Toenail fungus comes in many different shapes and sizes, but there are clues to help you know if it’s what you’ve got or not. If you have something weird going on with your toenails and are suspicious about toenail fungus, look for these signs:
Grooves/ridges. Usually, if you have grooves/textured lines running vertically (that is, with the direction that the nail grows, so that the lines get longer as the nail does) then you are fine. These crop up all the time from things like trauma to the nail base. However, if horizontal grooves appear, this might be cause for concern.
Craters. They may appear in the bottom corners of the nail, and so can be hard to spot at first since that is a deep dark spot anyway. But this can also be a sign that something is going on in the nail growth that shouldn’t be.
Thickening. This can come with the above-mentioned grooves, in a cause-and-effect sort of relationship, but thickness can also appear without the groove or ridge. If your nails are beginning to seem unusually thick, you might want to take this as a bad sign.
Discoloration. If you wear nail polish, you might not notice this. Remove nail polish and let your nails be for a few days and see if they’re looking a bit yellow. This can also be a telltale sign.
Toenail fungus is said to be caused by a variety of possible causes. Some include submerging your feet in dank water, keeping your feet cooped up in restrictive or sweaty shoes, or even catching the fungus from someone else.
Many will say that, once you have it, there is nothing you can do short of going to a doctor. At the first signs, they will advise you straight away: go to a doctor, as if it’s a plague you need serious, immediate attention for. And certainly it is an issue and one you want to take care of lest it worsen or spread to someone else, but you by no means have to go to a doctor straight away without any say in the matter. There is an alternative cure: Tea Tree Oil.
I never thought I would be one to deal with toenail fungus – it’s the kind of thing you never consider for yourself, when you’ve only ever had lovely toenails. All you ever think is: I’m glad I don’t have that. Seeing the pictures is repulsive – not something you associate with yourself unless you have to. But when it is upon you, it becomes very real, quite embarrassing, and certainly distressing. I was so happy to find an alternative to taking this problem to a doctor. It worked wonders for my condition, when the majority of other sources insisted there was nothing I could do myself.
You can order Tea Tree Nail Saver Oil in little bottles that look like clear nail polish, and if you apply this two or so times a day it stands a good chance of kicking the fungus for you, sans doctors. It is a natural remedy that is good for nails all around, but also kills the fungus. Your nails will end up not only cured, but healthier and stronger all around once you have kicked the bug. Also, be sure to forego nail polish while you are getting rid of the fungus, so your nails can breathe. Try to keep them clean, aired out as much as possible, and away from trauma.
Definitely try this before seeing any doctors. You will likely have to wait for the affected part of the nail to grow out where it can be clipped off before the existent symptoms are gone, but if you have a fresh length of nail that looks good, you should be safe for the time being. However, if the problem persists, it may be more serious than these alternative methods can handle.
