Fungus and your nails
They look flawless: long, beautifully groomed acrylic nails that add just the perfect accent to any outfit. But according to general practitioner, Audley Betton, the artificial nails are only making the natural nails fragile by damaging the nail bed and making it susceptible to fungal infection, medically termed onychomycosis.
“A lot of the times women do not realise that they are damaging the nail and when the nail is damaged it becomes thickened and full of streaks,” Betton said. “If you damage the nail then the nail’s resistance to infections is significantly reduced.”
And while it may be tempting to hide infections under a coating of fire-engine red nail polish, such an action is futile.
“They think they are waterproofing it, but in reality they are not,” said Betton. He said that the nail polish does not prevent moisture from getting in because the infection is under the nail.
According to Betton, fungal infection of the nail can stem from getting the hands and feet wet continuously, and is also caused by other factors such as poor hygienic practices by manicurists and continuous exposure to a warm and moist environment.
“When you look down in the nail bed it is swollen and the nail that is growing itself may not look normal,” said Betton, explaining the signs of an infection. “The skin itself may be itching and may be very painful.”
Discoloration of the nail, he said, may also cause it to become blue or even black.
In addition, there are risks involved with getting a manicure or pedicure if the instruments used are not properly sanitised.
“Ask them what they are using to sterilise their equipment,” recommends Betton. He said that a dirty footbath, for example, increases the likelihood of athlete’s foot, and getting nicked increases the probability of an infection.
“If you put alcohol on the area and it burns then you have been nicked,” he said. “If the manicurist applies antibacterial cream to the area then it will make a difference.”
The instrument used on an infected nail should be changed before using it on a healthy nail to avoid infecting the other nail, Betton said.
He said that anyone can get a fungal nail infection, but the infection is more common in older people. It is rare in children.
“You tend to get it more readily in the feet than in the hands,” said Betton. “Women tend to get the infection in their toenails from wearing close-toed shoes.”
However, the treatments for fungal infections of the nail can be expensive, for example oral medications such as Lamisil and Diflucan pills in Jamaica can range upwards from $6000.
“The primary treatment is oral medication which can only be prescribed by a doctor,” Betton said. “There are also topical treatments but they do not work for everyone.” He added: “All of these oral medications have their own regimes. the severity of the condition depends on the length of the treatment.”
But there are simple remedies to prevent fungus problems, particularly for individuals at an increased risk such as domestic workers and food handlers whose nails are continuously in water.
“If every time they are in the water they dip their fingers in nail polish remover or alcohol it dries up,” Betton explained. “The whole idea is to keep the area dry.”
He cautions that you should visit your podiatrist, general doctor or a dermatologist before starting treatment, as other conditions like psoriasis and eczema may produce similar symptoms.
Betton implores women not to take fungal infection of the nail lightly, particularly women with diabetes, HIV, or circulatory problems. Blood circulation and nerve supply to the feet can become impaired and the infections are difficult to treat because of swelling which locks down blood supply.
Tips to reduce the risk of fungal infections
1. Keep the nails short, dry and clean
2. Wear rubber gloves when doing chores in water
3. Avoid walking barefoot in public areas such as bathrooms
4. Wear open-toed shoes or alternate with close-toed shoes
5. Use an antifungal spray/powder
6. If possible, wear cotton socks
