The Most Common Causes of Fungal Toenails And What to do to Avoid Them 

22 Jun The Most Common Causes of Fungal Toenails And What to do to Avoid Them 

What’s even better than getting prompt treatment for an annoying, painful fungal toenail infection? Not getting a fungal toenail infection at all because you knew what to do to avoid getting one. In this post, we will examine the most common causes of fungal toenail infections and what you can do to prevent yourself from getting one.

1. Poor Hygiene: When it comes to our feet, we generally don’t think about keeping them clean the same way we think about keeping other parts of our body clean, such as our hands, face, and upper body. But feet and toes must be kept clean in order to prevent common problems such as fungal toenail infections from occurring. Someone who goes to the gym wearing the same dirty socks and gym shoes several days in a row is going to have more problems on their hands than just some stinky feet; they will most likely suffer from a painful toenail infection as well. Avoid this problem simply by showering daily, wearing clean socks and footwear, and paying attention to where you step when you are barefoot.
2. Communal Showers: Though the shower is the place you go to when you want to get cleaned up, communal showers more often than not come with a bevy of cleanliness issues. It isn’t uncommon for people to come away from pool or gym showers with embarrassing foot health issues such as warts or fungal toenail infections. If you shower at the gym regularly after your workout, start wearing flipflops instead of going in barefoot. By protecting your feet this way, you will significantly reduce your chances of getting a fungal toenail infection that you could have gotten by exposing your feet to the public shower’s floor surface.
3. Being an Athlete: By no means are we suggesting that you should stop being an athlete or highly physically activity simply because you are more susceptible to getting fungal toenail infections. But it is helpful to be aware of this fact so you can do things to prevent getting them. Because athletes tend to wear sweaty, tight-fitting sneakers and therefore receive trauma to the toes, they are more likely to suffer from fungal toenail infections. When the toes are repeatedly traumatized, it often weakens the toenails and this too will often lead to a fungal toenail infection. Athletes can minimize their risk of fungal toenail infections by protecting their toenails with proper footwear and being mindful of what they are doing with their feet, making sure not to ignore any signs of pain or weakness in the toes.
4. Nail Salons: Naturally, like many people, you might enjoy a relaxing pedicure every once in a while. Certainly, there is nothing wrong with enjoying a luxurious pedicure for cleaner, healthier, better-looking feet. However, you always want to make sure the nail salon you are going to goes above and beyond the standards for cleanliness. Only frequent a nail salon that has rave reviews and no reports of cleanliness issues. If you go to a salon that does not properly sanitize their instruments such as nail files, clippers, and foot tubs, there is a significantly increased risk of getting a toenail infection. It wouldn’t hurt to ask the nail artists how they clean their instruments so you can have better peace of mind knowing that everything is properly sanitized and you won’t be likely to get a fungal toenail infection from your pedicure.

If you have any questions about fungal toenail infections and the different treatment options available, don’t hesitate to contact us today. Our team is happy to discuss our comprehensive list of podiatry services including treatment for bunions, toenail infections, hammertoes, and other issues.