What You Should Know About Toenail Fungus

Important Information on Toenail Fungus

Toenail fungal infections are very common and affect about twelve percent of the American population. To understand toenail fungus, you must understand fungus in general.

Fungus likes to live in dark, damp environments that are humid. This is why most people who suffer from nail fungus infections suffer from toenail fungus. The shoe is the perfect place for nail fungus to grow. Fungus can live next to the nail for a long time. It can even burrow under the nail. There are a great number of factors that determine where the fungus actually starts. Two of these factors are how fast the infection is progressing and how severe the infection is.

Fungal Infection Symptoms

Doctors believe that the beginning of the disorder starts next to the nail and works its way under the nail slowly. The early symptoms of a fungal infection are a yellowish or whitish spot on the nail. Pain is typically not associated with the first stage, and most people do not notice the problem until it has progressed much further.

As the infection becomes worse, the fungal infection becomes more noticeable. These changes may appear slowly. The nail may become dull, yellowed, and lose its shape. The nail begins to become thick, yellow and ridged. This is the trademark appearance of a nail that is suffering from a fungal infection. Over time, the person who is affected will feel some discomfort from the infection. This is typically caused by the nail separating from the nail bed.

If the infection is allowed to go this far and the nail separates itself from the nail bed, there is a risk of an even greater infection. This is because the nail bed is made of sensitive tissue. If there is any pus present, or if there is a foul odor when you remove your sock, you need to see a doctor immediately.

There is a myth that toenail fungus only likes dirty areas. This is not true. A fungus is happy to breed wherever the environment is damp, dark, and warm. All it takes is one spore coming into contact with this area for it to become a breeding ground, no matter how clean of a person you are. While everyone comes into contact with this fungus on a daily basis, an infection only occurs if you give the spores an environment that they like to live in.

Types of Fungus

The medical community likes to refer to this type of fungus as a dermatophyte. There are other microorganisms that can infect the nail, such as yeast and mold, but dermatophytes are typically the most common infection.

Here is a list of things that make a person more susceptible to developing a fungal infection

A weakened immune system
Peripheral artery disease
Trauma to the toenail
Low skin pH
Poor hygiene
Previous nail fungus infection

It is very unlikely that a nail fungus infection can become life threatening or debilitating. However the infection can cause pain and discomfort and seriously impact the person’s self-esteem. Treating toenail fungus can be difficult, which is why doing your best to prevent nail fungus is the best treatment there is. If you are concerned that you have a fungal infection or any other type of infection in your toenail, consult your doctor. Your doctor can help you determine the best course of action for your particular type of infection and your medical history.

PurNail Review

PurNail is a product that is, according to the manufacturer, scientifically proven to eliminate nail fungus. PurNail starts working immediately after application by using a powerful Undecylenic Acid formula and comes in a white bottle with a black cap and blue and green lettering on the front.

We were interested in the strong claims this website made for PurNail and decided to investigate further.

PurNail Ingredients

PurNail contains the active ingredient of Undecylenic Acid, which is FDA approved to cure fungal infections.

In addition to Undecylenic Acid, the product also includes a proprietary blend of natural oils and skin conditioners. This blend penetrates deep under the hard layer of the fungal nail to treat the infection at its source, while also protecting and healing the skin around your nails. However, a detailed list of ingredients could not be found, which we felt was a little less than transparent. As in our #1 pick, a clear breakdown of contents is fundamental.

Dosage

PurNail should be applied to the affected area twice a day. After thoroughly cleansing the affected area with warm water and soap, you should completely cover the nail and the skin around the nail with PurNail using the included applicator brush. Users should try to cover the entire nail as thoroughly as possible and to ensure that no area remains untreated. The product may show visible signs of success after 1 or 2 months. Nevertheless, results will vary from person to person, so users should continue to use PurNail until nails look healthy again.

Price

PurNail was offered in different packages for different severity of nail fungus. If you have less than 3 infected nails or your toenail fungus infection is in the earliest stage, then one bottle of PurNail should be enough to treat your nail fungus. One bottle costs $59.99 for 1 month’s supply. Three or more infected nails generally require 2 or 3 bottles which cost $119.95. For more severe infections requiring a greater amount of PurNail to be applied will cost $179.95.

PurNail Guarantee

Their website states that PurNail is guaranteed to work with a 100% satisfaction guarantee, but then of course it would say that! In addition to this claim, the website backs this up with a 60-day money back guarantee, certainly putting its money where its mouth is. (If they are so confident though, why not offer longer?!!).

Conclusion

PurNail seems like a product that is thoroughly backed by its manufacturers and has a strong guarantee and money-back system in place, albeit, we question why only 60 days money back guarantee, why not longer? However, we were unable to find any personal reviews from users, which definitely lowered its appeal for us. The website offers three different package options for purchase depending on severity of the fungus, but we did find the price to be quite high, especially at $59.95 for just 1 month of treatment. Plus, we felt that they should be more open about the ingredients it contains, as in our #1 pick.

Click here to learn about our Top Nail Fungus Treatment Products.

5 Second Stop Fungus Nail Treatment Review

5 Second Stop Fungus Nail Treatment is an antifungal product that automatically works upon contact to the skin and is said to be available online; not found in stores that sell pharmaceutical products. It is made in the US and is contained in a small black bottle.

What Does It Claim To Do?

The product claims to treat fungal infections in the toes, on the skin of the feet that are quite visible and in between the toes; athlete’s foot. It also claims to have a relieving effect that can sooth the user’s feeling and get rid of all the aches and itchiness brought by the fungal infection.

5 Second Stop Fungus Nail Treatment Ingredients

Chloroxylenol 12%. This ingredient is responsible for the antiseptic effect which is important in disinfecting the infection and destroys the bad microorganisms that are residing in live tissue.
Tolnaftate 1%. This component is responsible for the prevention of the growth of fungus. It blocks the total process and put it to a halt.
Benzocaine USP 0.5%. This ingredient is responsible for the loss of pain and itchiness caused by the fungal infection.
Isopropyl Alcohol. Used as a disinfectant.
Methyl Pyrrolidone, Methoxyisopropyl Acetate, Cyclomethicone, Vitamin E, Aloe Vera, Calcium Fluoride, Phosphoric Acid. Inactive ingredients supporting the major and active composition of the product to hasten the process of healing.

Dosage

There are no indications for the dosage as long as you apply it in a thin layer over the infected part in the morning and at night.

Possible Side Effects

The product is harmful is taken in and if it has contacts with major sense organs. Most of its ingredients can cause very harmful effects of the human’s health. They are known to be irritants and can have a higher level of allergic reaction if given contact to the inside parts of the person. It is advised to never apply it in open wounds.

Will This Product Produce Long-Term Results?

Yes. This product is for the long term use considering that you will follow the regime up until there are no sign of itchiness and or infection in the affected area.

Price

$2.99. The product costs cheaper compared to the others because of its small packaging; but it is claimed to be very effective that it why it is not made in larger amounts.

5 Second Stop Fungus Nail Treatment Guarantee

There are no indicated guarantees.

Click here to learn about our Top Nail Fungus Treatment Products.

Krystal Clean Nail Fungus Treatment Review

Krystal Clean Nail Fungus Treatment is an antimicrobial/antibacterial solution used to kill fungus and bacteria that cause nail fungus.

Active Ingredient

An antimicrobial/antibacterial solution

How To Use

No directions are listed for this treatment

Price

On a website for Krystal Clean Nail Fungus Treatment, the cost of this product is listed as $8.95.

Guarantee

I found no mention of a Money-Back Guarantee for Krystal Clean Nail Fungus Treatment.

Is This Product Safe?

Krystal Clean is safe on skin and nails with no harsh acids, oils or alcohol. In addition, can be used with the addition of artificial nails and nail polish.

Closing Comments

Krystal is a antimicrobial/antibacterial solution used to kill fungus and bacteria that cause nail infection. There is very little information available about Krystal Clean Nail Fungus Treatment and there is no money-back guarantee. While inexpensive, it is an unknown.

Click here to learn about our Top Nail Fungus Treatment Products.

Fixafungus Review

FixaFungus Toenail Fungus Treatment is an easy to use treatment system for eliminating the fungus that infects finger and toe nails. Fixafungus uses a two-step system, with a pre-treatment followed by an antifungal treatment, which reaches under the nail plate to the fungus below. The pre-treatment helps to make the nail plate more permeable, this enables the broad spectrum antifungal to be used in the second step to penetrate deep into and below the nail bed to where the fungus infection lurks. Fixafungus uses a patent pending Fungicillin, which contains over 10 proven and synergistic fungicidal compounds to effectively treat and cure fungus.

Fixafungus comes in a nice blue box with a clear ‘Fixafungus’ logo and eye catching picture of legs and toes. I looked further to see whether Fixafungus can fix fungus or not.

Ingredients

Fixafungus has a two-step treatment plan with different ingredients.

The Pre-Treament:

Keratrate: Penetration enhancer for ungual (under the nail) drug delivery, which allows the antifungal treatment to work.

The Antifungal Treatment:

Fungicillin: Broad spectrum antifungal created by FixaFungus and composed of natural organic compounds extracted from a variety essential oils and food additives. The proprietary blend includes Manuka oil, red thyme oil, oil of oregano, Foraha/Tamanu oil, turpentine, castor oil, Melaleuca oil, clove tree, eucalyptus and garlic.

How Do You Use These?

To use Fixafungus first you must wash the affected area and dry thoroughly. Fixafungus is a two part product, the pre-treatment and an antifungal treatment.

Pre-Treatment:

Firstly follow the instructions to mix the pre-treatment product correctly. Secondly you must brush lotion directly onto the affected nail, avoiding the surrounding skin. After this the pre-treatment must be refrigerated until next used. The pre-treatment must dry completely (about 10 minutes) before the anti-fungal treatment.

Antifungal Treatment:

Apply a thin layer of FixaFungus Toe and Nail Antifungal Treatment directly onto the nail and the skin immediately surrounding it.

Each package is good for one month’s treatment and the pre-treatment lotion has an expiration date of four weeks after activation.

Price

On the official Fixafungus website you can buy one package for $49.95. I was unable to find it for sale on other websites. Considering that one package only lasts for one month of treatment that makes Fixafungus quite an expensive option.

Guarantee

Yes. FixaFungus is confident in their products and offers a 110% customer satisfaction guarantee. They have a 60 day money-back guarantee. If buyers send back the products the company will refund your money plus 10% as a show of their support for Fixafungus. This is very reassuring for buyers out there who want to ensure they are buying from a manufacturer which backs their products.

There were also four very complementary testimonials left on the Fixafungus website which bodes well for prospective buyers.

Closing Comments

Fixafungus is product which will eliminate fungus in the finger and toe nails. It uses a two-step program, firstly a pre-treatment and then an antifungal treatment. Their antifungal treatment uses a product created by Fixafungus called Fungicillin. While Fixafungus contains a purpose made ingredient it is also an elaborate product which could be quite annoying to apply, you must first mix a pre-treatment lotion, apply that, and then after waiting for that to try, apply to antifungal. The pre-treatment must be refrigerated and expires after just four weeks. The $49.95 price tag coupled with the expiration date makes this product quite an expensive one if you need repeat treatment.

Click here to learn about our Top Nail Fungus Treatment Products.

Common Nail Fungus Symptoms and Solutions

Humans deal with nail fungus very commonly. We also hide them from view due to embarrassment. This is more common in toenails which are easier to hide in a warm, moist and dark shoe perfect for improving fungal growth.

There are easy and difficult ways that work and don’t work. Some cure nail fungus but include risk. Others don’t work at all. Some people with poor health lead to a continued infection.

What Causes Nail Fungus?

In daily life we encounter different microbes, microorganisms and bacteria. Nail fungal spores are some of what we encounter. They are usually harmless until they get under or in our nails, then they become a problem.

It’s when these spores get under their shield, the nail, where it is warm and moist, that it becomes problematic. In these conditions they grow and multiply. This causes the nasty, yellow-looking nail that is the fungal infection.

While the fungus develops, the symptoms get worse for the infection. The nail starts to break down and become disfigured. It can also start to crumble and flake away. This happens more in toenails due to spending so much time in socks and shoes.

How Do I Treat A Nail Fungus Infection?

There are both natural and home remedies that are recommended to try before trying the aggressive method. The aggressive method is to take oral antifungal medication, which can damage your liver.

Tea Tree Oil: Available at most stores, this natural essential oil is great for treating nail fungus. Applying this oil under the nail, around the skin and on the nail a few times a day will eventually kill the fungus.
Good Nail Hygiene: Cut your nail down to the edge of the toe and clean out the underside. You can use a nail file to ensure all dirt is out. Keeping your feet dry, airing your shoes out as much as possible will help prevent fungal growth.
Vinegar: Vinegar changes the living environment to be uninhabitable for fungus. So you can soak your toes in a vinegar and water solution.

If none of these home remedies stop the fungal growth completely, the only step left is to consult your doctor. Your doctor will help you to find the medical solution to help with the problem. There are risks that can come with taking prescription medications. You should also let your doctor know of all medications you are currently taking.

You should continue good nail hygiene even while taking your medication to help with the healing and prevention of spreading any further.

We strongly recommend trying alternative solutions before using oral antifungal medication. You can search the internet for all of them, we especially recommend this if it involves your child.

Common Symptoms and Solutions to Nail Fungus

Nail Fungus: Common Symptoms and Solutions

Many people are affected by nail fungus. While not painful in most cases, it can be embarrassing and cause affected people to hide their nails. This is especially true when it comes to toenails since they are easy to hide in socks and shoes. This is why more people seek a physician more often for fingernail fungus than they do for toenail fungus.

Unfortunately, the common solution of hiding your toes in your socks and shoes leads to the spread and worsening of the fungal infection. There are a lot of treatments offered by various companies. However, some of them do not work, while others make the problem worse. Some people suffer from poor health, which can lead to chronic infection. This is difficult to fight, especially after prolonged treatment. The fungus can become immune to the product they are using before they can successfully clear up the infection.

Causes of Nail Fungus

Each and every day, we cross the path of microbes, microorganisms and bacteria. Encountering these type of microscopic creatures is a never-ending fact of life. Unfortunately, some of these are nail fungus spores. Most of these are washed away and are harmless. But sometimes, they manage to get under your nails where they become a problem.

When a fungi spore enter a warm, dark, moist place they can make a home. Commonly, underneath your nails becomes such a home since in other places they are washed away easily. But under your nails fungi can grow and reproduce. The nail is a great place because it provides a great shield from the world around it. When they begin to grow, they cause a nasty look of yellowing and cause the nail to become thick. This is the appearance commonly associated with nail fungus.

As the nail fungus gets worse, other symptoms begin to develop. The nail begins to look different and is eventually disfigured. At some point, it may begin crumbling or flaking away. A fungal infection this severe typically occurs in toenails since they are a better breeding ground than fingernails because people spend so much time in shoes.

How to Treat Nail Fungus Infection

There are a lot of natural remedies on the market, as well as a ton of home remedies. Home remedies are a preferable first treatment before you are prescribed the more aggressive, oral antifungal medications. This is because antifungal medications taken orally pose serious risks to your liver. Here are some of the most recommended suggestions for treating nail fungus:

Tea Tree Oil – Tea Tree Oil is a natural essential oil. You can purchase it at most health food stores. This treatment involves rubbing the oil into the nail and the skin at least three times per day. The antifungal properties eventually kill the nail fungus.
Good Nail Hygiene – It is a good idea to practice correct nail. Trim them right at the edge of the toe. Always use a file to clean out from under your nails. Always make sure that no dirt can permanently lodge itself under the nail. Make sure your feet stay dry. If you have been sweating a lot, change your socks, and if your shoes are damp, change them too. Avoid wearing closed-toed shoes as much as possible.

Vinegar – Soak your toes in vinegar and water on a regular basis and dry them thoroughly to increase the pH under your nails. This makes the environment unfit for fungal spores to live in.

If you are affected by nail fungus and you have tried the solutions or others we mentioned here on this website, and nothing has worked, consult your physician. If you have not had any response from over-the-counter treatments or natural remedies, you may need to try a prescription treatment.

Make sure to tell your doctor about all medications you are currently taking, both prescription and herbal. Let them know what treatments you have tried in regard to your fungal infection. Be sure to maintain proper finger and toe nail hygiene during treatment. This will increase your body’s response to treatment and help the healing process. It will also prevent the fungus from spreading to other toenails.

There are many solutions available that will treat the problem. You can search the internet for various alternatives before you commit to a treatment: natural, herbal, or oral antifungal medications. This is especially true if the person with the infection is a child. Perhaps the most important aspect to consider is the purity and potency of the ingredients used within a formula. One should consider if such ingredients have been clinically proven for effective eradication of fungal infections – these could include ingredients such as undecylenic acid, tolnaftate or tea tree oil.

How Can I Permanently Cure My Toenail Fungus

Permanently Curing Toenail Fungus

Curing Toenail Fungus is a long tedious process, yet very possible. Onychomycosis can lie dormant for a long time, even when it starts to clear up, only to return later. Because of this doctors try to stay away from the word cure. It is not something that is just cured by a pill. Many people in today’s age believe that a pill is the quick fix to curing anything.

Many factors determine how fast it takes to fix the problem. How bad has the infection gotten? The earlier you can catch it, the faster it is to cure it entirely. This infection makes its way, starting at the skin and working its way onto or under the nail. Under the nail is where you don’t want it to go. The nail acts as a personal shield that helps feed this nail fungus.

The second factor in fixing this problem is how committed you are to destroying this nail fungus. It takes time to make sure that you are keeping rough living conditions for the fungus every day so that it will die off. The best things that help with this are to clean your feet a couple times a day and every time you clean your feet change into clean socks. Wash your socks in bleach or soak them in peroxide. This will kill any spores of the fungus that may have stuck to your socks. Also follow your doctor’s instructions.

A lot of people end up hurting themselves, mostly due to giving up on treatment part of the way through. Just missing one day of treatment can set you back by about 2 weeks. Curing toenail fungus takes a lot of time and effort. You must hit on all the problems or you can easily let the fungus continue to thrive.

Oral Prescription Medication

You can ask your doctor about adding Tea Tree Oil, a natural topical antifungal, to your daily regimen alongside the oral medication your doctor gives you. This can help fight the fungal infection from both the inside and outside. This can help double your chances to effectively kill off the infection. Along with this you still have to help maintain a healthy environment for you and not the fungus.

You and the time you put into fighting off this infection, are the deciding factor if you get rid of this disease.

Allowing your feet to stay dry and aired out, washing your feet, and changing your socks throughout the day will keep the environment on your side instead of the fungus. Remember, losing one day of treatment can set you back up to 14 days. Following all these steps can help permanently end your toenail fungus problems.

Useful Information for Nail Fungus Treatments

What to Look for in Nail Fungus Treatments

Nail fungus, known medically as Onychomycosis, is not an easy condition to treat. Primarily cosmetic in nature, this disorder typically affects the toenails.

People at Risk for Contracting Nail Fungus

The older population
Males
People with diabetes
People who have had trauma to their nails
People with hyperhidrosis
People who suffer from peripheral vascular disease
People who have athlete’s foot
People with immunodeficiency
People who practice poor hygiene
People who spend a lot of time in water

There are a large number of fungus species that can affect the nail. It is also very common to find more than one type of infection inside one nail. The visible symptoms of the fungus make the nail appear thick and discolored. The appearance of the nail may be distorted.

Curing nail fungus has been historically problematic. There have recently been new options for curing nail fungus. Visiting your doctor will determine what type of infection you have and will confirm whether or not it is a nail fungus. Discovering what type of fungus you are affected by can help determine the best treatment. It is also very simple. Your doctor will be able to take scrapings or a clipping of your nail and examine it under a microscope. It may also be sent to the lab for a culture.

Once you know what type of infection you have, your treatment can begin. A common option for many patients is oral prescription medication. There are two older and proven medications available, griseofulvin and fluconazole. Unfortunately, these medications aren’t very effective in treating all forms of nail fungus.

Nail Fungus Medications

Two newer medications that are available are terbinafine and itraconazole. These have been proven more effective against nail fungus than the previous medications.

For those who do not wish to take a prescription medication, there are other alternatives.

Topical medications are available to cure nail fungus. Your doctor can also prescribe a nail varnish that contains 8% ciclopirox solution. This is painted on your nail and the skin near it every day for a period of 12 months.

It is important to remember that no matter what method you choose to treat your nail fungus, the infection is not considered gone until your nail has grown out completely. It can take over a year to replace a disfigured toenail.

Nail Fungus Treatments

There are some that elect for surgery for treatment of nail fungus. This is a more drastic treatment for nail fungus and should be considered an option only in severe cases or in cases where the nail is disfigured. If there are any other options available to you, you should consider them first.

Alternative treatments are available as well. Tea Tree Oil has been proven to be effective in treating various types of nail fungus. The Mayo Clinic has published at least one report in regards to Tea Tree Oil, and it is considered viable in the medical world.

Home Remedies

Many other home remedies have been suggested by various individuals. Most of them are considered viable as well. Just because they have not been proven by medical science, does not mean that they are not effective.

These remedies include:

A 20 – 30 minute soak in vinegar, lemon juice, Listerine, or a solution of bleach

Nutritional supplements such as acidophilus

Applying baking soda, garlic, olive oil, or Vicks VapoRub

Modern medicine has created a wide variety of fungal treatments. Consulting your doctor and researching treatments on your own are great steps in the right direction. Armed with the correct information your doctor can create an effective plan to treat your nail fungus problem.

Tammy Taylor Acrylic Nail Powder Review

The product source contains a wide selection of nail powered, nail cover and nail repair and correction products. Product features include the following:

Covers imperfections in the natural nail,
Covers and extend the nail bed,
Can be used to create the nail bed first when doing the reverse technique of nail acrylic application,
Does not contain product shimmer,
Is available in six color shades,
Can use the product with nail-forms to sculpture the entire nail,
Can use the product with nail-tips as overlays,
Can create the entire nail with a one color process for a natural polished look,
A strong and durable product,
Can correct unevenly shaped nail-beds.

Tammy Taylor Acrylic Nail Powder Ingredients

The product source only listed Acrylic Nail Powder, a polymer, as an ingredient.

Dosage

The product source contained no information about product application or dosage.

Price

Prices listed in the product source ranged from $15.95 (a single 1.5 once container) to $44.95 (five 1.5 once containers).

Tammy Taylor Acrylic Nail Powder Guarantee

The product source contained no information about product guarantees or company return policies.

Findings

Tammy Taylor Acrylic Nail Product comes in a wide variety of colors and styles with a wide price range depending on how much of the product a customer orders, whether the product is on sale or not and if the product can be purchased as a package including more than one 1.5 once product container. This is a product to experiment with by trying it out first with a single purchase of a 1.5 once container, for example.

Click here to learn about our Top Nail Fungus Treatment Products.