BY CLAIR WHITTY
Fungal nail infections are common. Your finger or toe nails can be affected. Thankfully they are not serious, they are unsightly, and unfortunately, they can be very slow to clear up. Your nails will appear thicker, they will change colour, often a yellow or greenish colour, and they can become brittle. The infection often starts at the outer edge of the nails and spread then to the middle of the nail. The nail can lift off the skin, they can break off in pieces, sometimes there can be pain and swelling.
Over the counter antifungal creams, or prescribed medication can take up to 12 months to clear infection and even at that may not work. Plus there can be side effects from these antifungal medicines that can include headaches, loss of taste, diarrhoea and itching. These medications could also damage your liver.
Natural remedies can be slow too and patience will be required, but the difference is that you will work from the inside out to resolve the problem and this can make the difference.
The cause of these fungal nail infections varies, it could be that you had athletes’ foot and the fungus that caused the athlete’s foot spread to your toenails. You could have walked barefoot where someone else walked and picked it up that way. You are more likely to get fungal toe nail infections if you have sweaty feet.
Don’t delay if you have an infection, don’t keep putting it off, deal with it quickly to try to stop the spread to other nails.
A combination of diet, supplements, and external treatments will be needed. Natural antifungal remedies include Garlic, Olive leaf, Oregano, or one of my favourites is A.Vogel Spilanthes. This is a traditional herbal remedy that I have recommended many times over the years. Fungus thrives on sugar and yeast so avoid these as best you can.
Soak your feet in a basin of warm water with tea tree essential oil added. Dry your feet well and afterwards paint your nails with Jasons Tea Tree Nail Saver. Tea tree oil has natural antifungal properties. Keep your feet dry, change your socks daily, and allow footwear to air and swap shoes around daily if you can.
I hope this information helps.
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