will be that you will contract an infection.

Nail Fungus Prevention Tips

“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” So goes the old proverb and this is very true in the case of nail fungus prevention. Avoiding infection of your nails is a fairly simple process, but it does require diligence on your part. When you consider that once an infection has established itself, it is much more difficult to cure, working on prevention is in everyone’s best interest.

The main problem is that nail fungus is not choosy about who it attacks. If it can find a successful living environment, it will.

People who are most subject to nail fungus infections are:

• People who sweat excessively in their hands and/or feet
• People who already have some sort of nail disorder
• People who have a weakened immune system

The risk of getting or not getting this disease seems to be fairly random. It will live wherever it can so “your best offense is a good defense”.

Prevention ideas

• Wear some sort of protective footwear when you are in public places where there is a lot of water, locker rooms, public baths and swimming pools are good examples. As you have no idea who may accidentally pass the spores along, protecting your own feet is paramount.
• Keep your nails short, clean, and dry. Trim and file your nails regularly to ensure that they are clean all over. Washing your hands and feet with soap and drying thoroughly afterward is also important as fungi like damp, dark places.
• Use antifungal sprays or powders to fight off the spores you may have already accidentally collected. Air out and dry out your shoes after wearing (especially if your feet sweat) and change your socks daily or wear sandals as often as possible.
• Don’t use nail polish as this locks in humidity and usually blocks light that might reach the fungus and help kill it off.
• If you choose to get manicures or pedicures, check with your salon to make sure they sterilize all of their equipment.
• Wash and dry your hands thoroughly before applying anything to your hands or feet and after applying ointment or medication anywhere else.
• Do not pick at the skin around your nails as this can cause irritation and allow the fungus to invade your skin.
• Pay attention to developing symptoms and if they show up, treat them early on to nip the infection in the bud
• Eat a healthy and balanced diet so that your immune system is up to fighting off any infection that comes your way.

Your health is in your own hands so grab it and go with it to keep your nails looking healthy and happy.

Curing a Nail Fungus Infection

with an Acidophilus Beer Soak

A nail fungus infection is unattractive at best, annoying at worst. This is not a disease that is going to kill you. It may affect how you interact with the world if it gets to bad, for instance, if your have a very bad toenail fungus infection, it may become painful to walk, or the nerves in your feet may be mildly affected and you won’t be able to feel the floor very well. However this is not a life threatening condition, especially if it is caught early on.

A fungus, most commonly a dermatophyte, can get onto and underneath your nail and find a happy, warm, moist place to grow. Once the fungus has established itself, it turns your nail white or yellow. This is usually seen originally as a spot, but that spot grows to cover the whole nail over time. It also makes your nails thicker and more brittle, because the fungus is consuming the keratin, the protein that your nails are made of, to grow and protect itself.

So one of the biggest problems with a fungal nail infection is that it is located underneath the nail, in the nail bed. One of the most frequently suggested nail infection home remedies is soaking your feet in a combination of dark beer, vinegar and acidophilus, usually referred to as an acidophilus beer soak.

So Why Acidophilus and Beer?

The theory behind this home remedy is that by soaking your infected nails in this solution for 20-30 minutes, you allow the alcohol in the beer to soften up the nail, thus the acidophilus and vinegar can get into and underneath the nail to kill off the fungal infection.

Here is the process:

•           Use a dark beer, like Guinness Stout. (Any stout will do, most people happen to know and can get this particular brand.)

•           Mix the beer with a ½ cup of white or apple cider vinegar.

•           Add a sachet of acidophilus culture. You can find these at your health food store. You want to find one that is 125 billion organisms. (It should say so on the packaging.)

•           Stir these all together, then soak the infected nails in the solution for 20-30 minutes a day, twice daily.

•           Wash the infected area thoroughly with soap and water afterward, then dry equally thoroughly.

•           Put on clean socks (if it is the beginning of the day) or leave your feet exposed to light and air.

This mixture can be used up to four times before disposing of it, which will keep your costs down. Many people have claimed to cure their nail fungus infection entirely by using this simple home remedy.

8 Good Questions to Ask About Nail Fungus

Nail fungus is a global problem. Many people do not understand how nail fungus infections are contracted, nor how to prevent them.

Here are 8 great questions, answered for your enlightenment, so you understand what fungal nail infections are and what causes them.

What is a nail fungus infection?

Dermaphytes, a microscopic organism are usually the culprit of nail fungus. As they are a fungal life form, they don’t require light to grow. The spores cause the nails to become yellowed and thick.

Why does the nail provide such a great place for the fungus to live?

Fungus likes to live where it is dark, warm and damp. The inside of socks and shoes is an ideal environment for these microorganisms to thrive.

Is everyone prone to contracting nail fungus?

Yes, everyone has the potential to develop a fungal nail infection. People become more prone to attack as they age.

Is it contagious?

It is, although it is most likely to be passed from person to person if you have abraded nails or damage to your skin. Public pools, locker rooms and public baths are all places where nail fungus spores are spread.

Are my fingernails or toenails more likely to become infected?

Toenails are more likely to become infected as they spend more time in enclosed environments and closer to the ground where the fungus may be living.

Is this infection dangerous?

Not in and of itself, although the infection can become serious if not treated. The disease becomes more dangerous if a patient has other diseases that make them more vulnerable to fungal nail infection.

Can I still wear nail polish?

No. While you are undergoing treatment of any kind for fungal nail infection your nails need to breathe. Nail polish creates a barrier between the air and your nail and it seals in humidity which make for a better growing environment for the fungus.

Will it go away on its own?

No it won’t. The faster you catch this infection, the easier it is to cure. The longer you let it go, the harder it will be to recover. Topical medications and home remedies can be very effective if you catch the problem early on.