Best Nail Fungus Treatment Reviews
Recommended Pick: emoniNail
- Destroys fungus at its source
- Most effective during our tests
- Natural and Safe Ingredients
- Money back guarantee
“We spent 8 weeks testing different types of nail fungus treatment. Effectiveness, ease of application, and length of time to see results were most important to our users. emoniNAIL’s Nail Fungus treatment scored high marks in all categories and is our top pick. “
– Danielle G., Director of Product Testing
Nail Fungus Treatment Buying Guide
What is a Nail Fungus Treatment?
There are many symptoms of nail fungus. You will see things like a white or yellow spot under the tip of your nail that gets bigger as the infection grows. Sometimes the nail will discolor, get very thick and then crumble at the edge of the nail. It doesn’t usually affect all the fingernails or toenails at once, but it can affect several at once.
The good news is that nail fungus is treatable. You don’t have to live with embarrassing, infected nails that you want to hide. With the right nail fungus treatment, you can take care of the infection and get the nails back on the right path to healing and regeneration.
How do people get fungus infections?
You may be wondering where in the world you got your nail fungus infection. There are many different things that can cause it or leave you open to getting one. We have outlined these potential dangers below so you can be on the lookout for these situations and avoid them.
- Nail fungus can come from a fungal skin infection elsewhere on the body. For example, if you have athlete’s foot, it csn spread to the toenails if the athlete’s foot is not treated fast enough or properly. You can also spread it from toenails to fingernails if you scratch your foot with your fingernails.
- Washing your hands too much can definitely be a culprit in causing fingernail infections, surprisingly enough. Although most people would think that washing the hands a lot would kill any fungus, washing hands a lot can weaken and damage the protective skin at the base of the nail, leaving a place for fungi to enter and cause problems. People that have jobs such as cook or cleaner may struggle with this problem.
- If you have certain medical conditions you may have an increased risk of developing a nail; fungus infection. These conditions include things like:
- Diabetes
- Psoriasis
- Poor circulation
- Poor immune system
- Poor general health
- Living in a hot or humid climate
- Smoking
- Continuous exposure to damp conditions
- Abnormal pH levels
- Tight or ill-fitting shoes
The thing to remember is no one is really immune from getting a nail infection. You can seemingly do everything “right” and still get one.
What Happens When You Have a Fungus Infection?
There are several things that you will see going on when you get a nail fungus infection. These are the common symptoms that go along with this annoying and frustrating condition. You will notice that the infected nails, whether toenails or fingernails, will become discolored, thick and very brittle.
Thickened nails are sometimes painful to the touch because of the pressure they put on the nail bed underneath. The nail beds of an infected nail can develop ulcers. This is most often seen as someone gets older and pressure increases.
When it is toenail fungus, you may even notice that the toenails that are infected will crumble and separate from the nail bed. This is very painful and can affect your quality of life by making simple things like walking very painful.
Is Nail Fungus Contagious?
YES, nail fungus infections are highly contagious and you can get it or spread it in many different locations like public swimming pools, gyms and fitness centers and community showers. You can even spread it to your family in your own home shower. If you share shoes you can give the infection to the person who is sharing them so that is not something you want to do when you are battling a nail fungus infection.
Helping you heal faster
There are things that you can do to help your nail fungus heal faster, the first thing is to choose the right nail fungus treatment. You have three excellent choices in the top rated nail fungus treatments we have reviewed here. Follow the directions on the bottles and that will also clear up the infection faster.
Here are some steps that you csn follow while you are in the process of treating your nail fungus infection.
- Keep the infected nails cut short
- File down any thickened nails
- Use separate scissors to cut the infected nails to prevent contaminating the clippers/scissors. Don’t share them with anyone else and plan on bleaching and sterilizing them after using them.
- Avoid injuries and any irritants to your infected nails. Wearing gloves can prevent irritation. Use cotton and vinyl gloves for wet work and cotton for dry, such as gardening. If your toenails are the ones infected, keep your feet cool and dry as often as possible and wear shoes that fit properly with a wide toe box.
Preventing Fungus Infections from Happening
There are things you can do to prevent nail fungus infections from re-occurring or from showing up in the first place. Following these things can keep you from having to go through the hassle and pain of dealing with unsightly nail fungus infections.
Since healthy feet depend on good foot hygiene, the more you make the following suggestions a regular part of your routine the better your feet will look and feel. Although these suggestions deal primarily with the feet, you can apply the same principles to the fingernails when it comes to trimming the nails and cleanliness.
- Clipping the Nails Correctly – Use a properly sanitized set of clippers and cut the nails correctly. Cut straight across the nail and use a file to file down any sharp edges.
- Make Sure Your Shoes Fit – You don’t want your shoes to touch your toenails at all. Make sure the shoes fit properly and that they are not cramping your feet or are so big that your feet slide in them.
- Choose Footwear that Breathes – The more air that circulates around your feet the better. That will keep your feet dry and make your toenails less susceptible to toenail fungus. Leather or canvas is breathable material that makes good choices.
- Don’t Wear the Same Shoes Two Days in a Row – If you wear one pair of shoes all day long, let them have a day in between when you wore them and when you wear them again. Allowing them a day to air out before you wear them again will prevent you from wearing damp shoes, thereby increasing your risk for problems. On the day you’re not wearing them, be sure to put them in a place that they will be able to dry.
- Don’t go Barefoot in Public Places – Locker rooms, public pools, showers and other similar areas can be breeding grounds for fungus. Don’t go barefoot in these areas. Wear flip-flops, sandals or shower shoes in moist environments.
- Disinfect Moist Areas – Scrub your shower and disinfect it with bleach or a bleach-based cleaner to get rid of any potential fungus from the shower. Also spray your shoes with an antibacterial spray, especially if they are shoes you’ve worn without socks. Wash all your socks in hot water with bleach to kill any fungi that may be present. Wash your feet daily as well and dry thoroughly, especially between the toes where moisture can be a real problem.
- Sprinkle Shoes with Powder – There are some good foot powders on the market that are easy to get. Most drug stores and grocery stores have a few selections of foot powders you can purchase. Sprinkle your shoes and inside your socks before you put them on. Not only will it keep your feet drier, it will prevent odor as well.
Tips for Avoiding Fungus Problems
Follow these tips below once you start using a nail fungus treatment so you can get rid of it right away and prevent it from coming back. Treatments won’t do any good if you don’t take care of things during treatment and after to prevent re-infecting your nails.
- Treat athlete’s foot immediately – if you think or know that you have athlete’s foot, start treatment right away so you can prevent it from getting worse and potentially spreading to other places like your toenails and fingernails.
- Wear shower shoes – If you use public showers or pools, be certain to wear shower shoes to protect your feet from being exposed to any fungi that comes from other people.
- Treat Nail Fungus Right Away – If you have nail fungus, start treatment immediately and don’t let it sit. The more it spreads and worse it gets the harder it is to treat. Fast treatment with one of the top rated nail fungus treatments and you will be back on track soon.
What About Nail Salons?
If a nail salon technician doesn’t use clean tools you can easily get a nail fungus infection. Here are some tips and pointers to use when using a nail salon.
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- Try to watch the practices of the nail salon by watching someone else get a manicure or pedicure
- The nail techs should wear masks and gloves to do manicures and pedicures
- The nail techs should not cut any calluses
- Ask the nail salon about their sterilization practices
- Ask if the nail salon uses an autoclave for sterilization
Conclusion
When it comes to treating nail fungus infections, the first step is beginning treatment with the right nail fungus treatment. If none of the three choices we have reviewed here will work for you, use the information provided in the buyer’s guide to choose the right nail fungus treatment and begin treatment right away.
Once that is started, it’s time to make sure you don’t get the fungus anymore and also to give the infected nails you do have fungi on have the best chance for healing. Having the right nail fungus treatment means you can take care of the problem and not have to hide your hands or feet anymore.
Although it is a very common problem in the US, it doesn’t make it any easier when it’s you who is afraid to show off your feet or hands. Get started with the right choice now and you will be back to normal in no time.
Recommended Pick: emoniNail
- Destroys fungus at its source
- Most effective during our tests
- Natural and Safe Ingredients
- Money back guarantee
“We spent 8 weeks testing different types of nail fungus treatment. Effectiveness, ease of application, and length of time to see results were most important to our users. emoniNAIL’s Nail Fungus treatment scored high marks in all categories and is our top pick. “
– Danielle G., Director of Product Testing