Fungal infections in nails are caused by an overgrowth of the fungi in your nails. When the growth of fungus happens on the fingernails or toenails, it is known as onychomycosis or tineaunguium. Here are the probable causes of why you might get a fungal nail infection:

Causes -

1. Diabetes
2. Problems in your circulatory system
3. Age
4. Artificial nails
5. Swim in public pools
6. Nail injuries
7. Skin injuries surrounding the nail
8. Fingers or toes which have been moist for an extended period of time
9. Immune system problems
10. Wearing shoes which have toes enclosed

It is also worth note that fungal infections happen much more frequently in your toenail as compared to your fingernail. This is because of two main reasons. The first reason is that fungi can grow very easily on your toenails because of the position. Your shoes are dark, warm and moist and therefore, perfect for the growth of fungi. The second reason for more fungal infections on your toenails as compared to your fingernails is because toes have less blood flow than fingers, thus making it harder for the immune system to fight off the infection.

Symptoms

Fungal infections in your nails are one of the easier infections to diagnose. This is because there are several symptoms which indicate you have this condition. Here are those symptoms.

1. Scaling underneath your skin
2. White or yellow streaks on your nails
3. Corners of the nail may crumble
4. Flaky surface of the nail
5. Yellow spots at the bottom of the nails
6. Loss of nail
7. A nail breaking off from the rest of the nails
8. An odour from the nail
9. Brittle or thick nails

Fungal Nail Infection - Know Symptoms Of It!

Your nails tell a lot about your health or the lack of it! Many health problems have nails as the indicators or warning signs. If your nails are not healthy or pink and shiny, you might be in for some sort of health issue.  If you have cracked nails, discoloured nails, irregularities or very thick nails then you probably have some internal health problem.

Look for these indicators to get an idea-

1) Color of your nails : Pink or white nails are considered healthy. Dark spots on your nails? surface are not just a sign of aging but also indicate a risk of heart disease. Red color is a possible sign of heart infections and green colour usually indicates local fungal infection.

2) Brittle nails: If your nails are brittle and get cracked often, it is due to lack of folic acid, vitamin C and protein. In 10% of cases, psoriasis starts with the nails.

3) Furrow nails: Furrow nails are the ones which are irregular with a dent like appearance. It may indicate you of psoriasis or auto-immune illness which leads to hair loss. Thick furrow nails may signal a yeast infection.

4) Thick nails: Nails thicken in time. Thick nails are neither natural nor normal. If your nails are extremely thick, you probably it could be that your lungs are not healthy. It can also indicative of the fact that your body has poor circulation.

5) Curved nails: If your nails are curved and concave like shape it might signal either lack of iron or heart problems.



What Your Nails Tell About Your Health

Tennis toe is also known as runner s toe since athletes are mostly runners; skiers and tennis players also get this injury often. Due to its ugly appearance, tennis toe is also known as a black toenail. This injury causes bleeding under the toe along with moderate to heavy pain. Although it is not considered to be type 1 serious injury, it can still force an athlete to abstain from participating in any events. The blood from the toenail might take its own sweet time to get out of the way. As a result, the recovery time for this injury can last for weeks together. This, unfortunately, is also an ideal condition for infection to set in.

How does it happen?
This condition may arise because of the friction between the toenail and the running shoes or constant downward pressure on the toe. In case if the shoe is tighter than normal, it can damage the toenail. If on the other hand, the shoe is very loose, it can result in similar condition due to heavy pressure on the nail. Tennis toe can also arise in a situation, if the toe constantly bangs the shoe from inside. Extreme hot weather may also result in toe swelling. Finally, one may encounter tennis toe if a blow is faced on the toe. Irrespective of the cause, the blood clots inside the nail resulting in swelling and pain. Too much damage might result in falling off of the toenail altogether.

Treatment plan:
1. If the tennis toe is minor, the injury resolves all by itself
2. The toenail should be clipped together to ensure that it does not result in any friction with the shoe.
3. During the injury, it is advised that a person wears bigger size shoes with wider toe space so that it does not result in any further irritation.
4. If the toenail is torn, make sure to tap it up so that adequate protection is there from outside forces.
5. In case the injury is serious a doctor might have to intervene and drain the blood with a surgical instrument.
6. Another medical solution is to remove the toenail surgically, drain the blood and tape it up for a good one week until new nail formation takes place.

Precautionary measure:
1. Running shoes should be at least half a size bigger than the normal size.
2. Toenails should be regularly trimmed in order to avoid any injury.
3. If a person has a tendency of sweating too much, it makes sense to wear a pair of socks at all times.
4. While running, shoe laces should be tightened to avoid sudden friction between the toe and the shoe resulting into tennis toe.

Tennis Toe - How it Should be Treated?

If you are experiencing symptoms such as swelling, inflammation, thickening, yellowing and crumbling of your nails, toenail fungus or onychomycosis is indicated. This is a very common problem, which is usually painless, unless the infection gets spread. The fungus thrives under certain conditions like abnormal levels of pH in the skin, a weak immune system, poor hygiene, diabetes and a continuous exposure to moist or damp environment. If not treated properly, toenail fungus can lead to cracking, splitting or total loss of your toenail. There are various ways of treating fungal infections in the nails. Some of them are as follows:

Tea Tree Oil: Tea tree oil contains antiseptic and antifungal properties, which help in treating toenail fungus. You need to mix some drops of tea tree oil with coconut oil and olive oil. Using a piece of cotton, apply the mixture on your affected nail, keep it for 10 minutes and scrub off the nail with a toothbrush. For ideal results, you must repeat this process more than twice regularly.

Baking Soda: Baking soda is a commonly used remedy for fungal infections in your nails. It also helps in neutralizing foot odor. Add baking soda, hydrogen peroxide and Epsom salt in hot water, add vinegar to the mixture and soak your affected nail in the solution. After this, wash your feet with water. Repeat the procedure twice a day for several weeks.

White Vinegar: This is an ideal ingredient for the treatment of toenail fungus. It helps in restoring the pH balance of the skin and fights against infections. Add one part of white vinegar to warm water and soak your affected toenail in it for about 10 minutes. After this, you must wash it off. Carry out the process twice a day for effective results.

Oil of Pregano: Oil of oregano is considered effective because of its antibacterial, antiviral, analgesic and antiseptic properties. It is an ideal way for treating fungal infections in your nails. Mix oregano oil with olive oil, apply the solution on your nails and leave it for over 30 minutes. Repeat the process thrice a day for good results.

Listerine Mouthwash: Listerine mouthwash is another important home remedy for treating fungal infections in the nails. This mouthwash contains certain compounds along with alcohol, which have very strong antiseptic properties and help in eliminating harmful fungi and bacteria from your nails.

Best Ways To Treat Fungal Infections In Nails

There are a lot of misleading information going around, especially online. So all that you read online, may not be correct. Sex is a topic that has been much hushed about, thus leading to the birth of many baseless rumours and embarrassing myths. Don t believe in every single detail you come across online, they have got their own glitches. But hey! You do need to know the truth about it all, and this article tries to do just that.

Here are a few embarrassing myths and facts about sex which you may come across:
1. Myth: You do not get pregnant the first time you have sex
Fact: You can get pregnant anytime after you have penetrative sex. There is no such stipulated count or time as to when you get pregnant. The moment you have penetrative sex, certainly without any protective measure, the chance of pregnancy goes up.

2. Myth: Men think and want more of it as compared to women.
Fact: This is not true. The desire for intimacy and sex varies among individuals, irrespective of the gender.

3. Myth: Having sex in a pool drastically reduces the chances of contracting any STD.
Fact: Generally, maximum STDs are contracted by coming in sexual contact or through unprotected sexual intercourse. Having sex in a pool with a person already infected with any STD will automatically up your chance of contracting the STD as well. Water cannot prevent the transmission of any STD.

4. Myth: Douching after indulging in sexual intercourse can prevent a pregnancy.
Fact: Douching is definitely not a method to prevent pregnancy. And it s about time this myth gets busted. Douching with soda, water or any other fluid can only guarantee infections in the genitals and nothing more. This is because douching disrupts the natural balance of the vaginal bacteria, thus also disturbing the pH balance of the vagina. The only way you can prevent a pregnancy is by using protection or taking birth control pills if you ve had unprotected sexual intercourse.

5. Myth: It isn t possible to contract STDs if you just have oral sex.
Fact: While it is true that maximum STDs are spread through unprotected vaginal intercourse, there are certain STDs, the transmission of which might not be only dependant on vaginal penetration. STDs such as HPV, Herpes and Syphilis can spread even if you just have unprotected oral sex. So, even if it is oral sex that you want to enjoy, do not give the protection a miss. Dental dams are always available at your disposal; using which might curb risks of such STDs.

5 Myths and Facts About Sex!

Research has shown that nail paint contains chemical substances that can be harmful to the body. These chemicals can enter the body through the pores of the nails. The health eradication is applicable for people who are applying on their nails and salon workers who apply nail art to their clients, day in and day out. Here is one must know before applying the beautiful shades of color on the nails:

What are the harmful agent present in nail paint?
There are three dangerous industrial chemicals that are mixed with nail paint that is dibutyl phthalate, toluene, and formaldehyde. Owing to their notorious health implications, these chemicals are known as toxic-trio. Toluene is used as a solvent in nail polish that aids smoother finish and holds the pigment together from separating inside the bottle. It, however, affects the reproductive system and the central nervous system. Similarly, dibutyl phthalate and formaldehyde can cause a problem in breathing, internal hemorrhage etc.

Health Hazards: Regular to health care products-nail paint, in particular, can have a wide range of health implication. From skin irritation to an eye injury, allergic reaction to breathing problems once can face a lot of problems that are totally uncalled for. Research also indicate that regular exposure to nail paint crop up neurological problems, impair the process of body development, affect the reproductive system etc. Research conducted by the Cancer Prevention Institute, California showed that there is an increased risk of cancer for people who work at beauty care salon due to their increased exposure to beauty products.
Problems related to pregnancy: Frequent nail paint can lead to a premature pregnancy. Some other problems related to pregnancy include undersized babies, spontaneous birth of the baby and preterm delivery. There have been too many instances of failed pregnancies witnessed among beauty salon workers. Some other symptoms that are related to mail paint exposure that is seen during pregnancy include chronic headaches, very low appetite, lethargy etc.
Way forward: It is evident that nail paint can pose a serious threat to women in general. The best way to go forward is to choose a nail paint that has a low toxicity rating- preferably within 2. This can be a little challenging since most beauty products do not portray the toxicity rating. If the latter is not mentioned in the body of the product, go for a product, that states the absence of chemical product. Organic nail paints can be the best alternative to address the challenges of conventional nail paint.
However, the availability of organic nail paint is still a challenge. Not many companies sell it, the consumer base for these beauty products are thin as well.

Nail Paints - 3 Reasons You Must Stop Using Them!

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