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Nail Fungus Myths

Wrong Beliefs About Nail Fungus

There is always the danger of getting wrong information on health conditions. Getting wrong information about nail fungus infection could lead you into taking wrong steps in either preventing or curing the infection. Therefore, getting accurate information on any health subject including nail fungus infection is vital.

Almost 35 million people have some kind of nail fungus infection. Studies have shown that nearly one half of people visiting skin clinics in the US are on account of nail fungus infection. The fact that nail fungus infection is widespread is also the reason why there are several wrong beliefs about nail fungus infection.

Nail fungus is caused by certain microorganisms such as:

Fungi~Tinea unguium

Yeasts~Candida albicans

Moulds

The foot provides a warm yet moist environment for these microorganisms to multiply and keep the infection alive. This article aims to explain the wrong beliefs relating to nail fungus infection.

Wrong belief 1: There is no cure for nail fungus

This is a totally wrong belief. But there are certain things about nail fungus infection such as:

  • The infection could happen again in spite of being earlier cured by medicines.
  • The facts that nail fungus could spread from one infected nail to other healthy nails.

These issues are responsible for the wrong belief that there is no cure for nail fungus. However, by using some topical medications, nail fungus infection can be completely cured. When certain topical medications are continuously used, the infected nail falls off and fresh nail grows in its place.

Wrong belief 2: It does not take much time to cure nail fungus

This belief is also wrong. For topical medications to be effective it has to penetrate the nail. For the medicines to penetrate the nail, you may have to apply topical medications for longer periods of time. So keep applying the medicine on the infected nail until you get results and the new healthy nail has a chance to grow in. Naturally this takes time. This means it indeed takes more time to cure nail fungus infection.

There is another reason why it takes time to cure nail fungus. The growth of fresh nails is fairly slow. Studies have indicated the growth rates to be as follows:

  • Fingernails: 3 mm a month
  • Toenails: 1 mm a month

This means it would take a long time for an infected nail to be replaced by a fresh nail. Therefore the belief “It does not take much time to cure nail fungus” is totally wrong

Wrong belief 3: All topical applications (creams and gels) can cure nail fungus.

Topical medications are certainly effective in some instances. However, many of them have difficulty in penetrating the nail and reaching the fungus which flourishes beneath the nail in the nail bed. But, there are some topical treatment that are exceptions. Very often oral medications are found to be  effective  but they carry many harsh side effects and can be dangerous to internal organs. So it is wrong to believe that all topical medicines can easily cure nail fungus infection. They must be oil based, natural anti-fungal preparations in order to work.

Wrong belief 4: The cause of nail fungus is poor hygiene

The statement that “the cause of nail fungus is poor hygiene” is incorrect. By cleaning the infected area you will not be able to get rid of nail fungus either. Although poor hygiene may be one of the reasons for the occurrence of nail fungus, it is not the main reason for it. Nail fungus infection could be cured by:

  • Oral medications to boost immune system(the natural system in the body which fights diseases)
  • Natural remedies
  • Use of prescription medications (which may have serious side effects)

Wrong belief 5: You could get nail fungus if you happen to visit a public place as for example the school locker room.

There is no certainty that you could get nail fungus infection if you were to merely visit a public place. On the contrary, you could get the nail fungus infection even if you sit at home and do not frequent public places. Much depends on your immune system and how it could ward off the fungal infection before it reaches the nail beds. Ultimately when the nail fungus does appear it is only because your immune system couldn’t counter the fungus attack. Therefore, it is wrong to believe that you could get nail fungus if you merely happen to visit a public place.

Wrong belief 6: Home remedies for nail fungus suits everyone

Nothing could be further from the truth as this one. There is no denying the fact that home remedies have been found to be very useful in treating nail fungus infection. But what works well for one person may not suit another person. For example, if by applying cedar vinegar  or Vick Vaporub you were able to cure your toenail infection it doesn’t mean it would work the same way for someone else too. Moreover, the scientific basis of home remedies has not been conclusively established.