Great Beauty Tips™: Day Three

Hello Everyone! I pray our blog finds all of you enjoying the countdown to Christmas Day! Today, I’d like to share some of my information with all of you about nail fungus:

Let’s talk about something that is NOT pretty or even remotely attractive on Men or Women – Nail Fungus. It affects over 30 million people in the United States today.

Medical terms for this nail disease are Onychomycosis and Tinea Unguium.  While it is most commonly seen in the toenails, fingernails are also susceptible to nail fungus. It is among the most common diseases of the nails, making up nearly 50% of all nail abnormalities. Symptoms include:

• Loosening or lifting of the nail from the nail bed
• Unusual thickening of the nail bed
• Noticeable change in nail shape
• Excessive Brittleness
• Crumbling of the outside edges of the nail
• Loss of luster and shine
• White or yellow streaks on the side of the nail

Nail fungus infections are most commonly found in men and the elderly. That’s not to say that women and children are exempt, they too get nail fungus, just on a much smaller scale, based on medical studies. Common factors that raise the risk of getting a nail fungus include:

• Genetics (family history of fungal infections)
• Poor Blood Circulation
• Excessive perspiration – especially in closed toe shoes
• Moist/Humid work environment
• Wearing shoes and socks that do not have proper ventilation
• Going barefoot in wet or damp public places (gyms, public swimming pools or showers)
• People with weakened immune systems such as Diabetes or AIDS
• Tight footwear that crowds or chronically impacts toenails
• Exercise or work that causes repeated minor trauma to the hyponychium - the
  tip/edge of the nail that attaches to the skin
• Injury to the nail bed causing a point of entry.

Fungus generally enters the nail bed through a gap between the nail and nail bed, or through minor or major cuts in the skin surrounding the nail. Fungi survive best in warm, damp areas, and are highly contagious. It easily spreads from one person to another through direct contact or by sharing personal items such as nail clippers, emery boards, towels, washcloths or even infected shoes. Yes, I said infected shoes. Scenario – it’s raining outside and you have to run to the mail box. Your husband’s tennis shoes are conveniently sitting outside in the carport. You slip them on and run to the mailbox. That small exposure can transfer fungus to your toenails!

Initially, nail fungus invades the outer edges and base of the nail, and slowly spreads to other areas. First signs of a nail infection are reddening and itching of these areas. Then the nail can become discolored and lose its natural shine. Over time the fleshy area around the nail becomes irritated and painful. Unusual changes to the nail and nail bed become obvious. The nail becomes thick, brittle, and holes and/or grooves appear on the surface. Eventually the infected nail becomes distorted in appearance. As the fungus grows, the nail becomes yellowish-brown in color and eventually turns black due to excessive build up of debris under the nail. In case of a severe infection, the nail becomes detached from the nail bed which makes the area extremely painful, and often is accompanied by bleeding and a foul odor.

I’ll stop here for now. If you or someone you know or love suffers with Nail Fungus, come see us. We have an awesome, All Natural Alternative to this nasty problem – 10 Healthy Nails. I hope you are all enjoying the Holiday Season!