When describing toenail fungus, we often hear words like “stubborn” or “hassle,” and these descriptions are spot on.
Toenail fungus isn’t usually medically serious. However, it can be a challenging condition to eliminate once it takes hold, so you want to do what you can to quickly contain the infection.
As experts in fungal toenails, our team at Neuhaus Foot and Ankle wants to share a few strategies for dealing with these difficult infections.
And these best practices also go a long way toward preventing another fungal toenail infection in the future.
Toenail fungus is a common and contagious infection that affects 3-12% of the general population. Prevalence also tends to rise with age — half of people over 70 have toenail fungus because of poorer circulation to the feet and weaker defenses against infection.
Most cases of toenail infections stem from fungal organisms that feed on keratin. These infections typically affect your big toe, but they can spread to your other toenails and even affect your fingernails.
Now let’s get into some great strategies for minimizing the damage that your toenail fungus can cause:
Toenail infections typically start as a small white or yellowish spot on your big toenail that slowly spreads, eventually taking over most of the nail.
If you want to contain the issue, we recommend coming to see us at the first signs of an infection so we can take quick action to stop it from spreading and destroying your toenail.
Using antifungal medications, our goal is to save your nail and prevent the fungal infection from spreading to your other nails.
It’s summertime, and we know how nice it is to run around barefoot, especially around the pool. Unfortunately, the fungal molds that lead to toenail infections love to lurk in damp and dark places.
If you want to contain your toenail fungus and prevent it from spreading or passing to others, wear flip-flops in public spaces, such as around pools, showers, and locker rooms.
Don’t linger in sweaty socks — peel them off the moment you can and wash and dry your feet. Place those sweaty socks and any towels used for your feet into the laundry.
Place your athletic shoes in the sun to kill any fungi that may be hanging out in your sweaty footwear.
A great preventive practice for toenail fungus is to sprinkle some antifungal powder into your shoes. While this won’t address your current infection, it can certainly help stop the spread.
After clipping your toenails, sanitize your equipment — boiling water and antibacterial soaps are great for this. Avoid sharing your nail clippers or borrowing them from someone else.
If you want to reduce the time you spend battling a stubborn toenail infection, your first step is to contact one of our 13 locations in Tennessee to schedule an appointment with our foot health experts.
