What is Toenail Fungus?

There is a lot of confusion surrounding the issue of toenail fungus.  If you have it, you may feel forever trapped by the unsightly appearance of your nails.  Summer looms as an obstacle to avoid rather than a season to be enjoyed.  There is no way you want people to see your toes on the beach.  The thought of wearing flip flops or sandals makes you shudder.  You may think you never have hope of showing your feet in public again, yet you do.

What is Toenail Fungus?

In order to effectively treat your toenail fungus you
need to understand what it is.  Knowledge is power after all.  Following is an over of the condition.  After taking a look at what it does, you might be surprised to find some effective remedies on the market that are not too costly.  There may be hope that your feet will see the summer sun after all!

Onychomycosis is the technical term for toenail fungus.  It occurs when the fungus enters the nail and gets embedded between the layers of the nail itself.  You might begin to notice a white patch at the end of your toenail that begins to turn yellow.  Over time the toenail fungus progresses and your entire nail might become a sick yellow color, or even turn a shade of green.  The nail may even thicken and begin to break away from itself over time giving it a shredded, unsightly look.

How Did I Get That Toenail Fungus?

If you have toe nail fungus, than you know what I mean.  Men and women can contract the condition.  Toenail fungus shows no favorites after all.  Some common places men might contract it are shower rooms at local gyms.  Athlete’s foot is commonly known to be harbored there, but toenail fungus can be prolific in those areas as well.  To combat this, wear shower shoes when you hit the shower room.  I also turn the water on hot and let it run in the shower for several minutes before stepping in.  Sometimes I even squirt some shower gel around the area and let it get a quick wash.  It is worth a few extra minutes to keep my nails clean and healthy.

For women, nail salons are the most likely culprit.  Remember, any warm, moist environment is a bed ground for Onychomycosis.  Nail salons have heat lamps for your feet and salon baths for pedicures.  These items are used multiple times throughout the day.  If a rush occurs, clean might get sloppy.  If you are next, you could get toenail fungus.  Make sure your salon is properly cleaned.  You need to ask before you sit down in the chair if they clean their instruments regularly.  You might even want to ask when they cleaned them most recently to put your mind… and nails, at ease.

Home Remedy for Toenail Fungus

Now that you know what to avoid, let’s look at what you need to do if you contract the condition.  There are several topical products that are sold over the counter.  However, many of them do not treat the root of the cause.  Remember, toenail fungus embeds between the layers of your nail, so you need to find a topical product that will work its way into every layer.  A less commonly known remedy is Vick’s vapor rub.  Some people have shown a noticeable decrease in the appearance of toenail fungus by using it on a daily basis.  Some report good results from using tea tree oil or white vinegar.

The best way to find a cure is to consult your doctor.  He might prescribe a cream like ketoconazole.  He may also couple that with an oral medication to expedite treatment.  You should follow his instructions and advice.  Only take the recommended dose, and be consistent!  Curing toenail fungus takes time.  It has been known to take up to a year or more for you to produce a normal healthy looking nail.  This is simply due to the fact that your old infected nail must be allowed to grow out with new pure toe nail material growing in behind it.  Just don’t lose heart.  In time you will be able to show your toes off all summer long!

For more health and beauty tips, check our latest posting for natural skin care