Nail Fungus from Salons

Can you pick up nail fungus from salons? The answer is yes, but you shouldn't. A conscientious manicurist should clean and sterilize the area and any instruments between clients to ensure that fungal spores are not spread from one person to another, and in many localities there are strict regulations enforcing this. In addition, the experienced manicurist should be able to recognize the early signs of nail fungus and abstain from working on infected nails, instead advising the client to see a medical professional for diagnosis and treatment. Still, some salons do not adhere strictly to regulations and individual manicurists may be lax in their conduct or sterilization techniques. When it comes to salons, it's a case of "buyer beware."

People pick up nail fungus from spas and other beauty and health establishments for a variety of reasons. Wherever there are hot tubs and saunas, or any other place that has continually high humidity, the conditions are good for the survival of fungal elements. When someone with a fungal infection uses the facility, fungal spores can be left behind - spores that are viable and capable of growing and infecting someone new. The skin and nails of the feet are at particular risk here, and those that walk barefoot on wet tile floors, pool decks, or other wet surfaces risk picking up a fungus. Nail fungus from salons is more often transmitted from contaminated tools and instruments. In this scenario the infection is more likely to be on the hands, as many people visit salons for manicure only.

Some fungi that grow in the environment are capable of causing nail fungus infections. They are found in soil and decaying organic material and invade the nails when hands and feet come in contact with them. Nail fungus from spas, however, is more likely to be a true dermatophyte, a fungus well adapted to taking nourishment from keratin, the protein found in nails. Once under the nail - nail fungus from salons may be introduced through the cuticle, at the edges of nails, under the tip, or even under artificial nails - spores are protected in a warm moist environment and they begin to grow. Infiltrating the nail and spreading out form the starting point, they gradually destroy the structure and create an ugly brown scaly nail.

To avoid getting nail fungus from salons, make certain that your manicurist is a licensed trained professional. Ask about sterilization procedures and standards, and satisfy yourself that the premises are clean and orderly. As an added precaution, it's a good idea to bring your own tools to ensure that you are not being exposed to anyone else's health problems. After your manicure, have any redness or soreness assessed by a medical professional. To avoid nail fungus from spas, again, take a look at the premises and ask about sanitation procedures. Always wear footwear whenever possible and never share personal items such as towels or clippers. If nail or skin conditions occur after a spa visit, have them seen to promptly.

Clove Oil for Nail Fungus

Antifungal essential oil blends marketed as alternative medicines often contain clove oil for nail fungus. Popular for hundreds of years, cloves are native to Indonesia and they are best known to most of us an aromatic spice used in pumpkin pie and gingerbread men. Apart from the well known culinary uses, cloves have traditionally been used medicinally as an antiseptic, antibacterial, local anesthetic, relief for nausea and vomiting, a digestive aid, an anti-inflammatory, and even an aphrodisiac. The spice is now grown in other places, particularly Africa and Madagascar, and exported to the rest of the world. Whole cloves are the dried buds of the Syzygium aromaticum tree, while the essential oil is made from the leaves of the same plant.

Well known antiseptic properties have lead investigators to wonder whether they could use Syzygium aromaticum for nail fungus and as an antifungal in other applications. Laboratory testing has confirmed that the plant extract kills yeast and fungi in solution, and experiments with plants have also shown antifungal properties - all positive signs that clove oil for nail fungus is a viable idea. The pure oil, however, is very strong and can cause dermatitis or burns if applied directly to the skin. For this reason, and because a number of other aromatic herbs have been shown to have antifungal ability, it's a good idea to use clove oil blended with other plant essences.

Plants in nature have evolved their own ways of fighting off the fungi in the environment that would otherwise attack and kill them. The value of Syzygium aromaticum for nail fungus undoubtedly arises from the plant's own need to protect itself from fungal attack. It's a process of nature that we can easily exploit. Processing the plant to produce a concentrated clove oil for nail fungus provides an even more potent preparation - a natural and apparently effective therapy for a stubborn problem that seems to plague more and more people. For many, this type of approach is preferable to taking costly prescription drugs that have a reputation for causing unpleasant and sometimes dangerous side effects.

Some research indicates that clove oil for fungus may be particularly effective against Candida, a yeast that causes nail infections as well as vaginal infections and oral thrush. Clinical testing on human patients, however, is lacking, so no definitive statement can be made, and individuals should always consult a medical professional rather than self-diagnosing and treating a health problem. Fungal nail infections are no exception: many conditions can cause deformed or discolored nails and it's important to get a professional diagnosis so that treatment can be tailored to the specific condition. If your physician diagnoses a fungal nail infection, then you can consider essential herbal oils including Syzygium aromaticum for nail fungus.