Overgrowth of fungi is the primary cause of fungal infections that can be difficult to treat and unpleasant to deal with when experienced. Warm and moist environments like shoes is a perfect place for fungi to thrive, leading to slow development of the infection that can make nails discoloured, thick and distorted. Pharmica explores this common condition and explain how to effectively treat it.
Symptoms:
In the initial stages of the infection, the signs and symptoms might not be obvious. However, over the time that the infection develops, you might notice signs like:
- Thickening nail – when your nail changes its texture or its shape and potentially even become difficult to cut
- Painful feeling – you might feel slight pain when placing pressure against the affected toe or finger
- Brittle Nails – sometimes your nails might start to break, with pieces fall off and come away completely
- Nail discolouration
Causes:
One of the causes of this condition is the athlete’s foot condition which easily spreads from an infected nail to the other ones. These conditions occur due to:
- Using shoes that make your feet hot and sweat
- Weak immune system
- Conditions like diabetes or circulation problems
- Walking areas where it is easy to get infected like gyms or communal showers
However, the majority of people who experience this condition are often men, especially older man due to the fact that their circulation could be worse while the pace of growing nails is slower.
Treatments:
One of the most efficient fungal nail infection treatments is Curanail (a.k.a Loceryl) which contains amorolfine hydrochloride, an active ingredient that fights the large variety of fungi and therefore disrupts the growth.
To use this treatment correctly, it is recommended to file down the affected nail as much as possible and then apply a swab of the gel with the spatula, in a similar way you would apply nail polish. Ensure not to wipe the excel gel of the spatula on the bottle. Then, after 3 minutes of drying time, clean the spatula with the swab used to clean the nails.
Duration of the Treatment:
Curanail treatment should be used constantly until the healthy nails replaced the infected ones, usually taking up 6 months for fingernails and 9-12 months for toenails
How to Prevent Fungal Nail Infections:
In addition to treatments mentioned above, there are some lifestyle adjustments you could adopt to reduce the risk of getting this condition like:
- Try not to walk barefoot in public areas, especially in places like gyms, pools and communal showers
- Get your nails done in trustworthy hygienic salons
- Avoid using artificial nails.
- Avoid injuring the skin around the nails.
- Keep your nails well-trimmed.
- Dry your feet and in between toes after showering.
