Fungus – Page 5 – My Clean Nails

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] White Toenail Fungus ~ How to Treat Fungal Nail Effectively. Beautiful toenails can complete your overall look, more so when you add a pop of color with it. However, fungal infection can make things complicated. This is commonly referred to as white superficial onychomycosis (WSO). A Must-Read: How to Cut Toenails if You Can’t Reach Them I will explain in-depth all about white toenail fungus in its following aspects: What is White Toenail Fungus? White toenail fungus is a treatable fungal nail infection. It mostly affects the top layer of the nail, leaving a white spot on the nail surface. When the white toenail fungus does not get accorded the right treatment during its early stages, the nail fungal infection spreads to other parts of the nail plate, making the whole nail look like powdered chalk. Here is a really affordable product that Amazon which works AMAZING! The nail might develop white spots, signaling that white toenail fungus will attack the nail. This is a usual symptom. In most cases, nail fungus gets painful and a bit difficult to treat, but there are various types of medications that help in cleaning up the nail fungus. How Does White Toenail Fungus Happen? Recently released statistics show that more than 20% of people in the world get white toenail fungus per year. The nail fungus mostly attacks toenail right beneath the nail plate. The reason behind why the white toenail fungus lives beneath the nail plate because of the environment. Bacteria are attracted to the nail bed's moisture, offering excellent room for the fungal infection to build up. In most cases, individuals wearing acrylic nails are at high risk of getting toenail fungal infection. The reason behind this is that acrylic nails tend to trap most of the moisture and encourage fungi buildup. Toenails are at high risk of getting fungal infections compared to fingernails. The reason is that fungal infections prefer to hide in dark and damp places. Wearing socks and closed shoes for a long time gives perfect room for fungal infections, making toenails more subjected to white toenail fungus infection. When an individual has white toenail fungus, the spores on the nail plate start to discolor, eventually leading to full discoloration of the toenail. Causes of White Toenail Fungus After a team of dermatologists researched white toenail fungus, they discovered that its primary cause is infections which get mostly triggered by Trichophyton mentagrophytes. Applying Excess Nail Polish Too much nail polish encourages the buildup of white toenail fungus. This causes a lack of ventilation from the surface, leading to the darkness beneath the toenail. Exposing Your Feet to Moisture for Long Hours One of the significant facts about nail fungus infection is that they love to stay in moist conditions. Exposing your feet to moisture for long hours will then lead to white toenail fungus infection. Having a Weak Immune System Individuals having a low immune system are likely to get nail fungal infections because their bodies are not in the position to fight infections. Walking Barefoot on Wet Surfaces Walking barefoot especially on wet surfaces will make your feet get exposed to wetness which encourages buildup toenail fungal infections. Sharing Bathroom Toenail fungus is highly contagious which means that they can spread from one person to another quickly. For instance, if you share the bathroom with another person who is suffering from the toenail fungus, there is a high likelihood that you will also get infected. To avoid this situation, refrain from sharing the bathroom. Excess Sweating When with Shoes When wearing closed shoes, try always to remove your shoes after a few hours to ensure that your feet get to breathe well and any possible fungal infections get to die after getting exposed to sunlight. Try to wear open shoes to avoid your feet from sweating. Symptoms The symptoms of white toenail fungus get divided into two parts: the early and advanced stage symptoms. Early Symptoms Eventually, you will start to notice a reddish, irritated nail base. During the early stage of the white toenail fungus, the edges of the nails get first attacked by the fungal infection. After some time, the conditions spread to other parts of the nail, and that's the point when you will notice the significant effects on your nail. Initially, the affected nails develop an opaque white color which later causes discoloring of the whole nail. When the fungus enters your nail slowly, you will notice some sharp pain inside your nail. Before the pain persists, seek proper medication. White toenail fungus attacks people of all ages and gender. Advanced Stage Symptoms Having the advanced stage symptoms means that the individual did not take appropriate medication immediately the early symptoms were detected. Pain persists especially around the cuticles surrounding the nails. At times, you will notice the bleeding of cuticles. The nail might begin to crack and start separating from the nail bed. You might be forced to wear open shoes because of the severe pain. The more the fungal infection grows, the more your toenails thicken, and you will also notice some punched out holes growing on your nails. The more you prolong the fungal infection treatment, the more it will get harder to treat the condition. Before you reach the advanced stage, seek proper medication. How to Diagnose White Toenail Fungus? Before you accord any over the counter treatment for white toenail fungus, seek advice from the doctor. The best diagnosis for the nail fungal infection is: Getting a careful medical examination using a microscope Clipping a small piece of the toenail nail infected by fungus When the doctor takes a small portion of the affected toenail, he will put the piece in a clean container and assess whether the fungus will continue to grow. After some time, they will identify the type of fungus infection. Knowing the type of fungus clears all room for doubts and gives the doctor the chance to prescribe the correct medication to treat the fungal infection condition. Always remember that visiting your doctor when you notice early symptoms will do you better and help you avoid more complications. Following the doctor’s prescription until the last dosage will significantly help you to eliminate the toenail fungal infection. Preparing Yourself for Home Remedies Not all home remedies will help you treat the white toenail fungus. For this reason, there are some factors you should consider before using any home remedies. Some of the elements include: o Follow directions properly when treating the toenail fungus to make sure you achieve 100% positive outcomes. o Make sure that the environment under which you are giving treatment is clean and free from any germs to prevent further toenail complications. o You must make sure that the home remedies you want to use are specifically meant to treat that condition. o You must continue to use the home remedies treatment until all the toenail infection vanishes permanently. o Always remember that using home treatment remedies irregularly will only work for a few days after which you will get to see the infections sprouting back. o Always change your socks frequently or put on open shoes without socks to allow free flow of air directly to your toenails. Thoroughly Clean Your Tools Before using any tools, make sure you sterilize them to kill all the present germs that can worsen the condition. By doing this, you will offer protection to other nails not to get infected. Trim Your Nails Trimming the nails short is one aspect you should observe always. Trimmed nails will not offer room for the development of infections. For the nails infected by fungus, cut them carefully and try to see into it that the nail bed is open to fresh air. In most cases, you will get the white toenail fungus right beneath the nail bed. Exposing the nail bed leads to the prevention of buildup of the wetness under the nail. File your Nails Filing the nails after cutting them is crucial because it ensures that the sharp edges left after cutting the nail do not encourage infection build up. After cutting the nails make sure to file them carefully starting from the top then to the sides and finally at the front part. Soaking your Toenails Soaking the nails is a valuable exercise you should observe as it helps to clean up the nail bed and kill fungus in the process. Use lukewarm water and soak your feet for about five minutes. Use Soap to Wash Your Feet Wash your feet, focusing on the affected toenails with soap to successfully remove dirt and at the same time loosen the skin to help the home remedies penetrate better. Wipe off your Feet With a Towel Use a clean towel to dry off all the water to prevent moisture buildup which can cause white toenail fungus. Home Remedies Below are the best home remedies you can use to treat the toenail fungus effectively: Using the Undecylenic Acid The undecylinic acid ranks at the top in the quest treating toenail fungus. The process of using undecylinic acid is natural and requires no technicalities. Simply dip the brush into the undecylinic acid bottle. Then evenly spread the acidic solution on the affected nails. You should start by applying the solution from the sides all the way to the surrounding skin and finally spreading on the front part of the nail. Let the solution sit for about 10 minutes to make sure that the toenails absorb the solution fully. To know that the solution is all soaked into the nails, you will notice that the nails have thoroughly dried and from there you can be socks. Use the undecylenic acid until you realize that all the toenail fungus is completely gone. Use Tea Tree Oil Tea tree oil will do wonders on the toenail fungus. Tea tree oil contains highly effective anti-fungal elements that will help eliminate the toenail fungus within the shortest period. Apply the tea tree oil directly on the affected toenails and leave the oil on the nails until they dry. The more the tea tree oil is absorbed by the nail, the more the toenail fungus will get treated faster. Preventive Measures To live a healthy lifestyle free from toenail infections, consider observing the following measures: Take note of any abnormalities on your feet. Most of the defects you notice at first are signs that some foot conditions will happen. Immediately you observe the signs visit your doctor for early treatment. Wash your feet daily. You should wash your feet with lukewarm soapy water to remove any dirt that might encourage fungal infections formation. Trim your nails. This should be done regularly. File them afterward. Wear open shoes more. This is to encourage the free flow of air into your feet. Avoid walking barefoot. You will subject your feet to infections. Be extra cautious of the home remedies. Not all will help treat the white toenails fungus condition. Conclusion White fungus is a condition that affects about 20% of individuals across the world. This means the condition is common and can occur to anyone regardless of gender or age. If you notice signs and symptoms discussed in this article, immediately consult your doctor. Apart from getting a medical prescription from the doctor, you can also use the two most effective home remedies and treat the condition. Always keep in mind that treating the toenail fungus condition will help you avoid further health complications. As I always say, taking care of each body parts translates to your general health. [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]