How to cure toe fungus quickly and easily

    Toe fungus or blackened toes can be painful and very unappealing.  The cause of this condition can be a number of things like crushing a toe or dropping a heavy object on it.  Foot fungus normally starts with a black line on the nail and can spread throughout the nail plate.  The nail plate is the surface under the toe.  Fungus under the nail is nothing but blood that has been trapped, therefore, causing a fungus due to coagulation or old, spoiled blood.


    There are oral remedies like Lamisil and Diflucan that can clear up this condition, but with the economy being so bad, doctor visits can be unaffordable.  In addition, the prescription may take a long time to work.   Oral remedies have also been known to cause liver, kidney, and gastrointestinal problems.

    In order to cure toe fungus topically, the remedy must penetrate the toe nail.  There are very few remedies that can do so without putting a hole in the nail with a sterilized needle.  Yet, if one is squeamish, poking a whole in the nail may take some doing.  Even though this may be helpful it is not necessary.  Iodine can penetrate the nail due to its properties.  The molecules of iodine are so small that is can slide under the nail without losing its consistency, get directly to the fungus, and eventually kill it.  This is not an overnight remedy, patience is needed.    Most people think of iodine as a red liquid, but there is clear iodine too.

    In most cases, iodine can be found at Rite Aid or similar stores.  It comes in a small brown bottle and even comes with an eyedropper, making application cleaner and easier.  It should be applied to the infected and uninfected toes every four hours.  As the toes begin to lighten, application times can be spread farther apart.  When the fungus is being released from the toe, there will be black specs or gook in the creases of the nail. That is the fungus coming out.  If the toe must be covered with a shoe, use a band aid to keep the iodine close to the skin.  Every few days, the toes can be wiped with a cotton ball apple cider vinegar, which will also aid with the fungus.

    Tea tree oil

    Another remedy is tea tree oil.  The use of tea tree oil on nail fungus has been so astounding that doctors recommend it over medications.  The microbial properties of this natural remedy allow it to penetrate the nail plate, like iodine.  The only difference is that tea tree oil can be a little bit more pricy than iodine and will need to be aided with tea tree soap or shampoo.  It may be a tedious process; therefore, the patient must be adamant about getting results.

    The application process of tea tree oil is the same as iodine, place on infected uninfected toes, but the foot has to be washed with tea tree soap a few times a day.  Although this remedy is majorly effective, it may be a problem for someone on the go.  In either process, clean towels must be used to wipe the toes.  The patient may even want to cut the toenails to make nail penetration easier.

    In short, these remedies have been known to work great.  There are numerous websites online that share the same enthusiasm.  Whether you have been fighting nail fungus for a few months or ten years, these remedies will make a difference, in a pleasant and timely manner.

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    Asthma Inhalers: Are There Any Generic Alternatives?

    Unfortunately, there is only one generic alternative available on the market.

    Today’s market offers only one generic asthma inhaler known as Xopenex HFA Generic. This is a rescue inhaler which is used only during an asthma attack. Generic Xopenex provides the same level of effectiveness as its non-generic version, but is available at a lower cost. The active ingredient of this inhaler is a generic form of levoalbuterol, the same as in non-generic Xopenex. Levoalbuterol is a good substitute of albuterol for those who are sensitive to the latter and experience an increased heart rate or shakiness after the intake.

    In case you prefer using a non-generic inhaler, your prescription should be given specifically for the non-generic one. This is to ensure your insurance covers the cost, as some of them may default to the generic formula.

    Which Non-Generic Inhalers Are Available?

    There are two categories of asthma inhalers: rescue inhalers that are used during an asthma attack and controller inhalers used on a daily basis to manage asthma symptoms.

    As mentioned earlier, Xopenex HFA Generic, containing levoalbuterol, is the only generic rescue inhaler available today. Most generic albuterol inhalers have been withdrawn from the market, since the switch from CFC-based propellant inhalers to HFA-propelled ones. Nowadays, albuterol can only be found in various brand name inhalers, such as Proventil, ProAir, and Ventolin.

    When it comes to controller inhalers, these are only available in brand name form. The market can offer such brand name inhaled steroids as Flovent, Asmanex, QVAR, Alvesco, and Pulmicort. Besides, there are inhalers combining inhaled steroids and long-acting bronchodilators, which are available in brand name versions including Advair, Symbicort and Dulera.

    Asthma can also be managed with a help of such devices as nebulizers. These are used for both rescue and controller therapies and can be found in generic forms. Albuterol nebulizer, for instance, is only available as a generic formula

    Pulmicort Respules, an inhaled steroid that is used as a controller therapy for asthma treatment, can be found in the generic form. Its active ingredient budesonide is available as a generic nebulizer solution.

    Getting Your Inhaler at an Affordable Price

    In fact, brand name asthma inhalers might be quite expensive. However, there are several ways to get your prescription at a more affordable cost. First, you can ask your doctor if they can offer you any samples or discount coupons. Another option is to consult your insurance company and see what the prices of other medications are. In case your insurance can cover the cost of a certain medication, ask your doctor if your prescription can be changed to that. Finally, you can visit the manufacturer’s website and check if they offer any savings plans or discounts for patients who cannot afford the medication.


    What Really Causes Acne: 6 Common Myths

    Such a skin disorder as acne can be a huge problem for many people, especially teenagers. However, acne is not limited just to those going through their puberty period. Many adults, children, and even babies can be prone to acne as well.

    Simply put, acne is a disorder of the hair follicle when oil and dead skin cells become trapped within the pore. The condition is characterized by the presence of pimples, blackheads or whiteheads spread over the face, neck, chest, back, and upper arms.

    Since there is no precise cause of the disease, there are numerous misconceptions regarding acne causes and development. A lot of things we believe to cause acne are actually myths. We have gathered the most common of them illustrating what’s true and what’s not to help you understand acne better.

    Myth #1: Not cleansing your skin causes acne.

    Lack of hygiene does not cause acne. As mentioned earlier, acne is the hair follicle disorder resulting from the combination of several factors, such as excess oil, dead skin cells, abnormal shedding of the skin, and certain bacteria.

    And since acne is not caused by lack of cleansing, you cannot cure it by frequent cleansing, either.

    Myth #2: Chocolate, pizza, and French fries can cause acne.

    There is no evidence for the relation between acne and diet. Eating chocolate, pizza, or French fries, even if it is unhealthy, will not cause it.

    In fact, acne breakouts are rather influenced by bacteria, than food. Propionibacteria acnes (P. acnes) are the bacteria responsible for inflamed acne breakouts. When the number of bacteria in the follicles grows out of control, it results in redness, inflammation and the formation of pus.

    Myth #3: Blackheads are the result of dirt trapped in the pore.

    This is a common mistake: the black top of a blackhead is not dirt.

    A blackhead, a more common name for an open comedo, is an accretion of dead skin cells and sebum forming a plug in the pore. The top of this comedo is not covered by the layer of dead skin cells. When exposed to the air, this oil impaction changes color to dark brown or black, due to a chemical reaction.

    Therefore, you cannot wash blackheads away. However, using some over-the-counter products with salicylic acid, or prescription medications like topical retinoid may help to remove them, and prevent them from forming, too. In addition to that, blackheads can also be safely extracted during facials.

    Accutane, a decent representative of the category, is a highly effective anti-acne agent used in serious and moderate forms of acne. The drug comes in the form of capsules, it’s a non-invasive treatment option that can be used as an alternative in those cases where other meds are useless.

    Myth #4: Masturbation or having sex cause acne.

    This hypothesis is rather one of the tricks parents would use to prevent their youngsters from having sexual relationships.

    In fact, acne development has nothing to do with your sexual activity. It’s worth mentioning that having sex will not cure your acne either.

    Myth #5: You cause acne by touching your face.

    You might have heard this many times, but it is actually a myth. Touching your face with hands might be unhygienic since your fingers are not likely to be super clean all the time. However, this will not cause acne development.

    Hormones, excess dead skin cells, bacteria in the pores are the ones to blame. And even if you stop touching your face forever, you will still break out in pimples if you are prone to acne.

    Myth #6: Acne is contagious.

    As mentioned several times before, there are certain factors “required” for acne development: retaining of dead skin cells within the pore, excess oil and acne-causing bacteria. None of these can be caught from someone else.

    Therefore, you will definitely not get acne by shaking hands, touching or kissing someone with acne.