| What Is Nail Fungus
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Simply put, when fungi infect one or more of nails, either in hands or feet, it leads to infection of nail fungus. A benign looking white or yellow spot under the tip of finger nail or toenail, heralds the infection of nail fungus. If allowed to spread unchecked, the infection of nail fungus can move deeper into nail causing the nail to discolor, thicken and develop crumbling edges. This can be quite painful and unsightly. We all know fungi grow on surfaces that are warm and moist. So if you leave your nails warm and moist, for example due to sweaty shoes or moist feet after shower, nail fungus is quite likely to develop. It can co-exist with athlete’s foot which is essentially a skin problem but may be caused by similar fungus.
Signs and Symptoms
Infection of nail fungus has a medical name of Onychomycosis. This state will be diagnosed if your nails meet one or all of following conditions:
- Thickened
- Brittle, crumbly or ragged
- Distorted in shape
- Dull, with no luster or shine
- A dark color, caused by debris building up under your nail
If infection grows, the infected or dead nail might separate from nail bed. It is a painful condition of fingernails or toenails and is usually coupled with a slightly foul odor.
Risk factors for Infection of Nail Fungus
There is a particular risk group that is more liable to get infected by nail fungus. This risk group mainly constitutes older people. Reduced circulation of blood, fungi exposure over a greater period of time and even age of nails are amongst many other reasons that place older people in this risk group. Other than these, in your everyday life, there are certain factors that make you susceptible to infection from nail fungus. These are:
- If you tend to perspire heavily
- Continued exposure to humid or moist environment
- Keeping your feet under socks and shoes that hamper ventilation
- Increased exposure of feet to moist surfaces like swimming pool floors or shower rooms etc.
- In growth of toe nail causing injury.
- A weak immune system due to a variety of reasons.
Treatment Of Nail Fungus
A stubborn infection to remedy, nail fungus has a tendency to recur as fungi and may not be completely abolished. There are, however, some creams and medications available over the counter that can help fight the infection to some extent. The remedy for infection from nail fungus can be brought in two phases of self care and oral medication.
Self-care
This can be resorted to if treatment is taking long and no other alternative is available. Two specific self care products, vinegar and vicks vaporub are known to help keep the infection under check. Although there is no clinical proof available, there are some studies that have shown that these tow products can help keep the infection under control.
Oral medications
There are prescription drugs available to treat the infection from nail fungus. A doctor might prescribe the following depending upon your state.
- Itraconazole (Sporanox)
- Fluconazole (Diflucan)
- Terbinafine (Lamisil)
One nail fungus medicine is considered to be one of the best. This toe nail fungus medicine is called Lamisil. There are reasons why Lamisil is called the best. Following are the facts and they can be checked from anywhere.
- Lamisil Tablet is a highly effective treatment for mild to severe nail fungus infection.
- Lamisil Tablet is the #1 prescribed treatment for nail fungus infection worldwide.
- Since 1996, healthcare professionals have prescribed Lamisil Tablets to more than 17
million people in the U.S.
- Lamisil Tablets are FDA-approved pills, which treat nail fungus infection.
The reason Lamisil is so effective, is the way it approaches the problem. Most of the nail fungus infection remedies include creams and gels that fight infection in a superficial manner. That is not the case with Lamisil. They tackle the problem deep down, that is, through your blood stream. It targets the infection at the place where it resides, under the nails, in your blood stream. This is the reason why it is most prescribed and also considered to be the most effective drug for nail fungus treatment.
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