The Causes

The skin is the largest organ of your body. It helps you stay healthy by keeping your body temperature even. It also protects you from viruses and harmful bacteria. To do its job well, the skin is covered by a thin layer called the acid mantle. The acid mantle is made of sebum (an oily substance) from sebaceous glands and sweat from sweat glands in the skin. The acid mantle is kept at a pH between 4.5 and 5.5 by healthy bacteria on the skin.

The use of harsh skin cleansers, continuous sweating, or changes inside your body can disturb the pH balance of the acid mantle. When skin pH is raised even just slightly, the acid mantle breaks down, skin cells are pulled apart, and bacteria and yeasts on the skin can grow out of control. Your skin becomes irritated and open to more damage.

Digestive Problems

Itchy anal or anal discomfort is often the result of diarrhea or constipation. Diarrhea can be the result of infection (eg, with enterotoxigenic E. coli while traveling abroad), food intolerance, eating acidic or spicy foods, drinking alcohol or coffee, and even long-distance running. Taking some medicines (eg, antibiotics and antidepressants) and medical treatments (eg, radiation therapy or surgery) can also cause diarrhea and constipated.

Hemorrhoids

Hemorrhoids are swollen and inflamed veins that can be either inside the anus (internal) or under the skin around the anus (external). Hemorrhoids and anal fissures (small tears in the tissue near the anus) often develop due to continued irritation caused by diarrhea or straining due to constipation. Excessive rubbing to clean the affected area can make hemorrhoids more painful and cause bleeding.

Pregnancy and Childbirth

Hormonal changes during pregnancy slow intestinal activity and leave women with harder stools and constipation. At the same time, the additional weight of the growing baby often results in hemorrhoids. The strain of vaginal childbirth adds to the likelihood of a woman experiencing hemorrhoids during her lifetime.

Mature Age

In the healthy acid mantle of the skin yeasts and bacteria are in perfect balance. But hormonal changes caused by pregnancy, birth control pills or patches, and menopause can disrupt this balance. Pregnancy, for example, increases vaginal pH and promotes storage of sugar in the walls of vaginal cells. Yeast thrives in this environment. At menopause, lower estrogen levels allow the vaginal wall to become thinner and less lubricated. This makes skin around the vagina more vulnerable to damage and can cause you an itchy vagina. In addition, hemorrhoids occur more commonly as we age, especially as body weight tends to increase at the same time.

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Chlorine is a kind of toxin that is usually used in swimming pools to rid of any foreign and unnecessary bacteria that can be harmful. It is also used for sanitation to keep the water clean. Although, people might not know it but chlorine in its natural nature can be destructive and can contribute certain diseases if over-exposed to the body. If you love showering after a hard day's work, take a minute and ask yourself of the unseen showering dangers of this compound.

Chlorine Facts

1. Chlorine is a compound that is used as a household disinfectant which can be very strong. IMany people could get chlorine allergy if they over exposed with it. It is considered as a very potent irritant that affects a person's upper respiratory tract, eyes and most especially, the lungs. Studies show there have been several cases of acute effects made by chlorine which can cause nose and throat tickling, cough and nose itching, throat and nose dryness, shortness of breath, coughing that can lead to respiratory irritation and headaches.

2. Chlorine is a compound that is used to manufacture pesticides, hydrochloric acid and aerosols. When in contact with a higher level of chlorine, one can experience mild irritation of the mucus membrane, difficulty in breathing, vomiting, chest pain, and pulmonary edema.

3. Chlorine is used for bleach paper for wood pulps. With the highest content of chlorine, in its original form, it can cause burns to the skin.

Chlorine is better off cold than warm. Why? Let's face it. A lot of you are using warm water for taking a bath especially after work. If a person is exposed to warm water with a high level of chlorine, it will vaporize the chlorine compound on your skin and will remain there that can affect the natural bacteria living on your skin which can make it lifeless and dull. Not only that. When chlorine vaporizes, it has a hundred percent possibility to enter your lungs. There, it will do more damages. For those who has asthma, intake of chlorine exaggerates the problem.

Because it is used for the potential manufacture of hydrochloric acid, once it enters a person's bloodstream, it has the capability to attach itself to carbon thus, making your body your own hydrochloric acid factory. To decrease the intake of the vaporized chlorine inside the body, there should be a ventilator or an exhaust fan inside your bathroom. You can also consider a water filter  which can further decrease the danger of chlorine in your shower.

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Now summer is in full swing and I’m sure you all can’t wait to go swimming. But before you hit the pool, I think you should read this first. Heat and humidity create the perfect conditions for germs to thrive, and with all the fun and parties that we enjoy with barefoot around poolsides, in backyards or on the concrete, the risk for you to get injuries or an exposure to infection-causing agents are skyrocketing. And the most irritating and embarrassing conditions from this infection-causing agents are Athlete's Foot and Toenail Fungus.

As I mentioned before on my previous articles, Athlete's foot is a skin infection of the foot caused by fungus called Trichophyton. And Toenail Fungus or also known as Onychomycosis, it develops in warm and moist conditions, then it starts to grow under the nail and feed off the keratin in the nail, thus producing nail fungus. The itchy, burning, cracked skin between toes is caused by this fungus that dwell in showers, wet floors, poolsides and sweaty socks. Pretty scary, huh? But don't worry, there are things you can do right now so when the summer comes, you are well prepared to avoid the infections while at the same time you can still enjoy your summer holidays.

1. Foot cleanliness. Anyone who has ever walked barefoot can relate to that when the soles of the feet become soiled. However, even those who wear shoes all the time are still at risk for ‘soiling’ of the feet. This soiling comes not from dirt but from the natural shedding of the skin, combined with sweat residue, sock lint, or shoe debris if one does not wear socks. All of this material provides a good platform upon which bacteria and fungus can accumulate, and eventually this can cause skin infections. By washing the foot regularly, especially in between the toes, the debris and soil that fungus and bacteria accumulates on is removed, and the skin is left with a healthy top surface. Careful removal of soap residue is needed, as is the careful drying of the foot and toes to prevent skin irritation from lengthy water exposure.
2. Another important aspect of good foot hygiene is to keep the feet well moisturized. From time to time, especially in the winter, the foot skin will dry out. For some, this is a result of genetics or diseases which reduce the moisturization of the skin. With drier skin comes more cracks and crevasses that bacteria and fungus can use to enter the skin. The daily application of a good moisturizing cream to the feet can keep the skin moist and its surface smooth. It is important not to place the moisturizing cream in between the toes, as this area is at risk for fungus development that can also follow overly moist toe spaces.
3. When trimming nails, care must be taken not to cut too deep into the skin sides. By cutting the nail too short into the side of the skin, one irritates the skin. A reaction then develops which causes skin inflammation. The inflamed skin becomes irritated against the ingrown nail that did not previously bother it, and pain subsequently is felt. Infection can follow as bacteria becomes trapped within the swollen skin border.
4. Properly fitting shoes are also important.  The basic reason for shoes is to protect the feet from the ground. This protection is at risk when one wears poorly fitting shoes simply for fashion or convenience. Shoes that are too tight will cause skin irritation to occur where the shoe rubs the skin. If the irritated area is over a prominent bone, such as on the toes or sides of the foot, the skin may start a process to protect itself. This process leads to the formation of corns and calluses, which is simply a thickening of the top layer of the skin created to protect the skin. Corns and calluses can cause pain, and in some cases can lead to the development of wounds underneath them. By reducing the shoe pressure on the skin through the use of a properly sized and fitted shoe, the development of corns and calluses can be slowed or even eliminated.

Now, what if you already have the infections? Are there treatments for the conditions? Don't worry, treatments do exist. Click the button below to know more about the treatments.

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Athlete's foot is a skin infection of the foot caused by fungus. The fungus that causes athlete's foot is called Trichophyton. When the feet or other areas of the body stay moist, warm, and irritated, this fungus can thrive and infect the upper layer of the skin. Fungal infections can occur anywhere on the body, including the scalp, trunk, extremities (arms and legs), hands, feet, nails, groin, and other areas. The fungus that causes athlete's foot can be found on the floors in gyms, locker rooms, swimming  pools, nail salons, and in socks and clothing. It can also be spread directly from person to person. Up to 70% of the population may have athlete's foot at some time during their lives. But how can you tell that you have the infection or not?

The symptoms of athlete's foot typically include various degrees of itching and burning. The skin may frequently peel, and in particularly severe cases, there may be some cracking, pain, and bleeding as well. Some people have no symptoms at all and do not know they have an infection. Sometimes the dry flakes may spread onto the sides and tops of the feet. Most commonly the rash  is localized to just the soles of the feet. The space between the fourth and fifth toes also may have some moisture, peeling, and dry flakes.

Unusual cases may look like small or large blisters of the feet, thick patches of dry, red skin, or calluses with redness. Sometimes, it may look like just mild dry skin without any redness or inflammation. Athlete's foot may present as a rash on one or both feet and even involve the hand. Hand fungal infections are called tinea manuum. The exact cause of why the infection commonly only affects one hand is not known. Athlete's foot may also be seen along with ringworm of the groin (especially in men) or hand(s). It is helpful to examine the feet whenever there is a fungal groin rash called tinea cruris. It is important to treat all areas of fungal infection at one time to avoid re-infection.

Some preventive measures are including keep your feet clean and dry, avoiding prolonged moist environments, removing shoes and allowing the feet skin to "breathe," avoiding walking  barefoot, especially in public areas like swimming pools and gyms, avoiding contact with known infected people, and avoiding soaking and contaminated tool usage at nail salons. It is imperative to take your own nail instruments, including nail files, to any public nail salon, unless you know the salon practices strict instrument sterilization and/or uses all disposable supplies. Use cotton socks whenever possible. Make sure any affected family members also treat their athlete's foot at the same time to avoid cross-infections.

Untreated, athlete's foot can potentially spread to other body parts or other people including family members. People with diabetes, HIV/AIDS, cancer, or other immune problems may be more prone to all kinds of infections, including fungus. When the skin is injured by fungus, the natural protective skin barrier is broken. Bacteria and yeasts can then invade the broken skin. Bacterial infection of the skin and resulting inflammation is known as cellulitis. This is especially likely to occur in the elderly, individuals with diabetes, chronic leg swelling, or who have had veins removed in a surgery.

Now, what if you already have the infection? Is there any treatment? Don't worry, treatment do exist. Click the button below to know more about the treatment.

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Toenail Fungus also known as Onychomycosis, "Ringworm OF The Nail". It develops in warm and moist conditions, then it starts to grow under the nail and feed off the keratin in the nail, thus producing nail fungus.

To recognize the signs of toenail fungus, it is necessary to differentiate common signs of toenail fungus as early as possible, because this infection is sometimes hard to eradicate.  Now, let's see what the signs are:

1. You feel itchy around your toes area.
2. Yellowish or brownish or any other simple discoloration of the nail, even on the slightest part of it.
3. The thickening of the nails. Sometimes you can feel it while you try to cut your toenails.
4. Distorted in shape.
5. You feel pain in your toes or fingertips and it's uncomfortable to walk because the nail rub against your shoes.
6. Brittle nails that split easily. It means your nail can separate from the nail bed.
7. In critical stage it has a foul odor.

Those signs of toenail fungus mostly you can find them on your big toenail. In fact, most of feet fungal infections occur exclusively on the big toenail, also the "favorite victim" for nail loosening, being the first to fall off when the fungal infection enters into the advanced phase. Both podiatrists and dermatologist are fully qualified to prescribe a treatment if you feel uncomfortable visiting a doctor.

Basically, it's a nightmare to have nail fungus infections. It's like stuck between the rock and the hard place.  Exposing your feet to the public is embarrassing, because the ugly shape and the bad smells of your nails. But, on the other hand, keeping your feet inside your shoes for long periods of time will only makes the infection worse. And if you work in an office environment you can't wear sandals to work. This kind of situation can be really frustrating.

However, treatments do exist. Some over-the-counter treatments are toenail fungus topical treatment for early stages. Unfortunately you can't get over night results. Nail fungus has to be treated continuously until it is completely gone.

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There are people who try to cure their nail fungus by taking off their entire nail, which will only offer a short term solution because when the nail regrows it will grow with the infection. Another important factor to consider is that when you have this condition you are putting others at risk, and risking it spreading to other parts of your body. Obviously the consequences of this are that you should find a way to treat the fungus infection before you cause it to spread.

A physician may suggest that you get rid of the infected nail, or for several people they might advise you to use a sort of laser treatment called photodynamic therapy. These methods of curing nail fungus although they are sometimes effective they can create problems. The problem being that whilst they stop the symptoms they do not kill the fungus, so often people find that the nail fungus reappears. Taking this into account it suggests that you need to find a treatment which builds your body’s immune system, kills the fungus so that it doesn’t return and doesn’t have any bad side effects.

Below you can find the best tips to prevent fungus on your nails:

• Nails must be kept clean and dry always and breath fresh air.
• Don't wear shoes that are tied too tight, wearing shoes for a very long time can cause your feet to perspire and build fungus. Don’t wear high top boots if not needed.
• Change socks immediately if it becomes damp or wearing absorbent socks is more preferable.
• Always be careful when borrowing of nail cutter and other tools from other people. You might get infected by the fungus on those tools, because if the user has fungus infection it might get to you.
• Trauma injury on your toes can be one of the reasons for toenail fungus. It's because injury allows the bacteria to get in. People with low immune system have a great chance of getting this disease. Once it occurs in one toenail it spreads to other nails at the same feet. So be careful when you walk around the house on bare foot.

Now that’s to prevent getting nail fungus. What if you already got them? First you can make sure that you do have toenail fungus. On my next article I will give you some hints what the symptoms are. If it turns out that you have them, you can try over the counter treatments that can help. Or in severe cases, consult your doctor to get the help you need.

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This habit is most common between the ages of ten and eighteen, and roughly 10 to 15 percent of adults over the age of thirty still bite their nails. Since the majority of people are able to outgrow the habit, why are some unable to kick nail biting to the curb? Like any other stress-related behavior, some are better at controlling it than others. It could be that most people learn to deal with stress in new, less obvious ways or develop other ways to cope with boredom or nervousness. With age comes an awareness of social norms and proper public behavior, so we adopt less public (and therefore more socially acceptable) coping strategies. Plus, some resort to nail biting more frequently than others, so it makes sense that they could abandon it more easily.