Toenail fungus can not only make your toes look discolored and misshapen, but it can turn into a lifelong fight. Despite the wide array of prescription and nonprescription creams and remedies, not every infection is eliminated easily. Like many infections, you’re much better off taking preventative measures.
Hygiene
The microorganisms that cause onychomycosis (toenail fungal infections) thrive in warm, moist environments. Swimming pools, locker rooms, and even showers are prime breeding ground for them. They make their way in through cracks in the toenail, small cuts or scratches, or in places where the nail has become separated from the skin. While you can avoid these environments if you know you have such a wound, some cuts may be too small to see. Washing thoroughly afterward being in a place likely to harbor toenail fungus is a good start, but it’s important to dry the feet thoroughly as well. These infections can start in the fingernails too, so keep hands as well as feet clean.
If someone who lives with you has an infection, it’s possible to get it from sharing a shower with them. Keep nails trimmed, so they don’t offer places for hiding as well as preventing the nails from catching and ripping away from the nail bed. Avoid picking and pulling at the skin around the nail, as it can create doorways that are perfect for fungal entry.
Shoewear
Use antifungal sprays and powders in shoes you wear—particularly the ones worn in wet places. Gym shoes and work shoes are prime examples. Additionally, if you have had an infection in the past, you should treat any shoes worn during that period.
Throw out any shoes that are particularly old and gross, and wear shoes that let your feet get dry sometimes, rather than keeping them thoroughly covered all the time. Wear sandals in those environments known for spreading such infections, and wash them regularly.
Beauty Care
If you often get manicures and pedicures, take special care in choosing the establishment. Some places are not the best about cleaning their tools, and the tub you soak your feet in could be a cesspool of dermatophytes (the most common culprit of toenail fungus). If you’re getting that pedicure so the nail polish or fake toenails will cover up the infection, don’t. These just increase the suitability of the environment for toenail fungus, as it traps moisture.
