Posts Tagged ‘fungal nails’

Nail Polish – Friend or Foe?

Monday, June 28th, 2010

As a youth, I spent some time around the family auto body shop. The smells of thinners, paints, and various chemicals were overpowering and I was required to keep my distance. These memories were triggered recently by similar scents coming from a nail salon. Walking past such an establishment recently, the door swung open and the strong chemical scent caused me to become a little light headed. I thought this an excellent topic for this week’s blog as nail polish is used so frequently.

The strong chemicals contained in polish (formaldehyde), removers (acetone), and the like may help complete your style, but may also be damaging your nails. Repeated and frequent use can weaken your nails and make them more prone to infection. But, you are just covering up that unsightly fungal nail? You may only be making the problems worse. Fungus tends to grow in warm, dark places and by covering your nail with polish you have just helped it become darker. Additionally, the removal and reapplication may have weakened enough to allow the fungus to spread.

Nova Nail Rx

If you have concerns that you may have a fungal nail, make a visit to AFAS. Many over the counter treatments are ineffective and seeking out a professional will be better to rid you of this problem. There are multiple treatment options that you can discuss with Dr. Thomajan and he will be able to plan which will be most effective for you. If fungus is not an issue, you should still consider using a more ‘nail friendly’ polish than the ones commonly found at your local salon. Products such as Nova Nail Rx actually help to strengthen your nails and as well as avoid fungal infections. Nova Nail Rx is available in a variety of colors and can be found in the office as well as our online store. Other ‘nail friendly’ polishes and removers can be found at our online store.  Healthy nails mean happy feet. Until next time, stay happy and health Austin!

Flip Flop Time

Saturday, May 8th, 2010

With the beautiful weather out there, we here at Austin Foot and Ankle Specialist want to make sure you are taking full advantage. The warm weather is a great time to break out your sandals, flip flops or open toed shoes. Don’t let any unsightly corns, warts or cracks stop you from showing off your feet! There are a number of ‘over the counter’ products you can use to get rid of warts or moisturize your feet, but often these treatments are slow and time consuming. As a healthcare provider, Dr. Thomajan has a number of different treatments at his disposal that can often resolve these issues at a much faster rate.

Fungal toe nails are another problem that may be keeping you out of your summer shoes. The thickened, discolored nail is caused by a fungal infection to the area. While initially not painful, this condition can become more problematic with time. Fungal nails can often be associated with athlete’s foot and this infection can easily spread to other toe nails. After an initial assessment to eliminate any more serious problems, Dr. Thomajan will discuss a number of treatment options with you. There are a number of prescriptions that are quite effective especially when used in combination with other podiatric care such as laser treatment or debridement.

Don’t be embarrassed by the maladies that may be affecting your feet. After a proper evaluation by Dr. Thomajan and an appropriate treatment, you can get full use out of your summer footwear. Make an appointment today and until next time stay healthy Austin!