Friday, January 23, 2009

How To Prevent A Nail Infection

By Dave Bern

Most people do not actually realize that they have a nail infection until it is too late. The most common sign of a person having any kind of nail infection is that the nail itself has begun to change color. Rather than being its normal white tip and pink lower part the nail has begun to turn a yellow color instead.

If you decide to ignore the first warning signs that you possibly have a nail infection this could actually lead to the strength of the nail being compromised. As the infection develops the nail will discolor more the nail will begin to thicken and in some cases will eventually begin to break.

If you want to prevent the problems associated with nail infections then you need to make sure that you do certain things to your nails regularly. Below we look at just what these things are.

1. The first thing to do is that you should regularly clean and trim your nails (both on your feet and hands). Having a regular maintenance routine in place will help to prevent the buildup of fungi or bacteria under your nails and which will prevent the occurrence of an infection.

2. If you do injure your nails at any time then make sure that you get the appropriate treatment for them as soon as you can. Again through the right course of treatment you can help to prevent the buildup of bacteria or fungi underneath the nail.

3. To help prevent the nails on your feet from getting infected it is a good idea to make sure that the remain cool and dry and that you regularly clean them. Remember a fungus likes to grow in warm, dark, damp places and as well as keeping your feet clean, make sure that your shoes and socks are that you wear. There are certain nail infection medications now available over the counter which one can use to help such problems from arising.

It is not only your own nails that can suffer from infections, but those who wear artificial nails are just as prone to suffering from such infections as well. Certainly if you do not take care of your artificial nails in the same way as your real ones then artificial nail infections can blight the look you are trying to achieve.

If you intend to have artificial nails fitted be aware that some of the bonding agents (glues) used to fix the artificial ones to your real ones can because of the chemicals contained within them damage your nails soft tissue. If the tissue becomes damaged this will then allow the chance for fungus to grow underneath and an infection to occur.

Again the only way to ensure that such an infection does not occur is by ensuring that you keep your nails in good order. If at any time you notice an artificial nail beginning to lift rather than trying to make a repair yourself arrange for a professional to do so. They will be able to inspect under the nail to ensure that no other damage has been caused and also ensure that the area is properly cleaned before the nail is then replaced or stuck down again. - 16004

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