Sporanox capsules are a very powerful anti fungal medicine and a popular treatment for fungal nail infection.

Sporanox tablets contain itraconazole, the active ingredient or substance that combats the fungi. Itraconazole acts as a defense mechanism againt the fungus. Ergosterol, the substance responsible for fungal cell reproduction is halted and eventually unable to thrive and thread.

Sporanox serves a fungal treatment for many ailments, not just nail fungus:

Athletes Foot (Tinea Pedis)
Ringworm (Tinea Corporis)
Thrush, Oral (Oropharyngeal Candidiasis)
Jock Itch (Tinea Cruris)
Vaginal Thrush (Vulvovaginal Candidiasis)

Depending on the severity of the fungal condition itraconazole can be administered by mouth or by introvenus drip. For the main though oral capsule form is the norm.

The recommended intake should always be just after a meals and always swallowed and never chewed.
Sporanox does not come without side effects. Here are some possible effects that the treatment could be responsible for.

# Unsual bowel movement, diarrhoea, stomach cramps and nausea

# May cuase a rash or alergic skin reaction

# Alteration in results of liver function tests

# Inflammation of the liver (hepatitis)

# Liver failure

# Headache and nausea

# A feeling of dizzyness

# Disorder of the peripheral nerves causing weakness and numbness (peripheral neuropathy)

# In rare cases heart failure

# Low blood potassium level (hypokalaemia)

# Alteration of the menstrual cycle

# Hair loss (alopecia)

# Fluid on the lungs (pulmonary oedema)

Sporanox is a powerful anti fungal treatment but the possible treatment effects by far outweigh the positives.

The short answer is yes, nail fungus is contagious. Nail fungus can spread from toe to toe, from toe to finger - and spread from person to person.

The organisms live where conditions are moist and damp and so one person can transfer the fungal infection to another if they share a shower cubicle or share footwear for example.

If you think you may have the fungal condition it is your responsiblility to seek treatment.

Leucatin is completely natural and tackles the fungus by ingestion and penetration. Or by capsule form and spray (you get both) would have been a better explanation.

The manufacturers give a 100% money back refund - that lasts for one whole year which is quite possibly the longest in the industry. So far though I have yet find any real figures that indicate how many have asked for a refund and if any refunds have been successful.

The cost is around $69 (£30) and can be bought and shipped almost worldwide, this does seem good value.

So far there does not appear to be any side effects of note. The obvious disclaimer that you should not take Leucatin with any other medication is standard industry practise.

Does Leucatin Work

It does appear to - if used as per recommendation the brittleness of the finger and toenails should start to soften after around a fortnight allowing a healthier nail to grow through.

As it stands at the moment I would recommend this product

Visit Leucatin Website

Do’s

# Wear rubber gloves lined with cotton when your hands are in contact with harsh soaps, detergents or chemicals;

# Wear gloves when doing work that might damage the hands or nails, such as gardening or shovelling snow;

# After washing your hands, pat dry and, while moist, use a moisturizer on the hands, cuticles and nails.Chemically enhanced moisturizers that contain urea of lactic acid are even more efficient in binding water to the skin (Uremol, Calmurid, Lachydrin, Lacticare); If your hands must be in and out of water frequently apply a silicone or a similarly based protectant film that sheds water over the hands and nails (Prevex, Atrixo, Barriere Cream); If nails darken despite good cleansing habits, a drop of lemon oil massaged twice weekly into the nail plate may work but must not be overdone or irritation of the surrounding skin and drying of the nail plate may occur;

# Nail polish protects the nail from stains, physical trauma, and acts as a barrier to chemicals. Use it but don`t overuse it or it may stain and dry nails, particularly if nail polish hardeners are used frequently. A base coat will allow your polish to last longer; If your nails are dry, soak them for 10 minutes twice daily in warm water, pat dry and immediately apply one of the chemically enhanced moisturizers that contain urea, lactic acid or glycerin oil;

# Sculpt and shape your nails by filling in one direction with a very fine file. Avoid vigorous up and down or back and forth motions which may tear apart the various layers of the nails. Avoid sharp angles. Attend to small cracks, snags and breaks immediately; Treat yourself to a weekly manicure if possible; it is relaxing and keeps the nails healthy looking and attractive. Do not forget your toenails;

# As they age, the nails thicken, grow more slowly, repair poorly and are susceptible to various skin diseases. Watch for changes and see your dermatologist early enough to treat problems.

Do Not’s

# Avoid digging blindly into a drawer or purse where a sharp object may crack or break the nail or harm the delicate skin around the nail;

# Avoid using the nals to do pick-up tasks. Use the soft ends of the fingers rather that the fragile nail. they will soon chip and break if used this way;

# Avoid gluing on false or molded nails; allergic and painful reactions may occur. “Mending paper” or tea-bag paper can be used to bridge large cracks;

# Do not reapply nail hardener or polish more often than necessary; these agents can discolor nails and make them brittle if overused. Try to repair your manicure rather than replace it. Avoid chipping and peeling off nail polish;

# Do not bother adding gelatin and calcium supplements to an otherwise well-balanced diet. They have no know positive effects on the nails despite certain claims;

# Do not use too much polish remover. Apply moisturizer after using nail polish remover in order minimize the irritating and drying cation of the acetone;

# Do not grow excessively long nails; they are too prone to breakage; Wrapping nails is laborious and is difficult to do without help. Avoid this technique unless your nails are particularly prone to breaking;

# Do not push back your cuticles too vigorously or you will harm the growing moon of the nail.Push them back only when the skin around the nails is warms and wet and therefore softer and easier to manipulate;

# Avoid applying sharp instruments under the nails. They might break the nail to skin bond;

# Do not ignore nails that separate from beds (it may be due to iron or thyroid deficiency), nails that thicken (it may be fungus infection) or pit (it may be psoriasis. See your doctor. The nail and skin reflect internal well being or disturbance.

# OH….and no biting.

The basic premise behind this odd sounding natural toenail fungus treatment is to soften the nail with the beer, create an acidic environment with vinegar which is beneficial to good bacteria and deadly to fungus and then penetrate the nails with beneficial bacteria to help kill and prevent further recurrences.

Essential Ingredients:

What to look for: As the fungus gets killed by this natural toenail fungus treatment, you will notice that the new nail growth from the nail base is coming in clear. This is a good sign. Some people see clearing at the base within one week and some people see clearing at the base in one month. It all depends on how fast your nails grow and how often you soak them.

It will take about 3 months for the infected nails to completely grow out. As long as you keep seeing the nail base come in clean and grow out cleanly, you are on the right track.

Make sure you do this toenail fungus treatment daily. Make it a routine. Watch some TV, read a book or wash the dishes for 30 minutes. Do not skip a day. If you do, it may take a bit longer than a month but keep at it.

For what its worth Neil had a slight Mexican accent!

Me. So Neil, I would say I am pleased to you but I in truth I am not. But I appreciate you finding the time to talk to me and possibly give the millions of suffers out there an insight in to what you are really about.

Neil. No problemo

Me. Sorry to be so blunt and to the point, but why do you and your fellow Fungarians find it neccessary to congregate under the toenails and fungernails of us humans?

Neil. Well, its like this…you make it so easy for us. Our ideal home is a nice warm, damp environment - your nails, toenails especially provides us with an excellent place to live.

Me. But why dont you live out in a big field or in a tree or something with other mushroomy fungus type things? What do you mean we make it easy for you….?

Neil. We are not mushrooms, do not ever call me a mushroom again. We have as much in common with mushrooms as you have with donkeys

Me. Okay, okay - but what do you mean we make it easy for you?

Neil. You humans…its as if most of you do not want to get rid of us. You just play at it. It is well known that we do not like acidy things and yet very seldom do you introduce anything like that to us…when you do decide to do something about it you try for a few weeks or even months then give up - you are stupido.

Me. (Opens bottle of Apple Cider) …Drink

Neil. No thanks!

Me. So what you are saying is that if we persevered with a treatment we would have more success with evicting you!

Neil. I have said too much.

Me. What do you hate most, the home remedy type things like vinegar, listerine and acidophilis beer soak - or the oral commercial medicines like lamisil or Sporanox?

Neil. The home remedy we are prepared for - we just know that you will not be in it for the long hall - for how long will you get up each morning and put your feet in a bowl of vinegar. Msot of you give up when you are on the point of victory. Woops said too much again!

Me. What about the commercial tablets?

Neil. These take us by suprise - but we know that these can make you ill us much as us. This gives us strength.

Me. If you were in my shoes what type of remedy, medicine or cure would you employ.

Neil. I have been in your shoes - and you know the answer to this.

The picture above may give you nightmares - if you are under 12 years of age please turn your computer off right now!

What is Lamisil?
Lamisil (tablets) are tablet (no shit sherlock) form and probably the most powerful antifungal treatment available. It is estimated that since 1996 more that 17 million suffers in the US alone have been prescribed the drug by healthcare professionals making Lamisil the number 1 nail fungus treatment.

Lamisil tablets are effective because once they enter the body (orally) they are soon absorbed into the bloodstream and get to work fast tackling the fungal infection and getting into where the problem lies, under the nail.

Lamisil is fast and effective but can pose health risks. The type of person who would choose Lamisil as a fungus treatment would be Bruce Willis during his gung ho “Die Hard” days.

Pictured above: Bruce Willis who is most likely not a sufferer of nail fungus (but if he was he would choose the Lamisil route)

So what are the the health risks?

Using Lamisil to treat nail fungus does impose a very mild health risk. It must be stressed that although side affects do exist that are in the main, mild and temporary. As Lamisil is such a powerful and effective drug there are going to be innevitably a few cases where a nail fungus sufferer is going to be suseptible to liver damage.

Diarrhea, stomach upset, temporary change or loss of taste, or tiredness may occur. If any of these effects persist or worsen, notify your doctor or pharmacist promptly.

Remember that your doctor has prescribed this medication because the benefit to you is greater than the risk of side effects. Many people using this medication do not have serious side effects.

Tell your doctor immediately if any of these rare but very serious side effects occur: new signs of infection (e.g., fever, chills, persistent sore throat), easy bruising/bleeding, vision changes.

This drug rarely has caused very serious (possibly fatal) liver disease. Tell your doctor immediately if you develop symptoms of liver disease, including: persistent nausea, loss of appetite, severe stomach/abdominal pain, dark urine, vomiting, yellowing of eyes or skin.

A very serious allergic reaction to this drug is unlikely, but seek immediate medical attention if it occurs. Symptoms of a serious allergic reaction may include: rash, itching, swelling, severe dizziness, trouble breathing.

Lamisil is not suited to anyone with a weakened constitution; such as people with immune

system problems, people who have liver or kidney problems or suffers of lupus or erythematosus.

Another group of people who should avoid the medicine are expectant mothers or mothers that are breat feeding.

It is also suggested to descrease your alcohol intake during a Lamisil course.

How much does it cost?

To truly rid yourself of the fungal infection you expect to paye somewhere in the region of $300 to $500 over a period of 6 months.

In conclusion - if you are fit and healthy (fungal infection as an exception) there you should not experience any long term health problems. Similarily if you have had kidney, liver or any of the above mentioned conditions in the past another nail fungus cure should be sought.

Probably one of the best known and widely tried nail fungus home remedy treatments. Completely without side effects and major expense, the vinegar cure is a favourite among suffers that have concerns surrounding some commercial products and possible health risks. the only drawback is tendancy to smell like a worker from a fish and chip shop.

There are many differing ways to administer this treatment, the most popular involving a mixture of vinegar and water usually on a 50/50 ratio.
The reason so many give up on this fungus remedy is the fact that in order to achieve success two baths per day are to soften the nails then additional time is needed to soak the nials in the vinegar/water solution - so this is a major lifestyle for some and others simply have not got the time (if this is the case the how do you expect to rid yourself of the nail fingus if you cannot spare the time to treat.)

How does the vinegar nail fungus treatment work

The acidity of vinegar creates a hostile environment, relieves the itching and repairs the PH balance, necessary to fight fungi, the microorganism responsible for toenail fungus. Vinegar is a sour tasting liquid, resulting from the oxidation of ethanol in fermented fruit juice, cider, beer, wine, and other liquids containing alcohol. Quite simply put - vinegar is on the opposite side of the spectrum when compared to fungus.

There are many types of vinegar including; malt vinegar, wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, fruit vinegar, balsamic vinegar, rice vinegar, coconut vinegar, cane vinegar, raisin vinegar, beer vinegar, honey vinegar, Chinese black vinegar, and many other flavored vinegars. Possibly the most commonly used is apple cider vinegar - also known as ACV.

Pictured above: A bottle of Apple Cider Vinegar - to a fungus this is chemical warfare. I am not one to condone weapons of mass destruction, but where toenail fungus is concerned “Yippee Ki Ay Mother F*cker”

Fungus thrives in damp warm conditions - a hot sweaty sock is the ideal breeding ground for fungus so the toenails are more likely to become infected than the fingernails. This is not to say that fingernails are not prone just not as likely.

Once one toenail has become infected the chances are that all five toes will develop the fungus if left untreated - it is harder though for fungus to infect the toes on the other foot if simple precautionary measures are taken. The most obvious is to ensure that if you remove your socks ensure the left sock is put back on the left foot - and the right sock put back on the right foot.

If a fingernail is showing signs of fungal infection then the chances are all five fingernails will become infected if left untreated - the nails on the other hand will be under threat because as the nail grows and becomes distorted the sufferer may bite one fingernail and then bite another on the other hand tranfering the infection. Similarily women who use a nail file will almost certainly transfer the fungus from one nail to another and one hand to another.

So, what are the symptoms of nail fungus.

• Initially the nail state may change becoming brittle and may split
• Pit marks can be seen on the nail surface
• The nail may start to thicken and start to deform - at this stage the nail may or may not be painful
• Foul smelling material or debris can be found under the nail
• Toenails moreso than fingernails can start to grow inward maybe causing pain
• Nail moons now appear to staright and not angular - as represented by healthy nails

The picture above depicts a thumbnail that has become distorted. There are definate sign of pitting and most probably  a foul smelling debris under the nail. Once a nail gets to this stage it is highly likely that neighboring or adjoining nails will become infected with the fungus.