Yellow Toenails Are Caused By Toenail Fungus. Seek Treatment Early.
Yellow Toenails are an early symptom of toenail fungus infection [also known as Onychomycosis].
The cause of yellow toenails is the fungus spreading under your nail, leaving yellow keratin debris. If the nail is not completely yellow, it generally means the infection is in the early stages – the fungus has only started to grow in part of the toenail, producing a yellow streak.
Getting early treatment for your yellow toenails is critically important – as the toenail fungus spreads deeper into the nail, additional symptoms may appear including:
- Discolored toenails
- Black toenails
- Thick toenails
- Brittle, crumbly, or ragged toenails
- Slightly foul odor
- Pain in your toes/toenails
- Separation of the nail from the nail bed
Toenail Fungus Pictures
These pictures show the progression of Toenail Fungus.
You can see the healthy nail gives way to yellow toenails as the fungus spreads. Eventually, it causes the nail to become brittle and crack. Without treatment, what was just a yellow toenail eventually results in crumbling of the nail and potentially permanent damage.
Can I Get Rid Of the Yellow Toenail Fungus?
Once a nail is infected by fungus, you must get treatment or it will not go away. Although nail fungus is very stubborn, when detected early it can be treated relatively easily.
If left untreated, it will continue to spread and increase the risk of potentially serious health complications – At this point, getting rid of your yellow toenails will be the last of your concerns!
What Is The Potential For Serious Health Complications?
In addition to the yellow toenails, pain, foul odor, and permanent damage to the nails – toenail fungus infections pose a serious health risk for people with diabetes and those with weakened immune systems such as people with AIDS, leukemia, or those who’ve received an organ transplant.
What Are My Toenail Fungus Treatment Options?
Once toenail fungus starts spreading, it’s very hard to get rid of. Over the years we’ve tried virtually every product on the market with our patients.
Unfortunately, most of them are ineffective or produce mixed results. Additionally, most drugstores have very few products marketed towards toenail fungus, though some of these might work occasionally if you catch the infection early enough. Most of the time, they’ll only temporarily mask the symptoms while the fungus continues to spread.
There are also numerous toenail fungus home remedies out there, but they don’t work and we do not recommend them. You probably don’t need us to tell you that pouring vinegar on your feet is NOT going to cure toenail fungus! You will still have yellow toenails, but your feet will probably smell like vinegar too.
So What Is The Best Way To Get Rid Of Toenail Fungus & Yellow Toenails?
1. Zetaclear Toenail Fungus Treatment
In our experience, we’ve had the most success with an over-the-counter product called Zetaclear. We’ve been using Zetaclear for over 7 years with our patients and have had great success with it. Many patients have reported nearly instant reduction in symptoms after using Zetaclear, and many have shown no signs of infection in as little as 2-3 weeks!
Zetaclear Toenail Fungus Treatment works as a two-pronged attack on fungal infection. An oral spray applied under the tongue delivers anti-fungal ingredients rapidly to the bloodstream, while a topical solution is applied to the infected nails – quickly reducing symptoms such as yellow toenails, and attacking the fungus directly.
We’ve included a link below where you can purchase Zetaclear below retail price by ordering online direct from the manufacturer. Order by July 14, 2011, to take advantage of this wholesale pricing.
Some facts about Zetaclear:
- Gets Rid of Yellow Toenails quickly by clearing keratin debris
- Fights the fungus itself from the surface and through the bloodstream, making more effective than other toenail fungus treatments
- Uses naturally occuring Anti-Fungal ingredients making it Natural, Safe & Effective
- Quick results: Get your beautiful natural toenails back as soon as possible!
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2. Lamisil (Terbinafine)
Lamisil is the most prescribed anti-fungal agent used for toenail fungus treatment. This drug has a high success rate, but it comes with several down sides as well.
It can be prescribed in tablet form, as a cream, or a spray. The greatest risk comes with the tablet form of Lamisil, but this is also the method frequently prescribed for the most severe cases of toenail fungus.
Treatment Time
Treatment with Laimisil usually takes about 3 months for toenail fungus, and 1-2 months for fingernail fungus, though treatment time will depend on the severity of the condition being treated.
Blood must be tested before and monitored throughout the course of treatment due to the high risk of liver damage. The high cost of Lamisil itself, the blood tests, frequent visits to the doctor, and the long list of potentially nasty side effects deter many from choosing this treatment option, but unfortunately with advanced cases of toenail fungus, it is sometimes the only option.
Lamisil Side Effects
Some of the side effects of Lamisil can be quite severe. Be sure to discuss these possibilities with your physician so that you are fully educated on the risks and benefits of this form of toenail fungus treatment. Your physician may also be able to assist you in dealing with some of the side effects.
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- Diarrhea
- Nausea
- vomiting
- Mild stomach pain
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- General skin irritation
- Redness and Iching
- Dryness Burning Rash
- Stinging
- Tingling
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Be sure to immediately contact your physician if you experience any of the following side effects:
- Aching joints and muscles
- Darkening of the urine
- Difficulty Swallowing
- Loss of appetite
- Fever
- Pale Skin/Stools
- Blistering or loosening of the skin
- Yellow eyes/skin
- Uncommon fatigue
- Uncommon bleeding/bruising
- Persistent headache
- Persistent fatigue
- Abdominal pain
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FAQs
What causes Fungus Infections?
Fungi are microscopic organisms that thrive in dark, warm, damp environments. These include swimming pools, showers, basements, changing rooms, and even the inside of your shoe. Because our feet are frequently exposed to these environments where fungus can thrive, fungal infections are much more likely to occur in the toenails than in fingernails.
It should also be noted that at any given time, your body is a host to a variety of Fungi. Most of these are beneficial to your body’s internal ecosystem, but others may cause harmful infection. Minor skin or nail injuries may be an entry point for a fungal infection to take hold.
There are certain ways that the yellow toenail fungal disease will contract a person. They are:
• Sharing of infected persons shoes, socks etc
• Using unsterilized tools while having a manicure or pedicure in salons
• No air circulation for the toes for a long period
• Wearing socks or shoes in a wet feet
• Non-removal of the socks and shoes after an exercise
Yellow toenails - fungal infection
Once a person contracts yellow toenails because of the fungal infection, the best solutions is getting clinical advice from the doctor and proceed further.
Topical antifungal creams are prescribed which gives better control over the disease. Home remedies may change the discolouration, but not remove the root cause of the problems.
Oral antifungal medication is also prescribed occasionally by the doctors. These medications enter the blood stream and attack the fungus.
These medications are highly risky as it affects the liver or kidneys so continuous monitoring of the patients is required if he is under oral antifungal drugs. In advanced cases the doctor might suggest surgical removal of the toe nail. But there are chances that after nail removal, new nails might grow which may also be affected by this fungus.
Why Is It So Hard To Get Rid Of Yellow Toenail Fungus?
Toenail fungus is notoriously difficult to cure and has a very high percentage of reoccurrence. Those nasty, ugly yellow toenails are frustrating for those suffering from toenail fungus (onychomycosis), and the fact that there are so few effective treatments are even more frustrating.
Toenail fungus has been traditionally very difficult to treat because nails grow very slowly and receive very little blood supply. While great advances have been made in recent years for both oral (taken by mouth) as well as topical (applied directly to the infected skin/nail) treatments, toenail fungus treatment is still characterized by high rates of recurrence, expensive medications, and health risks.
One solution that has been used effectively to treat toenail fungus has been to combine oral medications with topically applied solutions. This way, the oral medication can deliver anti-fungal ingredients through the bloodstream to the infected area where the topical medicine cannot penetrate, while the topical solution can offer quick relief from toenail fungus attacking the surface of the nail and skin.
Toenail fungus treatment should not be viewed as a quick solution, but rather as a long term treatment plan to manage and eventually cure the toenail fungus infection. Treatment can be quite long in duration: usually 2-3 months to get rid of the fungus, and potentially another 6-10 months for the nail to fully heal, depending on the severity of the infection. Because toenail fungus treatment is a long term plan, it’s important to be very thorough when researching toenail fungus treatment options.
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What Are Common Toenail Fungus Symptoms?
Have you noticed your toenails developing yellow streaks? Have they been getting thicker and maybe even brittle?
These are all symptoms of an infection caused by toenail fungus, also known as onychomycosis.
Yellow toenails, which may appear as yellow streaks, are an early indication of toenail fungus. The thickening and brittleness you may also be experiencing are an indication that the toenail fungus is spreading. Some other toenail fungus symptoms include:
- White, green, black, or yellow toenail discoloration
- Brittle/Thick toenails
- Crumbling Edges
- Pain in toes
- Slightly foul odor emitted from the infection
Not all of these symptoms need to be present for a diagnosis of toenail fungus. If you aren’t experiencing pain, or if your nails aren’t yet thick and brittle, it just means that you’ve likely caught the toenail fungus early. This is good, it is much easier to treat and cure toenail fungus before it has had a chance to spread. If your only symptom is yellow toenails, or better yet just a yellow dot or streak, it should be relatively easy to treat.
Many toenail fungus sufferers don’t seek any treatment and simply hope that their yellow toenails will go away. Unfortunately, what usually happens is that the toenail will become to thicken and grow darker in color, the nail becomes brittle and starts to crumble at the edges. By the time the patient is experiencing pain, there is a risk of permanent damage to the nail.
Look for over the counter toenail fungus medications online or at your local pharmacy that contain tea tree oil. Tea tree oil is a natural anti-fungal oil that has been clinically proven to treat and cure toenail fungus, without many of the nasty side effects and cost found in prescription medications. Some of the more commonly prescribed toenail fungus medications can cost upwards of $100 a week, and require blood tests to monitor liver function, as they’ve been known to carry a serious risk of permanent liver damage.
How Can I Prevent Toenail Fungus?
Did you know that 50% of people will have had toenail fungus by the age of 70? This unsightly and embarrassing ailment is more common than you think, though you may be asking yourself: what causes toenail fungus and how can I prevent it?
Fungus is everywhere; there is no avoiding it. It’s on our skin, it’s on the floor and infections can occur for seemingly no reason, with no immediately identifiable cause. However, knowing the conditions that foster and encourage the growth of fungus, as well as its causes, can go a long way to reducing the risk of getting a toenail fungus infection. Here are 7 keys to preventing toenail fungus infections.
1. Keep Your Feet and Toes Clean and Dry
Toenail fungus thrives in warm, wet environments. This means that if your socks get damp due to sweat or humidity, you’re practically inviting nail fungus to take root in your toes. This is a common toenail fungus cause that is easy to avoid. Always wear dry, clean socks. If you play sports, or work in an environment that can cause perspiration, keep an extra pair of clean socks on hand that you can change into.
2. Use Foot Powder
Continuing on the first tip, you can use foot powder to absorb moisture and reduce your chances of getting a toenail fungus infection. You don’t need to use it all the time, but this can be helpful if you’re going to be perspiring a lot, such as when playing a sport or other physically strenuous activity.
3. Maintain proper foot hygiene
This is a very obvious tip that should be practiced whether you are worried about toenail fungus or not. Clean yourself regularly, and thoroughly dry your feet after bathing or showering.
4. Keep nails trimmed and short
While there are obvious aesthetic reasons for this tip, toenails also go through a lot of wear and tear, whether from sports, work or just everyday walking. This wear and tear can create tiny cracks in the nails which invite fungal infection. Since you can’t change an active lifestyle simply to avoid toenail fungus, a simple solution is to keep your nails trimmed and short, especially if you’re an active individual.
5. Always wear flip-flops in places like locker rooms, communal showers, and public pools
Not only are these places wet and damp – a perfect environment for fungus to thrive, toenail fungus can easily be transmitted through contact with surfaces where an infected person’s barefeet have touched. By wearing flip flops, you can avoid one of the main causes of toenail fungus infections – transmission from an infected person.
6. Wear Cotton Socks
Not only will these help to absorb moisture, they allow the feet to breathe. Well-ventilated environments aren’t good for toenail fungus, which love moist, warm, dark places, so make sure to go with cotton socks.
7. Avoid Refined Carbohydrates and Sugar
Not only are these foods generally bad for your health, they also promote fungal growth. While in moderation it shouldn’t really affect your chances of contracting toenail fungus, it can certainly increase the likelihood of an infection taking hold if you overindulge.
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[wpsm_titlebox title=“Do Toenail Fungus Home Remedies Actually Work?” style=“2”] Because many of the prescription treatments for Toenail Fungus are not only expensive, but may have severe negative side effects including nausea, vomiting, jaundice, abdominal pain, and liver damage, many people suffering from nail fungus turn to home remedies.
While the use of home remedies to treat nail fungus has been around forever, these “treatments” now get passed around like wildfire because of the internet.
But do any of them actually work or are we just being fed misinformation?
Some common home remedies for toenail fungus include: soaking the affected toenail in a diluted vinegar bath twice a day, soaking in Listerine for 20 minutes twice a day, and applying rubbing alcohol or Vick’s Vapor Rub to the infected area.
The truth is, none of these toenail fungus home remedies have been proven to work. While there certainly are online reports of home remedies such as vinegar and mouthwash being used effectively to treat nail fungus, these rumors may do more harm than good if instead of seeking prompt, effective treatment – people stick to their toenail fungus home remedies and give the fungus a chance to spread.
Toenail fungus is best treated in the early stages and can cause some painful consequences if it spreads, including permanent loss of the nail. By choosing home remedies for your toenail fungus and putting off proper treatment, you might cause some real harm in the process.
On the other hand, if you’re dead set on experimenting with home remedies, the toenail fungus home remedies suggested above won’t do you any direct harm, and might even temporarily alleviate symptoms. But be sure to switch promptly to an effective, proven fungus treatment as soon as possible.
We highly suggest using Zetaclear as an effective alternative to home remedies for toenail fungus. We’ve been using it for years with our patients and it works great – better than many of the prescription alternatives and without the negative side effects. [/wpsm_titlebox]
Is Tea Tree Oil An Effective Toenail Fungus Cure?
One of the popular ingredients in a variety of over the counter toenail fungus cures is tea tree oil. Tea tree oil is extracted from the leaves of the Melaleuca tree, which is found on the northeast coast of Australia.
Tea tree oil is known for having anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties. When applied topically to a toenail fungus infection, it has been demonstrated to be effective in treating toenail fungus and curing it.
However, as with all toenail fungus cures, it is not always 100% effective. Depending on the cause and severity of your infection, you may need to supplement tea tree oil with other medicines.
Problems With Tea Tree Oil As A Toenail Fungus Cure
While tea tree oil can be a very effective treatment for toenail fungus, because tea tree oil is only applied to the surface of the nail or skin, it doesn’t treat fungus that has managed to spread beneath the nail or surface of the skin. Drinking tea tree oil has no medicinal effect and can cause some unpleasant consequences.
The solution is to look for products that supplement tea tree oil with an oral (taken through the mouth) toenail fungus cure.
Some medicines will come with a topical solution including tea tree oil that can be applied directly to the toenail fungus, while also coming with a tablet or spray that can be taken orally. This way, the fungus is treated directly on the surface, while the oral medication delivers anti-fungal ingredients through the bloodstream to treat the infected area below the surface.
The Right Approach With All Toenail Fungus Cures
Ultimately you will have the most success in treating toenail fungus by being informed and sticking to your course of treatment. There is no toenail fungus cure that is 100% successful, but choosing the treatment that is most appropriate for the circumstances of your infection, and following through with treatment will give you the largest chance for a successful toenail fungus cure.
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