Archive for the ‘Nail Fungus’ Category

Paronychia

aronychia is a disease of the Perineum, where the skin around the surface of the nail hangs loosely. It has been found most often in the U.S., usually in kids who have a habit of biting their nails or sucking their fingers. There two forms of Paronchial infection, Chronic Paronychia and Acute Paronychia. The forms are judged according to the length of time it remains in the body.

Paronychia is a viral infection that grows gradually stronger, resulting in a bumpiness, softness and redness surrounding the nails. The main culprits for this infection are Candida and mold. It can be passed from person to person via touch.

Causes of Paronychia

Most forms of Paronychia occur by a nick or break in the skin being infected. If a person has a hangnail or a habit of chewing their nails, this is a good way for the infection to enter the area. There is evidence of Streptococcus and Pseudomonas germs getting into the infected area and making it worse. The chronic form of Paronychia is typically linked with the use of abrasives, for instance soaps and detergents while washing. The chronic infections are typically the result of Candida albcans or other fungus.

Acute Paronychia occurs when the skin around the nail becomes inflamed and swells causing pain to the afflicted person. Pus may develop and ooze from the infected area, removing the top layer of the nail.

Chronic Paronychia is a longer lasting case and the nails can become so infected that they develop a greenish tinge around the edges of the skin.

Diagnosis

In the cases of Acute Paronychia, a culture of the pus can be taken to determine what kind (or kinds) of infection is occurring and then treatment can be prescribed. Chronic Paronychia can be a bit more difficult to diagnose and treat, though a potassium hydroxide test may be able to determine which fungus is the source of the infection.

Treatment

• Massaging the afflicted area in hot water three to four times per day can help relieve some of the pain and swelling
• Antibiotics such as diclogacilin and cephelaxin may be prescribed
• If the swelling is severe, the area may need to be punctured and drained
• Part of the nail may need to be removed in some cases
• An antifungal may also be prescribed

Things that should NOT be used to cure Paronychia

• Do not use topical antibiotics
• Do not take prescribed steroids

Unusual cases of people who have contracted Paronychia have occurred in patients with:

• HIV/AIDS
• On steroids
• High blood sugar
• Poor circulation

Prevention

• Don’t chew or bite your nails
• Don’t suck on your fingers or thumbs
• Don’t immerse your hands in water without wearing protective gloves

Onychorrhexis – Brittle Nail Disease

• What is it? – When fingernails and toenails break easily because they are weak.
• Why is it? – As keratin develops with protein as a component, the nail grows according to the appropriate thickness determined by the body. Your nail thickness is pretty much set at birth. Some people are born with very thin and/or fragile nails
• What causes it? – Humidity at the base of the nail is a common cause. For instance, soaking your hands (or person) in water for a long period of time (taking a bath or doing dishes) on a regular basis. Some people have a hereditary condition of weak nails. As they grow older, their nails become weaker and more prone to breakage. Some diseases and circumstances that might cause a fragile nail are:
  • Hypothyroidism or low thyroid levels
  • Reynaud’s syndrome
  • Skin diseases, such as psoriasis
  • Lack of proper nourishment

Signs of this affliction

• Flaking at the base of the nail
• The nails breaking and/or falling off

Basic Treatment

People with brittle nails should not spend a lot of time with their hands in the water. They should dry their hands thoroughly after getting them wet and they should use a mild soap when washing.

Immediately after washing and drying their hands, sufferers of onychorrhexis should apply a moisturizer to the afflicted limb. Two recommended kinds of moisturizer are:

• Standard “beauty” moisturizers, which work to soften the skin. These will provide instant relief and will assist people with this affliction greatly.
• Healing moisturizers, which both soften and infuse the skin with herbal or medicinal remedies as well as acting as a barrier between the water and the nail

Some good preventative measures are as follows:

• Wearing protective covering on hands or feet when immersing them in water
• Not participating in activities that involve being submerged in water, such as swimming.
• Protecting the hands from irritating chemicals
• Supplementing the diet with vitamins and minerals to help the nails become stronger.
• Identifying nutritional deficits that may be causing the nail breakdown and working to increase those areas

Side Effects

The only potential negative side effect of the above treatment is an allergic reaction to a moisturizer. Stay alert for irritation of the skin to indicate that there is sensitivity.

Onychoschizia – Split Nails

Onychoschizia is a condition in which the nail split or falls apart easily. Typically people who have Onychoschizia have nails that are very fragile, squashy, and thin or that have funny “crumple” lines. Sufferers are more prone to nail infections. Onychoschizia is most commonly found in women.

What Causes Onychoschizia?

• Long periods of being submerged in water or chemical baths
• Poor nutrition
• Vitamin Deficits
• Applying nail polish remover
• Stress

How to Deal With Onychoschizia

• Wear protective gloves whenever working with chemicals (household or otherwise) or immersing hands in water for a long period of time.
• Use ointments or lotions that contain alpha hydroxyl acid, for instance, Lanolin or Neostrata, especially after washing your hands and/or feet
• Do not use your fingernails to dial a telephone or to type as the repeated stress will cause your nails to break
• Pay attention to how people with healthy fingernails treat them
• Wear gloves during the winter to help protect your nails from possible infection
• Trim and file your nails to a nice shape at the tip so that there is less risk of breakage.
• Do not buff the bulk of the nail as this can strip away necessary protective layers
• Taking biotin in 2.4 milligram doses as a daily supplement can help with healthy nail growth. Please note: this should not be done by women who are pregnant.
• Including a daily dose of Knox Gelatin, mixed with fruit juice, every day can help to increase nail strength.
• Taking nutritional supplements to help increase healthy nail growth
• Wearing nail polish with nylon fiber can help to strengthen and protect the nail.

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.

About the Condition Called Hangnails

Everyone wants to have healthy, attractive nails. However many people have hangnails. It is probably the most common nail ailment that humans face. There are various things we can do to prevent hangnails from developing and destroying the aesthetic beauty of the hand. Hangnails are not only unattractive, they tend to catch on hair, clothing, and other surrounding objects and can cause sudden and severe pain if they are bent backward to far. Many people look for ways to stop development of this irritating little problem. There are some simple solutions to avoiding hangnails.

What is a Hangnail?

Excess skin builds up around the base and side of the nail, the partially detaches from the nail itself, causing it to stick up and bend back. This can be very painful, as can trying to remove the hangnail, whether by cutting, biting or ripping it off.

What Causes Hangnails?

Hangnails are usually caused by dry cuticles. The cuticle is the skin that surrounds the nail, most commonly seen at the base of the nail. When the cuticle dries out it breaks and the skin detaches from the nail, creating a hangnail. If a person with a hangnail picks at it, bites at it or rips it off, it makes it more likely that this condition will continue as it just exacerbates the problem. People who spend a lot of time with their hands in water tend to suffer from hangnails as the skin gets soft and is then easily damaged. People who bite their nails are also more prone to hangnail. Children who bite their nails are usually afflicted with this nuisance.

How Do I Prevent Hangnails?

The easiest way to prevent hangnails from developing is to moisturize the cuticles. This is definitely a situation where preventing the problem is far better than dealing with it once it has occurred.

Some simple hangnail prevention tips:

• Don’t bite or rip off your hangnails. This frequently causes bleeding and may lead to infection. Use a small nail scissor to cut it close to the base which will inhibit further deterioration.
• Soak your hand in warm water for 5-10 minutes, dry thoroughly, then apply a moisturizing cream or oil to the skin surrounding the nails.
• Learn to stop biting your nails. If it’s really hard to stop, then investigate products that you can apply to your nails that will make them taste bad to help you resist the urge.
• Wear protective gloves when using harsh cleaning products or when you will have your hands immersed in liquid for a long period of time.