Friday, November 28, 2008

Nail Ringworm - The Facts

By Jennifer King

Toe nail fungi is a problem nobody wants to have. Although it's not life threatening, it has the possibility of becoming very painful if you don't treat it. You would therefore try and avoid ever becoming infected. The first real step to dodging a fungal infection of your toe nails is to research the top facts about it.

#1- It is contagious

Toe nail fungi don't just appear out of the blue. Sufferers who get infected| catch toe nail fungi from someone or something. This differs from catching a viral infection or a cold. Particular conditions must exist for toe nail fungi to breed and infect you. Fungi generally breed in warm, moist parts of your body. You can therefore catch an infection in places with water and a comfortable temperature like pool sides and shower stalls. You can also become infected if you borrow nail tools used by a person who has a fungal infection.

Toe nail fungi enter close to your toe nail. It is possible that you will have a cut near or around your toe nail. Once fungi have entered via the tiny opening, it will remain in between the nail and the nail bed.

#2- They love nails.

Keep your nails trimmed and clean at all times. Nail fungi just love nails. This is mainly for the simple reason that your nails offer them the living conditions that they love the most. Toe nails are warm and moist so the fungi actually have a perfect home.

It is tempting to be under the impression that toe nail fungus will just go away. This is especially since the initial symptoms of a nail infection aren't very distressing. Small white dots are probably all you can expect in the beginning. If you don't attempt to cure yourself though, the fungi can expand under your nail. Your toe nail can turn to an ugly brown or black, and may become ragged and brittle. This is when it may become difficult to treat nail fungi with just topical applications. You may actually need to have your toe nail removed entirely.

#3- Fingernails are vulnerable to fungal infections also.

Finger nails can get infected as well. Most people may not be aware though that the nails on their fingers can also get infected with nail fungi. The reason why toe nail fungal conditions are more often talked about is because they are more common than fungal infections of the fingernails.

Footwear - These are to blame for the common episodes of toe nail fungal infections. With a high percentage of people the toes are usually enclosed in non-porous shoes and socks. This condition alone can already make an initial, moderate infection worse. This is simply for the reason that closed shoes promote moisture retention.

#4- They are not easy to get rid of.

Infections of the toe nails are stubborn. This is for the reason that the nails, which are there to protect our toes, also protect nail fungi. This makes it difficult for topical applications to get in. This is why topical applications need to be used regularly, consistently and for a long time before any improvement can be seen on toe nail fungal infections.

About the Author:

No comments: