Prevent the Spread of Toenail Fungus (and How Not to Get It in the First Place!)

Fungus requires three things to thrive: warmth, moisture, and darkness. If you’re looking for a place where fungus may have been picked up, you just have to ponder all those elements.

Locker rooms, gyms, and public pools are prime locations for contracting fungal toenails and athlete’s foot. Because of this, having some foot protection at these places is a must.

Shower shoes are a great barrier between your feet and the outside world, and a great measure of protection for showers, locker rooms, and around pools.

If you already have a fungal infection, it’s best to keep covered as much as possible. Aqua socks are a great foot covering for swimming. They’re very lightweight and flexible, while still covering the whole foot.

Protecting your feet in public areas helps a lot, but there is an even more important area that can be warm, damp, and low in light: the inside of your shoes!

By working to keep your feet dry, you can help cut off one of the elements fungi need to thrive inside your shoes. How to go about this?

• Dry your feet completely after a swim or shower before putting on your socks and shoes. Don’t forget between your toes!
• Give your shoes at least 24 hours of time to dry before you put them back on again. This ideally means switching between shoes each day, but shoe dryers can also help.
• If your feet sweat a lot, bring a dry pair of socks with you to switch into midway through your day. (It might also be helpful to have your sweating problem looked at by us if it’s excessive.)

Powders to put in your socks and shoes might also be helpful, but make sure to not use them too liberally. Too much powder can lead to your feet sliding in your shoes, which can cause calluses or blisters.

Trimming your toenails well will help keep them clean, but there’s even more to it than that.

If you currently have toenail fungus, your clippers should never be used by anyone else. That’s an easy way to help spread the fungus. You shouldn’t even use your toenail clippers on your fingernails. “Toenail” fungus can certainly infect your fingernails as well.

Also, take a few minutes to clean your clippers regularly. Dip a scrubbing brush into a 70-90 percent solution of isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) for a few minutes to sanitize it, then use it and a small amount of anti-bacterial soap to scrub the clippers. Rinse thoroughly with hot water, then dry thoroughly to help prevent rusting.

If you suffer trauma in and around your nails, it can also cause fungus on the nails.

Trauma includes dropping something on your toenails, yes, but it also includes ingrown toenails, hangnails, black toenails, and anything else that leaves some damage in the area. Help prevent traumas by wearing protective footwear when needed and properly trimming your nails.

Get Treatment!