Nail fungus is a very common problem. Symptoms include inflammation, swelling, yellowing, thickening or crumbling of the nail. It is usually not painful, unless the infection spreads. If left untreated, nail fungus can cause cracking, splitting and even complete loss of the nail. The good news is that nail fungus is curable and can be treated very easily. There are many specialized treatments required for bringing quickest recovery. Most people think that medications are the only solution in this regard, but this is not true as there are many therapies that are needed along with medicines so that speed of recovery can be boosted to a great extent.

Treatments for fungal nail infections
1. Antifungal medications: Nails are first tested thoroughly in order to get the confirmation about nail fungus. Both growth and reproduction of fungal cells are prevented by consuming these medications. Some of these medicines are used for topical or external application while others are taken orally. Some of the physicians suggest continuing, both types of medicines simultaneously for getting more powerful effects and quick recovery. However, there are a few probable side-effects that occur while taking these medicines and these include loss in taste, rashes, diarrhoea, itching, headache and others.

2. Using antifungal nail-paint: Nowadays, you can use antifungal nail-paints so that the deepest layer of the nail can be well treated and infected parts can be healed quickly. But you have to continue the usage for a few months, or else, you will not be able to get the desirable results.

3. Laser treatment: This treatment is one of the most powerful ones and can treat your infected nail with greater speed and accuracy. Light energy in high doses is used for treating nail infection in this case.
The above treatments are really quite helpful, and you can choose any of them as per your necessity, preference and affordability.

Things you can do at home
1. Keep your hands and feet clean and dry
2. Wear well fitting shoes made of natural materials and clean cotton socks, these will allow your feet to "breathe"
3. Clip your nails to keep them short, use a separate pair of clippers or scissors for the infected nail
4. Don't share towels and socks with other people, and ensure your towels are washed regularly
5. Don't walk around barefoot in public pools, showers, and locker rooms, special shower shoes are available to protect your feet
6. Consider replacing old footwear as it could be the source of the infection
7. Treat athlete's foot as soon as possible to avoid the infection spreading to your nails

How to Treat Fungal Nail Infections?

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!

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

Your nail health might serve as a primary indicator of your overall health. Your nails need proper care to remain strong and healthy. If you notice dents or ridges on them, then it might indicate an underlying medical condition , which would require prompt medical attention. Healthy finger nails are supposed to be smooth and uniform in color with no spots or discoloration. Sometimes, there can be development of harmful vertical ridges from the tip of your nail till the cuticle, which can become more prominent as you grow older.

There are many ways to keep your nails clean and healthy:

Good nail hygiene: You should always use good quality sharp clippers or manicure scissors. The proper way to cut your nails is to trim the nails straight across and then round the tips in a gentle curve.
Keep fingernails dry and clean: You can prevent the growth of bacteria under your fingernails if you keep them clean. Wear a pair of cotton lined rubber gloves while performing activities, such as using harsh chemicals or washing dishes.
Biotin supplements: Biotin supplements can increase the thickness of your nails and also prevent splitting and breaking. Biotin is a member of the vitamin B family and helps the body to convert food into energy.
Don t go for professional manicures: Going for professional pedicure or manicure on a regular basis can make your nails dry and brittle. Another way to remedy the problem is to take your own tool to the manicure salon, which reduces the chance of infection. Regular professional manicure can make you suffer from nail bed infections, which can be chronic in nature.
Avoid acetone: Using acetone based polish removers, will strip your nail of the essential nutrients in due course of time thus, making them brittle.
Don t bite: Avoid biting your fingernails as this can damage the nail bed. Bacteria or fungi can enter through a small cut along the fingernail, which can cause an infection.
Do not ignore minor problems of the nail: If you have some infection in your nails which doesn t seem to go away, then there are chances of the infection being a result of some other underlying health condition. You should immediately get the problem evaluated by a doctor or a dermatologist.

Nail Health - 7 Things You Must Ensure 

Nail fungus is a fungal infection that develops under the tip of the toenail or the fingernail. It has a whitish or yellowish appearance and as the condition progresses, it causes the affected area of the nail to thicken, discolor and crumble at the edges. Usually this condition does not require any treatment, but if it turns severe, then you may require treatment to limit it from spreading.

The symptoms of this disorder are:
1. The affected nail thickens
2. There can be distortion in the shape of the nail
3. The nail can become crumbly and ragged
4. Discolored nails that lose its natural shine
5. Accumulation of debris on the nail
The infected nail may also be separated from the nail bed, causing pain and a foul odor.

Causes
The condition is usually caused by the dermatophyte fungus. In some cases, molds and yeasts can also cause fungal infections. Fungi are microscopic organisms that have certain characteristics such as:
1. They can cause complications if your nails are often exposed to moist and warm conditions
2. They usually thrive in moist and warm conditions such as showers and swimming pools

3. These fungi get into the skin through small cuts on your skin

The fungus usually affects toenails because, when you wear shoes, a warm and moist environment is created which is the perfect breeding spot for the fungus. The factors that can increase your chances of getting affected by this fungal infection are

1. Heavy perspiration
2. Athlete s foot (a condition which is characterized by rashes between the toenails)
3. Older people are affected more as blood circulation is reduced
4. Wearing socks for extended periods of time creates warm and a humid condition for the fungi to grow
5. Certain medical conditions such as diabetes

Treatments
There are certain medications that are used to treat fungal infections:

Oral anti fungal drugs: These medications help in getting rid of fungal infections.
Nail creams: There are certain anti fungal nail creams available that you can apply on your nails to get rid of this condition.

Nail Fungus - Understanding the Causes and Symptoms

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?

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