Myth and treatments For Fungal Nails
Toe nail fungus can be defined as a condition which disfigures the nail and can even destroy it altogether. It is also known as onychomycosis. There are different types of fungi that can be responsible for causing toenail fungus. Fungi are just microscopic organisms that are related to mildew and mold. The fungi that cause fungal nails flourish in environments that are dark, stuffy and moist. For instance, inside a shoe. The fungi feed on keratin as they grow. Keratin is the protein substance that constitutes the hard surface of toenails.
There are some myths about fungal nails that need to be demystified, here are some 5:
i. Home remedies can successfully cure toenail fungus. There is no home remedy that is known to date that can cure or even manage toenail fungus. This is the sort of clarification that individuals would receive if they only visited Foot Doctor Brisbane.
ii. It is only people who do not bathe that get attacked by fungal nails. It is true that dirty people are highly susceptible to fungal nails but even the clean people can still get it so long as their feet are in an environment that is dark, stuffy and dump.
iii. Fungal nails can be effectively cured by the removal of the infected nail. Removal of toenails is not usually a guarantee that the condition has been eradicated or cured. The best approach is usually to have the toenail treated early so as not to necessitate a surgery.
iv. Toenail fungus should be treated because it is ugly. The main reason to treat fungal nails should not be because they appear ugly but because there is a risk of them becoming infected as well as ingrown.
v. Fungal nails can be cured quickly. There is no short cut or quick path to fungal nail treatment. It takes time for the treatment to take effect and nails to grow back regardless of how advanced the method of treatment is.
Symptoms
The symptoms of fungal nails can only be ascertained after a comprehensive examination by a competent Foot Doctor Brisbane. The common symptoms include the following:
• The infected toenail typically turns brown or yellow in color.
• The infected toenail normally becomes thick and overgrown.
• The infected toenail may have some foul-smelling debris accumulating underneath it.
• As the infection progresses, the toenail crumbles down gradually and eventually falls off. Alternatively, the infected toenail may increase in thickness to the extent that it becomes painful or uncomfortable in shoes. This answers the frequently asked question of Can nail fungus cause pain?
The above descriptions are good answers for the frequently asked question of What does the start of toenail fungus look like?
Is Fungal Nail Contagious? How does nail fungus spread from person to person? Toenail fungus is very contagious as it spreads from one person to the other through the sharing of any items that come into some contact with the infection. Such items may include nail tools, nail polish, socks, shoes e.t.c
Diagnosis Foot Doctor Brisbane can clearly explain to patients the factors that increase the risk of contracting toenail fungus like:
i. Use of toenail polish that is heavy. ii. Foot hygiene that is poor. iii. Putting on shoes that are tight fitting. iv. Having a high risk occupation. v. Participating in sporting activities. vi. A long history of illness that may serve to reduce the resistance to the toenail fungal infection or even interfere with the blood flow to the toenails. Such illnesses may include HIV, diabetes and poor circulation.
Prevention
The following are some useful tips of how to prevent toenail fungus:
• Ensure that pedicure tools are properly disinfected before they are used. • Always make sure that your toenails are trimmed. • Wear clean stockings or socks each and every day. • Strive to wash your feet every day, properly dry them and utilize a foot powder of good quality. • Wear flip-flops, sandals or shoes in locker rooms or in community showers. • Put on comfortable shoes that give your feet adequate breathing space.
Treatment
Treatment for fungal nails usually commences by the doctor removing as much of the infected toenail as possible through:
1. Filing the toenail down. 2. Trimming the infected toenail using clippers. 3. Dissolving the infected toenail using a paste which contains bifonazole and urea.
However if the toenail infection is mild and only limited to a small area, the doctor may prescribe a medicated nail polish or an effective an antifungal cream.
Conclusion All the above insightful information has attempted to sensitize people on the myths and facts about fungal nails. It is a condition that can be managed and even treated, this is why no one ought to suffer in silence with it.
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