People who have had a fungal infection of the nail know they can persist indefinitely and be difficult to treat. They know they can be unsightly and painful and can cause permanent damage to the nail and even to the infected toe.
What most people don’t realize is fungal infections can become a serious health risk. While plenty of remedies exist, none are guaranteed to work. Counterintuitively, given the heavily stylistic differences in male vs. female footwear, fungal infections occur more often in men than women. Big clunky Wall Street wingtips and foot-smothering topsiders make it easier for men to cover up an infected toe than for the fashion-conscious woman who prides herself on open-toed shoes that showcase her hipster, jelly-bean colored digits. But, the cover-up could be a very bad – and unhealthy — idea for the macho man.
One drug considered effective is Lamisil. But bad press has linked the drug with rare cases of liver damage, so the infected choose to avoid taking it, possibly at their peril. As with 99% of most health issues, it’s young adults who ignore a fungal outbreak on their foot. But, young or old, over time, as the fungus rears its ugly head from the tip of the nail toward the cuticle, the nail thickens, it discolors, become brittle, and pain and inflammation are impossible to ignore.
According to Dr. Boni E. Elewski, a professor of dermatology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham who specializes in nail disorders, in about one in twenty cases the fungus goes packing and visits other parts of the body, like the hands, back and legs. “Older people,” Dr. Elewski said,” “or those taking medications that weaken the immune system, like chemotherapy drugs and corticosteroids, are particularly susceptible.
“If you don’t treat it,” she added, “you have an organism living in your nail that could spread.” For the most part, Dr. Elewski explained, a fungal infection probably won’t spread beyond the foot. “But there are some people,” she cautioned, “who are at risk of getting it in the fingernails and other places.
Dr. Elewski continued: “The other problem with ignoring nail fungus is that the fungus creates cracks and openings in the skin where bacteria can sneak in and cause infections. For people who have nerve damage and poor circulation this can have serious consequences. The fungus paves the way for bacteria, and it can definitely be a problem.”
“The longer you wait to treat a nail fungus” Dr. Elewski said, “the harder it is to treat.” Anyone who believes he or she contracted their nail fungal infection in an untrustworthy or incompetent nail, beauty, or hair salon should contact of the NY Department of State @ (212)-417-5747. Or you can access the Department’s website at www.dos.ny.gov and complete a licensee complaint form.
In situations where injuries or fungal infections are serious, the customer should investigate filing a lawsuit against the nail salon or beauty parlor by contacting The Ashley Law Firm.
