How to treat nail fungus
Nail fungus, formally known as onychomycosis, is an ailment caused by fungi that infests the nail. It is a widespread disease and can affect fingernails as well as toenails. You will suffer the biggest risk of getting infected by nail fungus if there allready exist a injury to the nail or nailbed. Warm temperature and high humidity has also been linked to nail fungi, e.g. the inside of a jogging shoe or other closed fotwear.
In temperate climates nail fungus problems are normally caused by dermatophytes, while people living in subtropical and tropical parts of the world have problems with non-dermatophytic moulds and candida. Dermatophytes can spread in a lot of different ways and through both direct and indirect contact with infected skin and nail particles. They can be spread by towels, bed linen, combs, nail files and a common place for infestation is locker room floors. Shoe rental. for bowling, poses a risk unless the shoes are sterilized.
You can become infested without any direct contact with inested skin, nial or hair particles as the dermatophytes can survive on their own in suitable environments. In perfect conditions nail fungi spores cn survive 15 months without a host.
Thick yellowing nail with a cluody appearance is usually infected by nail fungus. Sometimes nail fungus can cause nails to become rough and crumbly, the nails sometimes seperate from the nail bed. Nail fungi is normally a painless ailment, except for severe cases. In a healthy person with a fully functioning immune system the fungi normally have to stay in dead tissue, e.g. nails and the upper part of our skin, since the immune system will prevent them from entering living cells.
Various types of nail fungus treatment alternatives are used to combat fungi, including over the counter medicine and prescription drugs as well as traditional folk remedies. Be prepared to wait weeks or even months before you notice any results since nails need a lot of time to regenerate.
In European folk medicine, thyme oil has been used as toenail fungus treatment while a powder or paste made from citrus seeds has been the method of choice in certain parts of the world where citrus trees occur naturally. These days is it common to use Australian tea tree oil on nail fungus as well as a number of other skin and nail problems.
