About Nail Fungus And How To Prevent It

Nail fungus, also referred to as onychomycosis

, is caused by tiny fungus organisms that can be easily contracted anywhere. It is estimated that over two million people in Canada have it while over 10 million people have it in the United States. Nail fungus infection is really hard to spot earlier on. It only becomes obvious when it is fully established under the nails, then it appears as a yellow spot which gradually spreads until it infects all parts of the nail and further spreads to all the other toes and even finger nails.

It is very easy for the fungus to survive in the nails. This is because most people wear covered shoes that are not exposed to air. Warm moist feet provide the optimum breeding ground for the fungus. Please note that nail fungus infection is also infectious. The ways you can contract them from other people is when you share the same bathroom as in public shower stalls, or locker rooms. These places are usually moist and people who have them can walk around barefooted. The fungus which gets deposited on the floor as they walk around can spread to other people when they walk across the floor. It is also contractible from nail files and emery boards so it is not a good practice to share your nail files with other people, as you can never tell if they are infected.

Nails must be kept clean and dry always. Nail fungus usually occurs in toenails. Other reasons for the occurrence also include: wearing shoes that are too tight, and wearing shoes for a very long time causing perspiration and fungus build-up. Injury can also be one of the causes as open wounds allow bacteria to get in.

Those people with low immune system have a great chance of getting this disease. Once it occurs in one toenail it spreads to other nails on the same feet. There are mild and aggressive kinds of medications. It can be treated in the traditional way, self treated, or with prescribed medications. Some medicines can cause side effects especially on those people who are suffering from liver diseases, and can also cause allergies because of its high toxic contents. People who have depressed immune systems like those people with problem in their circulatory system, diabetics, elderly people and those who have HIV have to take extra care when taking these medications.

Awareness in preventing it can minimize its risk to preserve your healthy nails. It takes almost 3 months to completely cure it. In three months, while your nails grow, the medicine applied prevents the fungi from growing. Curing nail fungus has its success rate at 60 to 80 percent and there is no assuarance that it will not occur again. Infact, it has 15 percent chance to reoccur. Nail fungus infection is also long lasting. That is why after treating it, doctors still recommend their patients to continue the use of anti-fungal creams. This is to prevent another build-up of fungus infection.

The best way to keep healthy nails is to be hygienic always. To prevent fungus infection you should adapt these habits; try to wear open footwear as much as possible; change socks immediately if they become damp, or wearing absorbent socks is even more preferable; avoid wearing high top boots if not needed; and if you get fungus, treat it as early as you can to stop it spreading.

by: Anant Ratanakovit

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