In the case of yeast infections caused by Candida, bright red areas form on the skin, often with lesions at the borders. Candida mostly takes hold in skin folds and creases. Bacterial infections are normally associated with tiny blisters or pustules that are easily ruptured.

Diaper rash remedies

The first step is to ensure frequent diaper changes and limit fecal and urine exposure to the affected area. (Frequent diaper changes are also the number one preventative measure for diaper rash)

Use water and soft cloths for cleaning. Disposable wipes may contain irritating chemicals so should be avoided. Take steps to ensure that the skin is completely dry before applying a new diaper. The use of talcum powder or other moisture absorbing powders is a good preventative measure.

If the rash is mild and likely to result from contact irritation, the application of a ‘barrier’ cream or ointment may help to protect the skin from further friction. Again, it is vital that the skin is completely dry before applying a ‘barrier’ cream. It is thought that a zinc oxide based ointment may be more effective than petroleum jelly (Vaseline) as these have an astringent (drying) quality.

Exposing the irritated skin to the air for as long as possible between diaper changes is a very simple, but effective, diaper rash remedy.

As bacterial and yeast infections can progress to secondary areas of the body, if the diaper rash persists or is severe, it is important that you discuss the symptoms with a pediatrician. Diaper rash home remedies may not be effective and your health professional may suggest an antibiotic ointment for the treatment of bacterial infections, or an antifungal topical treatment for yeast infections (diaper Candidiasis). A mild topical corticosteriod preparation is sometimes considered to relive irritation.

Studies have linked the best probiotics with a wide range of health benefits including:

• Management of antibiotic associated diarrhea and traveler’s diarrhea.
• Reducing inflammation in the gut and assisting in the management of inflammatory bowel syndromes.
• Preventing harmful bacterial growth and associated toxins.
• Yeast infection treatment by restoring the natural balance of gut microflora thought to keep Candida yeast growth in check. Probiotics are often recommended as part of a Candida diet or yeast free diet.
• Managing lactose intolerance via the action of lactic acid bacteria.
• Prevention of colon cancers. It is thought that probiotics may bind with carcinogenic substances or reduce the activity of harmful enzymes.
• Improving the absorptive capacity of the gut.

Untangling the definitions: Probiotics, Antibiotics, Prebiotics and Symbiotics

It’s useful to think of probiotics, which add beneficial bacteria, in contrast with antibiotics, which are designed to destroy bacteria in the body. Probiotics are often recommended following a course of antibiotics in order to restore the balance of healthy bacteria in the gut.

Probiotics, comprised of live bacteria, are sometimes confused with prebiotics, which are non-digestible ingredients, (usually oligosaccharides), that stimulate the activity of beneficial bacteria in the digestive system. Note also that synbiotics are nutritional supplements combining probiotics and prebiotics.

Choosing the best probiotic supplement

There is no standardized manufacturing process for probiotic supplements, so their effectiveness varies between products. When choosing the best probiotics for your needs, bear in mind the following points:

• While probiotic supplements are available in liquid, powder or capsule form, most health professionals recommend purchasing probiotic capsules. In particular it is important to make sure the capsule has been specifically designed to withstand stomach acids and pass intact to the gastro intestinal tract.
• Multi-strain probiotics that contain both Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium species are the most common. These replicate the bacteria found in most healthy diets. The concentration of bacteria is measured in colony forming units (CFUs) and will vary from product to product. Studies have shown health benefits for products ranging from 30 million to more than 1 trillion CFU/day, but more CFUs does not always mean better quality.
• The best probiotics provide very specific information on the strains provided and how many CFUs per strain.
• Products should have an expiration date and the best probiotic supplements use inert packaging that does not allow any contamination. Note that some products will require refrigeration.

They call it the ‘hidden fungus’ for a reason

Of course if a women is suffering from a case of vaginal thrush, a man has visible male yeast infection symptoms, or a baby has a severe diaper rash, Candida is usually correctly identified as the cause and treatment is started. But more chronic and seemingly unrelated symptoms such as joint pain, headaches, skin rashes, fatigue, general malaise, itchy ears, bloating, depression, and digestive problems are not always associated with a yeast infection.

The other complication when it comes to yeast infections is the difficulty in identifying causal factors, of which there are many. For example, it is commonly accepted that prolonged use of antibiotics is a risk factor. This is because antibiotics negatively affect the natural balance or microorganisms in the gut – between beneficial bacterial strains such as lactobacillus and bifidobacter and harmful bacteria, Candida causing yeasts and parasites.

A diet high in sugar is also associated with yeast outbreaks as the Candida feeds on sugar. Diabetics too are susceptible due to elevated sugars in the blood and stress and hormonal changes are thought to upset the natural balance of flora in the gut. Topical infections such as vaginal thrush for example can be caught through direct contact with an infected surface, clothing or from a sexual partner.

How to get rid of yeast infection

• The first step is to identify any risk factors and take measure to address them. Don’t take antibiotics, steroids or hormones, unless there is a compelling medical necessity of course.
• Second, follow a Candida diet (also known as a yeast free diet) designed to reduce sugars and refined carbohydrates and eliminate yeasts and molds.
• Third consider taking antifungal supplements such as oregano oil, Caprylic acid, Undecyclenic acid, Isatis tinctoria, Berberine, and emphasizing foods with known antifungal qualities such as raw garlic and live natural yogurts.
• Fourth, begin a course of probiotics to repopulate the gut with healthy bacteria, a process thought to help get rid of yeast infection.
• Sixth, increase fiber intake by taking a soluble fiber supplement such as Psylliun seed. Fiber is thought to improve the absorptive capacity of the gastrointestinal tract and may assist in binding yeast toxins.
• Seventh, use topical antifungal medications for surface infections such as genital thrush.
• Eighth, reduce stress as much as possible.
• More information on yeast infection treatment

In very severe cases and resistant yeast strains, sufferers may need to turn to prescription medications on advice of their doctor. Unfortunately as systemic drugs such as Diflucan, Sporonox and Lamasil have been associated with liver damage and can interact negatively with other medications, their use is often considered as a last resort to get rid of yeast infections.

There are many possible causes of a Candida outbreak. It is commonly associated with the prolonged (or excessive) use of antibiotics. Antibiotics work by destroying bacteria in our body and unfortunately this includes the natural bacteria that work to maintain a health intestine. Diabetics often suffer from yeast infections due to elevated sugar levels in the blood. Hormonal changes and poor diet choices may also alter body biochemistry resulting in the conditions that cause Candida to multiply

Some Candida yeast symptoms are easy to treat. Both vaginal thrush and thrush in men for example can be cured by applying a topical (external) antifungal cream. powder or ointment to affected areas.

But some instances of the disease, particularly those affecting the gut, are more chronic in nature. In severe, systemic cases of Candidiasis of the gut, it is thought that the Candida yeast evolves into fungal form with roots that penetrate the intestinal wall breaking down the barrier between the digestive tract and the bloodstream. This can result in toxins entering the blood and causing a range of disorders. Some of the diseases thought to be associated with Candidiasis include digestive problems, migraines, joint pain, depression, lethargy, ‘brain fog’ and even ADD, Leaky Gut Syndrome, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

In order to address the root cause of Candidiasis, it is worth considering the following four part Candida yeast cleanse:

1. Add anti-fungal supplements to your diet as part of the Candida cleansing plan. The most common are oregano oil, caprylic acid, tea tree oil, raw garlic and grape seed extract
2. Start a course of probiotics to supplement the natural bacteria in your gut. Most probiotics contain Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) and Bifidobacteria and underpin a natural Candida cleanse process. See more on best probiotic products.
3. Take a fiber shake such as Psyllium husk regularly. This will help restore the natural absorptive capacity of your intestinal tract.
4. Follow a yeast free diet plan (or Candida cleanse diet). This may be the hardest part of the plan to stick to, but will have long term benefits. As yeasts feed on dietary sugar, the plan omits sugars from the diet. This includes all refined sugars, sweeteners, fruit and fruit juices as well as alcohol and carbohydrate – as both break down into sugars as part of the digestive process.

The Candida yeast is present in all of us. The negative symptoms only occurs when the yeast multiples out of control. It is normally held in check by our natural body chemistry and the balance of healthy microorganisms in our body. It is not always possible to identify an individual causal agent that alters the natural balance in our body resulting in a Candida overgrowth. But risk factors include prolonged use of antibiotics, lowered immune system, unhealthy diet, hormonal changes (e.g due to pregnancy or menopause in women) and diabetes. Candida overgrowth can result in lowered blood sugar levels, leading to sugar cravings and overeating.

In order to address the root cause of Candidiasis, a yeast free diet plan is recommended. Also known as an ‘anti candida diet’ this requires the elimination of all types of sugar and processed carbohydrate from the diet. Given these restrictions, it can be hard to stick with a yeast free diet over a period of time. A more sensible approach is to focus on foods you can eat as part of the diet plan instead on what you should avoid.

Allowed yeast free diet foods include the following:

• All kinds of vegetables, including potatoes in moderation
• Beef
• Chicken
• Fish and seafood
• Eggs
• Cheese (but avoid blue, fermented and moldy cheeses)
• Oats and oatmeal
• Natural yogurt
• Rice
• Any kind of non-wheat four. Good substitutes are rice flour and corn flower
• Rice pasta
• Garlic (has known antifungal properties)
• Dietry fibre (changes how foods and chemical are absorbed in the gut)

It’s a good idea to supplement the diet with the following natural antifungal agents as part of an overall candida cleanse plan:

• Probiotics, such as Lactobacillus (a lactic acid Bacteria or LAB) and Bifidobacteria (the main group of bacteria that make up the intestinal flora). More on best probiotic supplements.
• Grape seed extract.
• Tea tree oil, long known to have antiseptic, antibacterial; and antifungal qualities.
• Undecylenic acid, a fatty acid derived from castor oil with antimicrobial qualities.

Focusing on what you can eat is often easier than focusing on what is restricted. Mix and match from the list above and you’ll be able to whip up some tasty yeast free diet recipes.  And the good news is that after following the diet for four to eight weeks (depending on the severity of your yeast infection), and once you are fee of symptoms you can start to re-introduce sugars and other restricted foods back into the diet. But you may also find that your sugar craving is reduced once you have the Candida under control.

Novexatin® is a topical, brush on treatment that has just finished Phase IIa clinical trials where 48 patients used the product daily for 28 days. The results confirmed earlier Phase I results showing that the product appears to have no adverse affects on patients from topical application. Earlier nail model trials indicated positive performance in ability to combat nail fungus infection.

The company expects to announce the full data of the completed trials later this year and is currently exploring partnership arrangements for the development and distribution of the treatment. We look forward to seeing this one come to market…

NovaBay presented the findings at the 47th Annual Meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) in Philadelphia on the 1st of this month (you can find the abstract here). A key issue in the use of topical medications for toenail fungus treatment and fingernail fungus is the ability of the antifungal agent to be absorbed into the nail well enough to be able to fight the fungus. The success of Aganocide® seems to be it’s ability to squarely address this problem - not only to fight nail fungus infections but to penetrate and absorb sufficiently through the nail to allow it to effectively combat the fungus.

Dr. Behzad Khosrovi, senior vice president of product development at NovaBay, said “This model tests both the penetration of the nail as well as the effectiveness of the compounds against the targeted fungus. What is remarkable is that, after treatment, the Aganocide formulations were able to eradicate the fungi grown on the other side of the nail, hence indicating not only good penetration but a good antifungal activity against T. rubrum, the fungus responsible for onychomycosis commonly known as nail infection.”

You can listen to a webcast on the findings on the NovaBay site here. You’ll need to register to listen and the interesting information comes between minutes 5 and 11 although the whole webcast lasts around 40 minutes.

Aganocide® looks very promising as a new entrant into the area of nail fungus treatment but it will be a little while yet before we see it in the market place. Until then, the research seems also to support the use of combination treatments to increase the effectiveness of topical nail fungus products.

Well, scientists reporting in the New England Journal of Medicine last month may have discovered at least some of the answers to your questions.

Recent research shows a genetic link that may determine a persons susceptibility to nail fungus. Apparently two proteins, called Dectin-1 and CARD9, interact with each other in order to support our immunity from nail fungus infections.

When these proteins are mutated or missing our systems find it harder to fend off and fight nail fungus infections.

Dr Bart Ferwerda, involved in the research on the protein called Dectin-1, said “These findings are a first step in understanding the genetic susceptibility to common and disabling fungal diseases such as onychomycosis..”

Dr. Erik-Oliver Glocker, who co-authored the paper on the protein known as CARD9, stated that the discovery “enables further insights in the interaction between fungi and the human immune system and may pave the way for future therapeutic options…”

It will be interesting to see how this research develops and what impact it may have on the future of nail fungus treatment science and procedure.

Research into nail fungus infections needs further focus. It’s a condition that rarely goes away on its own. It is relentlessly progressive and can cause both physical and emotionally negative symptoms. If left unchecked the disease can spread to affect all nails. In addition, the public health considerations (in particular the spread of the disease in public environments such as communal showers, changing rooms and gym facilities) should not be ignored.

A company called DermResearch is looking for ‘fungus models’ - more specifically, the company is looking for people who have toenail fungus on their big toe to be models for a training session for physicians. The training session will take place at 10am on Saturday, November 7, 2009 in Dallas, Texas.

DermResearch states that at the training session physicians will ‘examine your toenails and possibly obtain a sample of the nail to examine under a microscope’. Models will be paid $500 each and one night at the resort outside Dallas where the training session will be held.

Normally having a toe nail fungus is a source of embarrassment. Sufferers mostly try and hide their affected nails away in shoes and socks. Here’s a chance to turn that on its head and assist new physicians come to understand more about this progressive and unsightly disease.

So, if you’re in the Dallas area, have fungus on your big toe and fancy a night out on the town with $500 to play with then call 512-349-0500 for further information or fill out the form on their site.

More and more nail fungus treatment options are becoming available. These range from topical treatments to home remedies for toe nail fungus. Prescription based medicines are also available. But most sufferers begin with topical treatments (i.e those that are applied externally to the nail and surrounding skin).

We define ‘home remedies’ as treatments that use common, easily available products that you could lay your hands on in most households.  For nail fungus infections the most commonly used are vinegar, beer soak, Listerine, Vicks Vapo Rub and Tea Tree oil.

We have reviewed these on our website, because they may be effective at treating early stage or mild toe nail fungus infections or for preventing healthy nails to become infected. But it should be noted that these remedies have not been clinically tested for the treatment for fungal infection and the directions that accompany the products do not include the use on nails for curing this disorder.

How to use home remedies for toenail fungus:

1. First clean your nails thoroughly and remove any artificial nails or nail polish.  Use a nail file (such as one of these glass nail files) to smooth out rough edges.
2. Try a vinegar soak.  This involves soaking your fingers for 15 to 20 minutes in a mixture of 1 part white or apple cider vinegar to 2 parts warm (not hot) water. If this concentration of vinegar irritates your skin, you can decrease the amount added to the water. Ideally soak your hands once a day, unless they become dry or irritated.
3. Consider applying Tea Tree Oil to your nail and cuticles using a cotton bud. The oil contains antimicrobial properties.
4. Another option is Vicks VapoRub. Apply the solution or ointment to your nails, cuticles and surrounding skin and let the treatment soak in.

Other nail fungus home remedies such as Listerine and Acidophilus beer soak could also work, but according to the reviews we have conducted, Tea Tree Oil, Vicks Vapo Rub and Vinegar soak are likely to be more effective.

If you find that none of the home remedies for nail fungus work, then the next step - before moving onto prescription drugs - is to consider a natural medication such as ZetaClear, Nail-Rx or Fungisil.

These contain proven anti-fungal agents, do not require prescription and have been demonstrated to assist in treating nail fungus and contribute to the promotion of healthy nails. Click on the links that follow to read our reviews of these three products:

• ZetaClear review - Rated:
• Nail-Rx review - Rated:
• Fungisil review - Rated:

Some users apply a home remedy for nail fungus as a companion treatment to other medications. Either by applying the home remedy to the infected nail in conjunction with (or in preparation for) an antifungal treatment or by using the home remedies on healthy nails to reduce the risk of cross-infection.