Nail fungus is also called onychomycosis, a fungal infection affecting the nails of the toes and fingers. The infection occurs more commonly in toes than in fingers. Nails make for an ideal fungal breeding ground, allowing them to promote in large numbers. This is what causes the infection. Dermatophyte is the group of fungi said to be responsible for the nail infection. There are other groups of fungi as well, some of which have a number of useful purposes.
More than 30 million people suffer from nail fungus. The condition is more common in the aged people as compared to the young, and in men than women. Athletes are at greater risk of suffering from the infection than non-athletes owing to their rigorous activities and constant sweating in their shoes.
Prevention is advised as the best cure for the infection. You should eat a healthy diet, maintain proper hygiene and expose yourself to constant sunlight. Healthy food gives you bodily health necessary to fight all these invading organisms. Proper hygiene ensures your body is safe from fungal attack. Adequate exposure to sunlight further helps in staying away from fungi. Fungi require a warm, damp and dark place to survive, and sunlight exposure helps in getting rid of any fungus in your surroundings.
It is important to wear loose shoes that give room for ventilation. If you sweat very frequently, then you should change your socks regularly. Make sure you properly clean your feet and wash them from time to time. After washing your feet, don't forget to dry them thoroughly. Applying powder on the feet gives even better protection.
If you spot the discoloring and thickening of your nails, then you're possibly infected. If you feel itchiness in the nails or white spots on the nails, it is a fungal infection, and you should take it very seriously.
There are a number of safe procedures that you can apply to rid yourself of fungal infection completely. The important thing is that the measures should be adopted for a time period long enough to have permanent results. The moment you spot the earliest traces of fungal infection, you should start this treatment. If you allow the infection to spread, it will be difficult to contain it with these simple home remedies. In the worst cases, you may even have to go for a permanent nail removal. So it's best to act fast.
Tea tree oil extracted from tea trees of Australia are known to have several antifungal, antibacterial and antiseptic properties and make for an excellent home remedy. Mix the substance with 2 tablespoons of olive oil or lavender oil and apply the mixture directly over the skin. Perform the procedure for 15-20 minutes.
Alternatively, you may soak your feet in vinegar and keep them there for half an hour. Again, it is necessary to perform the procedure on a daily basis for at least several months in order to rid yourself of fungi completely. If you stop anywhere in between, chances are the fungi will cause infection again after a brief interval.
