Magazine for the professional nail industry.
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When the nail is separated (onycholysis), infections such as yeast, bacteria, and fungus can occur. There are several reasons to consider treating nail fungus. Nail fungus can spread to other areas of the body such as the hands, legs, and back. Those who take medications that weaken the immune system like steroids or chemotherapy are particularly susceptible and although most healthy adults who ignore nail fungus will probably not observe any immediate issues, over time, fungal infection can cause the nails to become thickened, brittle, discolored, and even painful. Additionally, the longer one waits to treat nail fungus, the harder it becomes to effectively treat it. Nail fungus can also be contagious. In a nail salon setting a client with fungus can spread it to other clients if proper disinfection precautions are not followed. In fact, children who get toenail fungus are more likely to be in a household where there is an adult with fungus. When I treat children with nail fungus I request that the entire household come to the office for examination and, when necessary, treatment in order to effectively eradicate the source. In these instances there is almost always an adult carrier source. Fungus can also create microscopic cracks in the skin where bacteria can lodge and consequently cause serious infections. Diabetics are particularly prone to this phenomenon. If you suspect that a client has nail or skin fungus, she should be referred to a dermatologist for testing and proper treatment. There are several ways to approach the treatment of fungal infections and fortunately new promising therapies are on the horizon including two new topical treatments that will hopefully be FDA-approved next year. Read previous "day in the life" articles by Dr. Stern at www.nailsmag.com/nailexpert. www.nailsmag.com/fifi/11186 144 | NAILS MAGAZINE | JANUARY 2014 You can contact Dr. Stern with your questions via Facebook (www.facebook.com/danasternmd) or Twitter (@DrDanaStern). Visit her website at www.drdanastern.com.