by Chris Nowheet on February 3, 2010
Right now we're going to talk about black nails. Since there's a lot of people that ask about this.
There are people, who may have a black toenail fungus but they don’t know about it. A black toenail fungus starts as a small spot under a nail. Some people would ignore it and as a result it will soon develop, while ending up destroying the nail completely. Moreover, there is also a discoloration that can happen to the nail. This could be unattractive especially for women. The main cause is having a mold, yeast, and fungi organisms. They grow in a moist environment. Let me stress this to you. It's not entirely related to your hygiene. This can happen with a combination of bad timing and place. So don't be discouraged.
Black toenail fungus is characterized by thick and discolored nails. The organisms feed and destroy the nail’s keratin. The main purpose of keratin is the fact that it is responsible for keeping the nails strong and hard. It is important to remember that if you want to prevent black toenail fungus from happening, always keep your feet covered when you are using the public shower. If you are fond of going to a health club or using a swimming pool, it best to wear something on your feet so you can avoid getting this fungus. Moreover, you should always dry your feet with the towel before putting your shoes on. This would prevent fungi from growing.
Be sure that you are suffering from black toenail fungus before undergoing treatment of any kind. Once it is properly diagnosed, there are quite a number of treatment options that can cure the problem. There are home remedies that you can find at home which can be considered helpful. You could try rubbing it with menthol or hydrogen peroxide. Although the remedies are effective, it could be harmful to you. It is best if you seek for natural treatments that are available. Not all remedies can be effective for you so don’t be disappointed just in case it wouldn’t work.
Whatever treatment that one may select, whether natural or over the counter medications, take note that it could be quite lengthy process. If you want to get cured, it would take a lot of time and patience on your part especially if you choose to apply cream or other topical medication. You will surely make your toenails in good shape again.
Click to continue
by Chris Nowheet on January 20, 2010
There are people that may have discoloration in the nails, but this doesn’t mean that they have fungus infection. It is best to differentiate and know the symptoms of having a toenail fungus. Often times this problem may be hard to eliminate. It would only clear up after undergoing long period of treatment. There are quite a number of symptoms of having toenail fungus. The most common is that your nails slowly become yellow or brown, while looking ugly. Others include thickening of the nails, dryness of the nails, layers in the edges or under the nails, breakage, and brittleness.
A doctor or health provider can help you in distinguishing this quickly. They can provide you with best treatment. This should be treated immediately because the condition might get worse. If not treated in time, you might lose your nail. There are times when the fungi can spread to other nails on your feet. The biggest toenail would probably have the most pronounced symptoms. In fact this is the most common place where a fungus starts to grow and in the advanced stage of fungal infection, this is the first to fall off. If you are uncomfortable visiting the hospital, the dermatologist can also prescribe a treatment.
Toenail fungus is quite common. Its symptoms are often confused with other diseases like athlete’s food. These two are complete different from each other but it has the same fungal patterns. After thorough examination, the doctor can trim the nail as much as possible to prevent the infection from spreading. He or she can prepare the nail for further treatment to completely heal it from fungus. To do some test in the laboratory, a sample of nail is required. The main cause of this problem is fungus and it can be cured at the onset of growth.
You must know the fungus can live under the nails without you noticing it. It is advisable to take precautionary methods so that it can be avoided. You need to inspect your toes all the time for toenail fungus. Check your shoes as well. This can decrease your chances of developing fungi infection. Never walk around barefoot in public places like swimming pool and shower. Contact your doctor immediately if you see signs of fungal infection. Remember that having this problem can be avoided especially if you have proper knowledge of this condition. Always be observant when it comes to your body.
by Chris Nowheet on December 31, 2009
It is sometimes hard to distinguish toenail fungus from other kinds of diseases that involves the foot. Take note that discoloration doesn’t necessarily mean that you are affected by fungus. Because of this, it is necessary that you the signs of toenail fungus. It is important that you do this as early as you can to avoid undergoing treatment that would definitely take much of your time. If your nails are becoming yellowish or brownish then you might be affected by fungi. It is followed by thickening of nail, dryness of the skin surrounding the area, and brittleness of the nail. There are expects who usually know right away the signs of toenail fungus.
One thing that you can do is to seek the best treatment for toenail fungus. If the condition turns into something severe, you might end up losing your nail. There is also the risk of the infection spreading in your other nails so it is best treat it right away. The big toenail is commonly affected by the signs of toenail fungus. Most people based the signs of toenail fungus in this part of the feet. In the advance stage of the fungus, the toenail falls off. Dermatologist is also qualified to give prescription if chemical drug is your thing.
Signs of toenail fungus are often confused with athlete’s foot. Although the root cause is the same which is fungus, they are different from each other in a lot of ways. Be careful because you might misdiagnose your condition. Applying the wrong treatment can make things worst. It's best to trim away the infected area so as to prevent the spreading of infection. When everything is ready, start the treatment as soon as possible.
Testing is advisable because signs of toenail fungus maybe mistaken for another kind of disease. Take note that fungi are responsible for this problem. If you can detect it right away then you can definitely cure this condition right away. Remember that fungi are sometimes undetected so it wise to take preventive measures to help you avoid this problem. Properly inspect your toes and feet. This can decrease your chances of having severe fungal infection. Be aware of the signs of fungus infection. Read more about it in my previous post How to Identify Fungus Infected Nails.
by Chris Nowheet on December 12, 2009
There are quite a number of people who are suffering from toenail fungus. Because of this, there are also numerous ways for getting relieve from toenail fungus. Take note that not all of the treatment options are effective, the reaction may vary from people to people. It is important that you find the best that could cure your toenail fungus. You can select from home remedies, doctor prescribed, over the counter medications and more.
In selecting home remedies in order for getting relief from toenail fungus, you can find things inside the house to treat this problem. This includes menthol rub, hydrogen peroxide, tea tree oil and even your handy mouthwash. They are meant to be applied on your nail. Sometimes you need to soak the affected area in these solutions. Each of the treatment has the power to kill germs and bacteria. It can also slow down or stop fungus growth. You would also need to use this treatment as often as possible until the fungus is gone. The negative thing about this method is the fact that they can cure visible signs but not entirely its root cause. The fungi can remain at dormant stage but reappears after the treatment is stopped. If your symptoms are mild then this can be the best option to select.
There are times when home remedy is not that effective. It is best to start weighing in your options. Going to a doctor can be an option. They can verify if your case is really fungal infection. There are times when the symptoms are quite the same with other diseases. It can be hard to find a cure unless you know very well about the disease. Normally doctors would recommend topical ointments. There are also oral drugs that you can take. Both can work well so it is important to follow the directions. This would ensure that you would kill the germs at its root. The negative thing about this is the doctor prescribe medication can be quite expensive and some over the counter medications have the same effectiveness with a cheaper price if you know which one suits you.
There are successful treatments for getting relieve from toenail fungus. It would all depend on the type of fungus that you are infected with. Chemical make up of a person is also a factor. Remember that if you notice the signs of toenail fungus, see to it that you cure it right away. Don’t make your condition become worst. Seek doctor’s advice right away. Select a treatment and follow it. In this way, you can definitely choose the right treatment for you.
by Chris Nowheet on October 20, 2009
Winter is coming soon. And since in this blog we're talking about foot care, you may wonder what's winter have to do with toenail fungus? Toenail fungus is a condition that afflicts 1 out of 10 people in the world, perhaps, by chance you're one of the sufferers. If that so, don't be discouraged, it's best to know more about nail fungus so you can combat it effectively. So let's discuss the myth and facts surrounding nail fungus in winter time.
Myths and Facts
Myth #1:
You don't have to do much footcare during the winter because it's dry.
Fact:
On the contrary, during winter you have to put extra effort in foot care. Because during winter chances are your feet are kept in the dark for months on end due to the cold weather. Gues what? Toenail fungus LOVES dark and moist environment.
Myth #2:
Summer and winter is the same for toenail fungus' growth rate.
Fact:
Toenail fungus infection is statistically proven to be more worse during the winter month. Also, the chance that you'll get afflicted with the disease is significantly increased.
Myth #3:
Nail fungus will disappear by itself during summer. It's just a winter thing.
Fact:
This one is really wrong. During summer, not only will you suffer from nail fungus, but without the correct treatment you can be sure that the condition will be worse. Think of it this way, forget using flip-flops during the summer, because you wouldn't want people to see your yellow-smelly nails.
The conclusion is, don't prepare for damage control at summer. During winter, it's the best time to do the prevention or treatment for nail fungus. In a couple months, when summer come, you can be sure that you will have a wonderful nails to show off at the beach!
Do you have any inputs on foot-care during winter? Feel free to comment. Let's share some tips and tricks!
by Chris Nowheet on August 26, 2009
With all the hype surrounding toenail fungus laser treatment, it’s time to separate the myths from the facts.
As you know, nail fungus attacks many people relentlessly and people are desperate for a cure that’s instant and guaranteed to work. Wouldn’t we all want that? Laser treatment for nail fungus is said to do all that. But do they? Let’s dig down and see for ourselves.
Toenail fungus laser treatment is said to be:
- Instant. 30 minutes of treatment and you’re done!
Unfortunately, this is NOT the end of the treatment. Yes, the treatment with laser for your nail fungus only take 30 minutes, but to see the result, generally you have to wait 4-6 months for your nail to grow out. That makes the whole treatment period of 4-6 months. Just like topical products.
- Guaranteed success!
Still NOT the fact. Upon digging on clinical results (and ignoring the higher number that the company put to make their product looked good) I conclude that the success rate of the laser treatment is 70% at best. What does that mean? It means that you have to wait 4-6 months to know if you’re one of the 70% successful patients.
-
Cheap and insured.
Let me quote this one from the website itself, "Because this treatment is considered aesthetic, health insurance plans do not cover this treatment."This means that you have to use your own money for this. How much does it going to cost you? around $800-$1100. So it’s quite a big sum to pay, considering it’s not a 100% success.
-
Only one treatment is necessary.
Unfortunately, if you’re one of the 30% that failed, you have to do a second treatment. Which is another couple hundred of bucks. So it’s not bulletproof.
-
No side effects.
At last, this one is true. Because there’s no medicine going through your system, you don’t have side effects associated with it. But the same also holds true with medication from all-natural ingredients.
Not to burst your bubble, but I think that the claim of a miraculous treatment is too much. As with other types of treatment, it’s best to know what you’re getting into. Toenail fungus laser treatment is another option that you can have, but it’s not instant, miraculous and cheap. It’s best to get your facts straight, then think of the treatment that suits your condition the most.
Have you tried the laser treatment? Share your stories here so others can benefit from it.