ÿþ<html> <head> <title>The Nail Fungus Question</title> </head> <body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple style='tab-interval:.25in'> <img alt="[Hand Logo]" align="left" src="./image002.jpg"> <H1><b><i>Nails Your Way</i></b></H1> <hr size=1 color="gray" width="100%" align=center> <a href="./index.htm" title="[Nails Your Way Home Page]"> HOME</a> | <a href="./aboutNYW.htm" title="[A Therapeutic Nail Care Salon]"> About NYW</a> | <a href="./articles.htm" title="[Articles from Chapel Hill News &amp; Views]"> ARTICLES</a> | <a href="./listserv.htm" title="[List of Services]">SERVICES & PRICES</a> | <a href="./Map-NYW.htm" title="[Location: Directions & Map]">MAP</a><br> <hr size=1 color="gray" width="100%" align=center> <H2>The Nail Fungus Question</H2> <p>A question I am often asked is  What causes nail fungus and how could I have caught it? Nail fungus is also known as <i>Onychomycosis</i> and it affects an estimated 40 million Americans by the age of 70. Some people have inherited tendencies that make them more susceptible to developing nail fungus infections.</p> <p>The microscopic fungi are organisms called <i>dermatophytes</i>. <i>Dermatophytes</i> grow and infect underneath the nail and eat away at the nail plate. Untreated fungus causes the nails to become thick, brittle, discolored, distorted and can spread from toe to toe, finger to finger, or person to person and it rarely goes away without treatment.</p> <p>Nail fungus is prevalent in people who go to public swimming pools, gyms, and in people who sweat heavily. Increased risk factors include wearing closed-in footwear, prolonged moist skin, and minor skin or nail injuries. Nail fungus can be caught from gardening without gloves and digging in the dirt because fungus organisms live in moist soil. Nail fungus infections are commonly spread by the use of unsanitary nail grooming procedures used at sub-standard or discount nail salons. The spread of nail fungus can occur when a nail tech does not use sanitized manicure and pedicure implements. Filing can spread fingernail fungus with an unsanitized electric drill bit that is used on an infected acrylic nail client and then used on an uninfected nail client. Toenail fungus infections can be caught from whirlpool pedicure thrones that are not adequately cleaned, sanitized and disinfected. </p> <p>Fungus has become so prevalent that Dermatologists, Podiatrists, and medical doctors are advising people to choose salons that have high standards of cleanliness and that always follow state guidelines for proper sanitation and disinfection procedures used during manicure and pedicure services.</p> <p>Dermatologists, Podiatrists or medical doctors can prescribe oral medications like <i>Sporonox</i> or </i>Lamisil</i> tablets, however studies show that 40 to 60 percent of patients who use oral fungus medications experience a recurrence. To prevent catching fungus again from your shoes or from showers and tubs that have not been consistently cleaned and disinfected, Dermatologist Godfrey Mix recommends that you spray your shoes with an Antifungal foot spray and place them in a zip-lock bag and put them in the freezer. Dr. Mix also recommends putting a drop of vinegar on the fungus spot each day because fungus doesn t like to grow in an acidic environment. It is also recommended that a topical liquid fungus medication containing Thymol and Miconazole Nitrate be used in conjunction with oral medication because fungus is very difficult to treat and severe cases can take up to two years to go away. </p> <p>It is beneficial to get professional manicures every two weeks and professional pedicures every three or four weeks from a high quality nail salon that follows state guidelines for safe sanitation and disinfection procedures. Whichever method you choose to cure fungus infections it is important to consistently follow the daily treatment recommendations in order to adequately kill the fungus organisms once and for all.</p> <hr size=1 color="gray" width="100%" align=center> <p><a href="./Map-NYW.htm" title="[Location: Directions & Map]"><img alt="[Look for the Hand]" align="left" src="./5900hand.jpg"></a> Read Jeanne's Latest Monthly Article In Chapel Hill News & Views.</p> <p></p><a href="./Map-NYW.htm" title="[Location: Directions & Map]"><img alt="[MAP]" align="right" src="./MAP-NYW1-tn.jpg"></a> <p><b>Nails Your Way</b><br> <i>Jeanne Grace Curtis</i><br> <i>5900 Orchard Road</i><br> <i>Douglasville GA 30135-4726</i></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p>Look for the Hand Sign pointing at the gate!<br> (All the way at the end of Orchard Road)</p> <p align=right>Click on Map for Printable Copy. </p> <h3 style="color:red">By Appointment Only</h3> <TABLE border="3" cellspacing="3" cellpadding="3"> <TR style="color:black"> <TD align=right><b>Sun-Mon</TD> <TD align=left><b>Closed</TD> </TR> <TR> <TD align=right><b>Tues-Sat</TD> <TD align=left><b>11am-7pm</TD> </TR> </TABLE> </b> <h2 style="color:red">770-949-3113</h2> <hr size=1 color="gray" width="100%" align=center> <a href="./index.htm" title="[Nails Your Way Home Page]"> HOME</a> | <a href="./aboutNYW.htm" title="[A Therapeutic Nail Care Salon]"> About NYW</a> | <a href="./articles.htm" title="[Articles from Chapel Hill News &amp; Views]"> ARTICLES</a> | <a href="./listserv.htm" title="[List of Services]">SERVICES & PRICES</a> | <a href="./Map-NYW.htm" title="[Location: Directions & Map]">MAP</a><br> <hr size=1 color="gray" width="100%" align=center> </body> </html>