Fingernail Fungus

The medical term used to describe fingernail fungus is Onychomycosis. It happens when there is a fungal attack either on the nail or the underlying skin lying, which is also known as the nail bed. The fungus usually enters into the nail through the gap in between the nail and the nail bed, or through some cuts in the skin surrounding the nail. These fungi survives well in warm and damp areas, and are highly contagious. It can spread from one person to another very easily through direct contact or through sharing of items of personal use like towels, nail clippers, emery boards, etc. It can affect people of any age group. The elderly, people with weak immune system, diabetic patients, etc., are at a higher risk of getting this kind of fungal infection. Those who have suffered any kind of fingernail injury may get infected as well.

Symptoms

Initially, the nail fungus invades the edges and base of the nail, and then slowly it spreads to other areas. The first sign of fingernail infection is itching and reddening of these areas. After some time, the fleshy part around the nails becomes slightly painful. Then changes are noticed on the nail and nail bed. The nail tends to become thick, brittle, and holes and grooves appear on its surface. Thus, the infected nails gets a distorted look. The nail gets discolored and loses its natural shine. As the fungal grows, the nail becomes yellowish brown in color and later it gets a dark black color due to build up of debris under the nail. In case of severe infection, the nail often gets detached from the nail bed which makes the area painful, and is often accompanied by bleeding and foul smell.

Treatment

The worst part of fingernail fungal infection is that it is quite difficult to treat simply because it is protected by the nail covering and the infected part is not easily accessible. Therefore, it takes a long time before you can see some improvement in the condition. When the infection is not so serious, doctors prescribe different antifungal creams, lotions or medicated nail polish for topical application. For a more serious infection, the nail fungus treatment involves use of oral antifungal medicines along with stronger antifungal creams. The oral nail fungus medications are effective but have to be taken for as long as one year or so. As a result, they give side effects like skin rash, stomach upset, headaches, etc. They are not even suitable for people suffering from heart and liver problems.

Home Remedies

Due to the various problems associated with medicinal treatment of fingernail fungus, more and more people opt for home remedies with naturally occurring substances. Here are three effective home treatments:

Apple Cider Vinegar: This is considered as one of the best home remedy as the natural properties of apple cider vinegar works wonders on some cases. You can soak the infected nail into the vinegar for a few minutes, twice a day. Or else, you can dip a cotton ball into the vinegar and place it over the affected nail and wrap it up with a band aid in order to keep the cotton in place. Thus, the vinegar stays on the infection for a longer period of time.

Tea Tree Oil: This oil is extracted from the leaves and stems of tea tree and has excellent antifungal properties. Take a little tea tree oil and rub it directly on the infected nail. This oil diffuses inside the nail in a much better manner as compared to any other oils and helps to get rid of black fingernail fungus. For this reason, it is a popular remedy and it has to be done every day to get best results.

Garlic: Owing to its natural disinfectant properties, garlic is used for both oral as well as topical application in this case. Extract the garlic juice from freshly crushed garlic cloves in a bowl. Then dip your fingernail into the juice for few minutes. Let the juice dry on the fingernail itself. It should be done twice a day. Along with this treatment, you can chew one garlic clove two times a day.

Fingernail fungus prevention is possible with the help of proper nail care. Maintain good personal hygiene by keeping your fingernails clean and dry. Avoid using nail polish and acrylic nails if you tend to get such infection. Never share items like towels, nail filing tools, nail polish, etc., with others. While filing or trimming nails, care should be taken so that the skin part of the nail does not get any kind of injury.