|
| Follow us: |  |
 |
Back to Article List
Nailing Fungus Once And For All10/10/2005 -- By
Leigh Erin Connealy, M.D.
Nail fungus is a common dermatologic disorder affecting almost 30 million Americans. It is considered an important public health problem because about 10% of the U.S. population suffers from it.
Nail fungus can be acquired by walking barefoot in public places or, most commonly, as part of an infection called athlete's foot. It can also develop from an injury. Most cases are seen in men and women between the ages of 40 and 65, and those who have diabetes are more susceptible due to lowered immune systems. People with poor circulation to the feet are particularly prone to this type of fungal infection.
The disease requires proper diagnosis and must be identified by microscopic examination and/or culture before being treated. Distal subungual onychomycosis (DSO) is by far the most common pattern of the infection. There are four types of onychomycosis and they are difficult and time consuming to treat because it can take 10 -12 months to grow out new toe nails. (Fungal nail infections can only be treated by allowing the nail to grow out healthy, thus killing the pathogens.) Dermatophyte fungi are the predominant pathogens, but yeasts (especially Candida albicans) and nondermatophyte molds may also be implicated.
Nail fungus tends to grow in the nail bed, beneath the nail and lives off keratin, the protein in the nail. The condition usually begins towards the far end of the nail and may start with patches of white or yellow discoloration. If the condition is left untreated, it will proceed to the base of the nail, travel to the nail root and cause the nail to grow very thick and deformed. In other instances, it will cause the nail to become brittle and break away or crumble. The big toe is usually the first nail to be affected with the condition spreading to adjacent nails. In rare cases this condition can also affect the skin surrounding the nails.
So, the big question is "What can we do about it"? The many oral medications on the market today may be effective in eradicating nail fungus but can cause significant toxicity, including liver damage. The three main systemic anti-fungal medications for nail fungus -- which treat the entire body by entering the blood stream and getting absorbed into the soft tissue -- are Griseofulvin, Sporonox and Lamisil. All three drugs work by destroying pathogens. The overall cure rate with these three is 85%, but the response can vary from person to person and there is considerable expense involved. Side effects of the drugs range from nausea and diarrhea up to depression of the bone marrow and liver damage. There is also the risk of serious and possibly interactions with other drugs. Instead of taking a pill, another way to fight the fungus is to use a topical treatment. Topical application is considered a good alternative to oral medications because it minimizes the risk of adverse side effects from drugs. There are many topical treatments on the market today.
Many topical fungal treatments have forms of ingredients found in oral medications, mixed with natural ingredients to stimulate the immune system to fight the infection, as well as agents to kill the pathogens. Those that have proven to be more effective have ingredients that can penetrate deep into the nail bed.
Two particular ingredients are often found in these topical remedies: Australian Tea Tree Oil and Jojoba essential oil.
Australian Tea Tree is a natural immune stimulant with powerful antiseptic and antimicrobial qualities. It has long been used by the Aborigines in Australia as an antiseptic because it does not burn the skin, and is 11 to 13 times stronger than the traditionally used antiseptic called carbolic acid.
In clinical studies Tea Tree oil has been shown to be active against a wide range of bacteria, fungi and yeast causing superficial skin infections. It destroys bacteria during both the exponential and stationary phase of growth. It inhibits cellular respiration and causes potassium leakage in E Coli cells, further evidence that it is a membrane-active antibiotic. (Cox, et al, 1998)
One study sug
Back to Article List
Our products are also currently available at:
|
|