How Contagious Is Nail Fungus?

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Over 35 million people will experience toenail fungal infections at some point in their lives.

If your nails start enlarging on the curve of your finger tips, also called nail clubbing, you could be suffering from low oxygen in the blood which could be signs of several different types of lung diseases. Nail clubbing is also associated with AIDS and liver disease.

If your nails become soft and start forming a bowl like shape you are most likely suffering from spoon nails which can indicate an iron deficiency or a liver condition called hemochromatosis which means your body absorbs too much iron. It is also an early indicator of heart disease.

For more information feel free to contact our orange county location. In our orange county location you can get free consultation for toenail fungus laser treatment.

How Do I Know If I have a Nail Fungus?

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Nail fungus, medically known as onychomycosis, is an infection of the nail. This infection occurs more commonly in elderly adults, however it affects people of all ages. Men are more likely to obtain this infection than women and it is more likely to occur on the toenails than fingernails.

Nail fungus is often a slow infection, making it difficult to notice immediately. As a result, people are less likely to notice that they have developed a nail fungus until it has already gone to a deeper stage of infection or infected a number of nails. Others tend to ignore the signs and believe that it may go away on its own; this is a sure way to guarantee a spreading and worsening infection. Nail fungus does not go away on its own and can spread rapidly not only to your other nails but also to other people, especially those you share a living space with.

The infection typically begins as a white or yellow spot under the tip of your nail. As this infection deepens, the nail color may become discolored, begin to thicken, and/or crumble. if you have a case of athlete’s foot this can also cause a nail fungus to form so it is crucial to treat that immediately before the fungus can tackle the nails.

Preventive measures are crucial if you would like to cease the problem from occurring or reoccurring. Avoid public walking around in public showers, pools, and gym locker rooms without wearing sandals. Make sure to wash your socks after each use. Avoid nail salons or take your own instruments making sure they are disinfected before use. Keep your feet as clean and dry as possible, especially if you frequently perspire in this area.

Can My Nail Fungus Spread to other Parts of My Body?

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Many people avoid treating their nail fungus for one reason or another. Either they think the issue will go away on its own, or they believe that simply nothing will work or that they have too extreme or a case, etc. For whatever reason this can lead to further damage to the nail not only in appearance but also in the overall health of the nail.

According to doctors who specialize in nail disorders, about one out of every twenty-four cases of nail fungus will spread to other parts of the body such as the fingernails, hands, back, and legs. Elderly individuals and/or those who take medications that weaken immunity are more susceptible to the spreading of fungus.

Furthermore if you allow the problem to persist and go untreated the fungus will progressively move from the cuticle (where it originates typically) to the tip of the nail. It can also cause the nails to thicken, become discolored, brittle, and become inflamed and/or painful.

The Reality of Being Cured of a Nail Fungus Infection

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Most people that have dealt with nail infections in the past know the struggle all too well of trying to cure it on their own. There are hundreds of home remedies to choose from, but no official records exist of their effectiveness. The reason for this is because most of the treatments that are done at home are just mixing up a few ingredients and applying the mixture as a topical to the nail. The fungus is living, thriving, sandwiched in between the nail and the skin of the toe making topicals near impossible to penetrate. There are a few medical procedures you can have done if you suffer from nail infections that have higher cure rates. For instance you can surgically remove the nail, take oral medications, use prescription strength topicals, and apply laser treatment to the nails.
But even the medical treatments have their downfalls…

Oral medications pose serious health risks with numerous side effects. The type of medication required to cure toenail fungus can actually cause liver damage and require extensive blood work to be done.
Surgically removing the nail doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be cured. The nail itself doesn’t harbor the fungus, but rather the fungus is living in between the nail and skin of the toe. And even then, you can’t just expect to wipe the slate clean by removing the nail and applying a few topicals. The fungus is much more resilient than you think.

Probably the most effective treatment is laser therapy, it has the highest cure rate after just one treatment at 85% which is the highest cure rate out of anything other option. Most lasers are just concentrated heat sources that are able to destroy the fungus on contact.

Unfortunately, most patients afflicted with the fungus think they are immune after treatment, but this is not the case. You must still follow post treatment protocol and apply antifungal solutions daily.

For more information feel free to contact our Tampa location. In our Tampa location you can get free consultation for toenail fungus laser treatment.

On Nail Fungus and Children

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Men have a higher chance of contracting nail fungus than women, as well as the elderly compared to youths. But that’s not saying it isn’t possible for your children to become infected with this vicious fungus.

Kids, much like adults, are just as susceptible to the fungus. Even infants can develop the infection often times picked up from their mothers and fathers. Most people think that kids are immune to nail fungus, but the truth is, if you’re human and have nails, you’re at risk!

The fungus starts out small, most of the time entering the body through a small crack on the skin or nail. From there it can seem like just a little dot on the surface of the nail, but it can turn it hard and thick, often times leading to discoloration. If left untreated for too long it can make the nail grow distorted or deformed which can cause pain. A foul odor is often times associated with nail fungus, especially if you have the fungus on your feet.

Nail fungus on children is maybe even more dangerous than when the infection afflicts an adult due to the cruel nature of kids.

For more information feel free to contact our st louis location. In our st louis location you can get free consultation for toenail fungus laser treatment.

Conventional treatment vs. Innovating Options

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For years doctors, podiatrists, and dermatologists have used several methods to alleviate and treat patients with nail fungus. However, as of late and with the passing of generations, laser has become an alternative option to many of the conventional methods of treatment.

Doctors have always known a series of treatment options to prescribe patients such as topicals, in the form of creams and ointments and oral medications. Many have also suggest homeopathic remedies or home remedies to try. Each of these “solutions” however invoke a problem. With topical treatment options, they typically have a very low curate and if people do see any improvement the results will only last as long as they use the product. Oral medications as well have a low curate of about 50-65%, but more importantly are very harmful for the liver, require frequent blood work, and have many other harmful side effects. Homeopathic and home remedies are often used but this too has a very small chance of working to treat the nails. Since basic household products, foods, or oils are being used in place of a medical product, many other things can go awry in the process of “treating” the nails. Furthermore, the home remedies have a low chance of solving the problem as well, as a result.

Now, in the 21st century laser treatments have surfaced for a number of different medical and cosmetic uses. Nail fungus has been a popular laser treatment, which not only provides the safest treatment available, but also the most effective option with the highest curate.

With that said, our generation and doctors are more skilled with the different options available for fungus removal, however not all doctors practice the same treatment methods. Some doctors simply do not have access to the laser and prefer to recommend patients to products they can sell themselves. It is important to do research before making any commitments.

For more information, please contact our office at
5508 Harford Road
Baltimore, MD 21214
(800) 672-0625

Tips for Nail Fungus Prevention at the Nail Salon

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If you are the type of person who frequents nail salons and enjoy manicures or pedicures, you want to take note of a few things in order to avoid possibility of a nail infection or fungus.

Make sure the salon you’re visiting is highly recommended or a reputable one. In addition, make sure they keep good hygiene by disinfecting their tools and keeping the place clean and tidy. It is also important to note if the manicurist/pedicurist is using gloves or washing their hands after each client.
Steer away from artificial/acrylic nails. These type of nails will significant increase your chance of a nail fungus. Since you are adding an artificial nail or powder to the nail it is blockading the original nail causing the nails to lose oxygen and can often be incorrectly placed. Gel nails are a more recent trend and can cause the same effects as artificial nails.
If you choose to do artificial nails make sure that your nails and fingers do not show any signs of inflammation. You should also soak your nails in alcohol to make sure that your nails are fully clean and disinfected of any bacteria before applying artificial nails.
Lastly, it is important to not wear the artificial nails for more than 3 months at a time. You should allow your own nails at least a month between reapplication to breathe and be exposed to oxygen and light exposure.

By following the above steps you can be sure that you are doing the best you can in preventing fungal nails from acrylics. Moreover it is important to note that fungus is much easier to prevent than trying to control it after infection has begun. If you have contracted a nail fungus, avoid artificial nails at all costs, as this will increase the infection and cause further harm and damage to the nail.

Battle Fungus with Food

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There are several treatments out there that claim they will cure your toenail fungus. These treatments range from home remedies to costly medical procedures performed by doctors or dermatologists. Unfortunately, home remedies have low success rates with no official records released based on their efficiency. And the medical treatments that boast of high cure rates come with a flashy price tag.

So what can you do to cure your own nails of this infection? You could start the lengthy process of attempting to treat your own nails with a home remedy, or you could spend an arm and a leg trying to go the medical route. Or you could simply start eating right!

Sounds too good to be true? It’s not! You will need to start by cutting back on your intake and consumption of sugars and simple carbohydrates. Sugar and simple carbs can greatly affect your immune system, weakening it feeding the fungai further. Another thing you can do is start ingesting cultured products and foods which contain “friendly” bacteria. This bacteria will actually help fight off the fungus mano y mano.

The bacteria will prevent the growth of the fungus and help fight off any existing fungus, so long as you keep this diet regimen up! Try to discard all foods that promote mucus like diary and heavy meats. Drop soda and processed foods along with anything fatty or fried. And start adding lots of garlic to your daily meals! Garlic helps neutralize most fungi, and here I always thought they only scared off vampires!

For more information, please contact our office at
401 29th St. Suite 202
Oakland, CA 94619
(800) 672-0625
, for free consultation.