Not only women, now men are also increasingly aware of nail care. Various nail treatments are carried out to enhance their appearance. It's just that, if you're not careful, there's a risk lurking behind it,
Thanks to technological advances, nail care that used to only be done in salons or nail beauty outlets, can now be done at home. On the other hand, this can lead to new problems that must be observed. Nail care products and tools run the risk of damaging your nails and even getting infected with fungus, if you don't keep them clean.
Things That Can Cause Fungal Infections
Not only equipment at home, but the equipment used to perform nail care at the salon must also be considered clean. Because, if not kept clean, equipment such as nail clippers or other tools can spread fungal infections to anyone who uses them.
Fungal infections of the nails (onychomycosis) can occur in toenails or fingernails. Various factors that allow the occurrence of these fungi, among others:
- Using nail beauty products that contain excessive chemicals.
- There is an injury to the nail and/or wound to the skin in the surrounding area.
- Not keeping nails clean.
- Low endurance.
- Wear closed clothing such as socks, gloves, covered and damp clothes for a long time.
- Swim in the public pool
- Suffering from diabetes.
- Elderly or over 65 years old.
- Have certain diseases that interfere with blood circulation.
Recognizing the Symptoms
Actually there are no certain symptoms when you have a fungal nail infection. Only in some cases, people with nail fungus infection feel pain or pain.
Pain can arise when the nail becomes thicker, so it hurts when wearing shoes. In addition, thickening of the nails can also cause difficulty standing, walking or doing activities that involve movement of the feet or hands.
Other symptoms include tingling, a stabbing feeling, or something crawling on the skin, even though nothing seems bothersome. This is called paresthesias, occurs due to irritation or disturbance of the nerves.
Another complaint if there is a fungal infection of the nails, namely the nail and fingertips become brittle and damaged, especially if the fungal infection is severe. Social problems can also occur, for example, withdrawing from society because they feel ashamed, to feeling insecure.
How to Overcome Nail Fungal Infections
If the nail is already infected with fungus, it is advisable to treat it immediately. There are several ways to treat toenails that have been affected by fungus.
First, take an antifungal medication that plays a role in helping to grow new nails that are free of fungus, so that old infected nails are slowly replaced.
In addition, you can also use nail polish or antifungal topical solution that contains lactic acid, propylene glycol and urea. You do this by applying the nail polish to the infected nail, including the skin around it. There is also a special lotion that contains urea to treat nail fungus, especially if the nails are thin.
You can also use an antifungal nail cream. Soak the nail first, then apply the cream on the infected nail. The cream can overcome the fungus that is on the surface of the nail, to the fungus that is on the bottom layer.
Other medical measures that may be needed to treat fungal nail infections by a doctor include:
- Surgery to remove nails that are damaged by fungus, so that new, healthy nails will grow later. This method is done if the infection is severe and feels very painful.
- Laser therapy with a combination of nail cream. However, this method is still rarely available and still requires further research.
In addition to the above treatment measures, you can consume foods that contain calcium, protein and iron to support the healing process
Tips for Keeping Nails Healthy
Keep these things in mind if you want your nails to stay healthy without getting toenail fungus:
- Trim your nails regularly. Take care that the nails are not too long.
- Don't be lazy to wash your hands to keep your nails clean. After that, dry it properly. Avoid staying in damp conditions for a long time, especially when using artificial nails.
- When doing nail care at the salon, make sure the nail care tools are really clean. Make sure the beauty products you use have not expired when you use them.
- If necessary, bring your own nail care equipment when you go to the salon, to ensure cleanliness. Make sure nail beauty products are stored properly, not exposed to direct sunlight, not damp, packaging is not damaged.
- Avoid using artificial nails when you have a fungal nail infection, as this can make the condition worse.
- Always use shoes or footwear when in public places such as swimming pools and other places. However, you should avoid using shoes that have not been used for a long time.
Making nails as a beautiful part of the body is indeed important to support appearance. However, taking care of his health, is much more important. Therefore, keep taking care of your nails for health reasons, not just beauty, so that your nails are free from fungal infections.
