Nail fungus (or, onychomycosis) is an infection of the toe or finger nail that is harmless to your overall health, but a serious scourge to mankind, none the less. It is caused by a group of fungi called dermatophytes that invade nails from the under side and feed on the keratin that makes up the nail’s surface. Left untreated, nail fungus will continue to grow and cause discoloration and disfigurement of the nail.
Nail fungus is contagious and you can get infected in much the same way as athlete’s foot or jock itch, which are also fungal infections. Those that spend time in gyms, locker rooms, and public showers are especially vulnerable. Warm, damp environments are perfect for the fungus to survive and thrive.
Once nail fungus invades one toe or finger nail, it can easily spread to all of the other nails. Left untreated, the infection will continue to grow and cause nails to become yellow and cracked. Your nails can become so overgrown that even wearing shoes is painful. This process can continue to a point that the nail fungus infection can cause the entire nail to crumble and fall off.
Preventing Nail Fungus
You can decrease, or even eliminate, your chances of a nail fungus infection by following a few simple rules:
- Keep your feet dry. As stated before, warm, damp places are the perfect environment for nail fungus.
- Wear cotton socks. Fresh air is like poison to nail fungi. In a clean, dry area, they can neither breed or survive.
- Wash your hands & feet often, especially after using a public gym, swimming pool, or shower. Nail fungus must take the time to gain a foothold before it can attack the nail, so getting rid of any spores that may have gotten on you is the best way to stop an infection before it begins.
- Trim your nails often, for obvious reasons. Also, avoid using nail polish, as it will stop fresh air from getting to the nail surface.
Nail Fungus Treatments & Cures
Nail fungus is most easily cured at the first sign of infection. The longer the fungus is allowed to breed and feed, the harder it will be to kill.
Health care professionals will most often prescribe one of several anti-fungal medications that are available. These work well, as they attack the nail fungus from the inside with a direct attack under the infected nail. In extreme cases, they may refer you to a foot specialist to remove the infected nail.
Nail fungus home remedies that are reported to show excellent results include:
- Tea tree oil, which is a very potent natural antiseptic and fungicide. Mix 1 or 2 drops of tea tree oil with a like amount of olive oil and apply it to the infected nail several times daily. The mixture will eventually soak through the cracked nail and kill the nail fungus underneath.
- Apple cider vinegar is another powerful antiseptic. Soak the infected nails in a 50/50 mix of apple cider vinegar and warm water for 15 to 20 minutes at least twice a day (more is better).
- Oregano essential oil and olive oil: Mix 2-3 drops of oregano essential oil with 1 teaspoon of olive oil and apply to the infected nail daily. Important: this mixture should not be used for more than 3 weeks, as it can raise oregano levels in your blood.
Additionally, there are a number of herbal products available to treat nail fungus. One of the most popular, and most effective, is Zetaclear, from HealthBuy.com. Some of these treatments are very effective, others, not so much. If you decide to go this way, be sure to do proper research first. Or, be safe and start with Zetaclear, which is shown to attack the fungus both from the outside with a topical solution, and, from the inside with a proprietary homeopathic oral nail fungus relief spray.
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