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Stop Nail Fungus - Put an End to That Ugly Fungus Today |
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Written by Madalynn K Wayman
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Sunday, 06 April 2008 |
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A high percentage of people are affected by the uncomfortable disease of nail fungus. It is important that you learn about causes and treatments of fungus if you want to stop nail fungus from infecting your feet and hands. Don't worry, nail fungus is not a severe disease, but some symptoms include burning and swelling on your fingers and toes under the nails. This article will touch on the factors that increase your risk of nail fungus, so that you know what to do to lower your risk of contracting it.
by MadalynnKWayman
A high percentage of people are affected by the uncomfortable disease of nail fungus. It is important that you learn about causes and treatments of fungus if you want to stop nail fungus from infecting your feet and hands. Don't worry, nail fungus is not a severe disease, but some symptoms include burning and swelling on your fingers and toes under the nails. This article will touch on the factors that increase your risk of nail fungus, so that you know what to do to lower your risk of contracting it.
In order to address and stop nail fungus, one should have a bit of background information about this disease and what causes it. Typically, fungal infections under the nail are caused by micro-organisms called dermatophytes that thrive is warm moist dark areas.
Since the foot is typically covered by a sock and shoe, and because many people sweat profusely around the toes, they are predisposed to dermatophyte infection. Not only do your choice of footwear and hygienic habits affect your risk of becoming infected, but also environmental risk factors play a key role.
Areas that stay relatively dark and moist are where the dermatophytes thrive, such as swimming pools, showers, saunas, and locker rooms. These areas may cause nail fungus infections if you walk barefoot, be cautious about increasing your risk as you are exposed to the micro-organisms.
If your nail is bothering you, how can you tell if you have a nail fungus infection? Usually a spot on your nail may turn an unassuming yellow or white color near the tip, just a small dot where the fungal infection starts. The nail itself may become brittle, thick, discolored and many times painful as the infection progresses deeper into the nail bed. The fungal infection excretes substances that damage the surrounding tissue, so when the infection lives under the nail the tissue directly beneath the nail breaks down. It is important that you treat your fungal infection immediately if you find that there is an infection under any of your nails.
Amongst the available treatments that can help stop nail fungus are oral anti-fungal tables like Diflucan and Lamisil. These medications work by allowing the nail to grow free of fungi, but take a rather long time to eradicate the infection completely because one must wait for the nail to grow out; the new infection free nail pushing away the fungi infected part. There are also topical ointments but they are not that effective in clinical trials.
By far, the best approach to stop nail fungus is to take careful preventative measure to avoid contracting it in the first place. Be careful to not expose your nails to areas that may contain the fungus and focus on keeping your nails clean and dry at all times. If needed, use anti-fungal powder, and do not walk barefoot in high risk areas such as public showers and locker rooms, also wear breathable footwear. Following these preventative measures will spare you from the pain and discomfort associated with this unsightly disease by decreasing your risk of contracting nail fungus.
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