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Fingernail & Toenail Health, Preventing Nail Fungus

Dr. Kline & Green Team
24 September 2019
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Your health begins at your nails. And, to make sure you are taking good care of yourself, our team of healthcare professionals have pulled together everything you need to know to keep your fingernails, toenails–and you–in tip-top shape.

Fingernails & Toenails are a Sign of Overall Health

Your fingernails are a window to your health. Some nail changes are natural. But others can signal health concerns, especially changes in nail color and growth patterns.  Take a good look at your nails right now. Here is what they could be trying to inform you:

Peeling Nails – if your nails are peeling, you may have a mineral absorption defect. While something as tiny as not chewing your food enough can cause this, it could also imply a small quantity of acid in your belly.

White Spots – while most individuals think that white spots on nails are in fact a sign of a calcium deficiency, they may actually be a small region of nail fungus or a small consequence of nail trauma such as bumping or dinging your finger. If your nail has pain, seek medical care to treat your fungus concern. If there is no pain and the outcome of trauma is probable, the white spot merely needs to develop out

Yellowing Nails – A fungal nail infection is one of the most prevalent causes of the yellow nail. The nail bed can retract as the infection worsens, and the nails can thicken and crumble. Yellow nails may, in rare instances, show a more severe condition that can affect ones overall immune system, such as severe thyroid disease, pulmonary illness, diabetes, or psoriasis.

Bluish Nails – Bluish tinted nails may imply that the body does not get enough oxygen. The issue with the lung, like emphysema. Some problems with the heart are also associated with bluish nails.

Dark Vertical Lines of Color – while dark marks underneath nails could be benign moles underneath your nail bed, single, new bands of color could also indicate melanoma, the most dangerous type of skin cancer. If you notice this, see your dermatologist immediately.

Rippling –  If the nail surface is rippled or pitted, this may be an early sign of psoriasis or inflammatory arthritis. Discoloration of the nail is common; the skin under the nail can seem reddish-brown.


Cracking or Splitting – Dry, brittle nails that frequently break or split even without the use of clippers, have been linked to thyroid disease. Cracking or splitting combined with a yellowish hue is more likely due to a fungal infection.

Puffy Nail Fold –  If the skin around the nail appears red and puffy, this is known as inflammation of the nail fold. It may be the result of lupus or another connective tissue disorder. Infection can also cause redness and swelling of the nail fold.

Dry Cuticles – this one is a bit more evident, but it deserves a definite mention as it is likely the most prevalent. There is a decent chance you are dehydrated if your cuticles are dry or peeling. Moisturize your nails and everything around it!

What causes fingernail and toenail fungus?

If you’ve got nail fungus, you are not alone. About 10 percent of the adult population suffers from nail fungus infections, making them the most common diseases of the nails, accounting for as much as 50 percent of nail abnormalities.

Onychomycosis (on-ick-oh-my-CO-sis) – a condition that may involve the toenails or fingernails (but is more common in feet) is an infection that gets in through cracks in your nail or cuts in your skin. This fungal infection & nail disease lives underneath the nail, in the surface of the nail bed. Nail fungus can make your nail change color or get thicker  – and it is more than a cosmetic concern. It can also hurt. If treatment of onychomycosis does not occur, an infection or reinfection can easily spread to other nails or your skin.

What are the symptoms of toenail fungus?

Nails infected are generally thicker than usual and maybe distorted or molded strangely. They are easy to break. Nails may look yellow with a fungus. A white dot appears on the nail sometimes and then gets larger. It can tighten and even separate the nail from the bed when this type of fungus builds up under your nail. In more severe cases, the fungal infection of the nail can spread around your nail area to the skin as well.

Hydration & Nail Moisture

Almost one-quarter of the people in the United States have what’s known as “brittle nail syndrome.” Brittle nails readily break and chip, and layers can also peel off in a crumbly manner. Rather than a smooth surface, they are much more probable to have jagged, rough edges.

The very things that make your nails look lovely and shiny can also render them fragile and breakable. Artificial nails are not good for the natural nail surface, while even in moist environments, nail polish ingredients like formaldehyde may dry out nails after too many manicures and pedicures, even at professional nail salons. And the remover of nail polish is doubly harmful. The acetone in many nail polish removers is extremely drying to nails.   For the majority of people with brittle, dry nails, the best treatment is the simplest: moisturize!

Applying moisturizer to your nails can keep them from becoming brittle. Moisturizer protects the nail plate from the air and water that can increase risk factors.

Find out more about toenail fungus here

Effective treatment options for toenail fungus and fingernail fungus is available online here, and over the counter, from board certified dermatology specialists Dr. Kline and Green include –

CLEAR + RESTORE  Topical treatment that is clinically proven to quickly clear up unsightly yellowing caused by nail fungus and restore nails to looking natural and healthy. Buy Clear + Restore and find out how to reduce nail fungus issues with our nail hydration treatment.

HYDRATE – Proven effective, gentle hydration treatment for dry or undernourished nails.

Nail strengthening and antifungal treatment options are available over the counter and for purchase online.  Find out how Dr. Kline & Green’s products can work in preventing nail fungal infection and get the latest advice on taking care of your nails on our website.  Our products are Hypo-Allergenic and clinically tested to have NO adverse side effects.

For additional information on the various treatment options, please consult the links below.

Home Remedies / Over-the-Counter Treatments

  • Apple Cider Vinegar / White Vinegar
  • Hydrogen Peroxide *
  • Bleach *
  • Coconut Oil *
  • Essential Oil *
  • Tea Tree Oil *
  • Cinnamon Oil *
  • Vicks Vapor Rub *
  • Listerine *

Topical Prescriptions

Oral Prescriptions

Surgery

  • Laser Treatment *

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