You know it is true:
Toenail fungus is a common infection that is easy to get, but hard to get rid of.
According to U.S. Library of Medicine, fungal infection is responsible for about half of all nail disease, and toenail onychomycosis is by far the most challenging superficial fungal infection to cure.
It can be a persistent and sometimes embarrassing problem, and occasionally can become painful.
This post outlines how to prevent toenail fungus, keep it from spreading, and avoid recurring nail fungal infection that keeps coming back.
Causes and Symptoms of Onychomycosis
Dr. John Fritz, podiatric physician and surgeon, shares his insights on the causes of toenail fungus infection (onychomycosis) in the video below, which also includes nail fungus symptoms pictures.
Recommended Read: Use Natural Undecylenic Acid as Effective Toenail Fungus Remedy
Tips To Fight and Prevent Toenail Fungus Infection
Here are 21 tips toenail fungus remedies and prevention tips —
as recommended by American Academy of Dermatology, American Podiatric Medical Association, American Academy of Family Physicians, British Association of Dermatologists, Mayo Clinic, WebMD, and others:
Manage Your Footwear To Fight Nail Fungus on Feet
1. Choose shoes that are made of breathable material, such as real leather or canvas. Avoid wearing shoes made of rubber, plastics, or other man-made materials. Wear breathable footwear like sandals whenever possible. The more air that is able to circulate around your feet area, the drier and less susceptible to toenail fungus they’ll be.
2. Choose shoes that properly fit, they should never cramp your toes and touch your toenails.
3. Treat your shoes with antifungal spray or powders to disinfect shoes, because nail fungus thrives in warm moist environment, like in hot sweaty shoes. Spray or sprinkle it inside your shoes and on your socks before each wearing, to control sweat and prevent the growth of fungi spores that can prompt fungal infections. This is especially important in hot weather or before a workout, when your feet tend to sweat more.
4. Sterilize shoes with UV Shoe Sanitizer is also helpful to get foot fungus out of shoes and prevent fungal infections, by using the ultraviolet technology.
5. Rotate your footwear daily and allow them to air out between wearing. Place the shoes out in the open where they can dry thoroughly. Avoid wearing the same pair of shoes 2 days in a row, as putting on footwear that are still damp from previous day’s wearing may increase the risk of a toenail fungal infection.
6. Take off your shoes and let your feet cool whenever you have a chance.
7. Throw away old pairs of closed-toe shoes as fungi might be living in them.
8. Avoid going barefoot in public facilities such as swimming pools area, shower rooms, locker rooms and similar areas with moist environment where fungus thrives. Fungus that causes nail fungal infection, athlete’s foot, and other skin conditions may be on the floor.
9. Never wear someone else’s shoes as toenail fungus is highly contagious and can spread easily.
Foot Care and Hygiene
10. Wash your feet daily with soap and water, and wash your hands after touching an infected nail. Make sure you get between your toes and fingers.
11. Thoroughly dry your feet with a towel (and hair dryer) after bathing or washing, especially between the toes where moisture can get trapped.
12. Do not share towels.
Trina Simms, a Professional Member of the American Botanical Council, shares her toenail fungus management and home remedies tips in the video below:
Don’t Forget Your Socks Too!
13. Wear sweat-absorbing socks that wicks moisture away from your feet faster than cotton socks do. The best socks for toenail fungus are those made of fabric material like merino wool, drymax, olefin, coolmax, and polyester.
14. Change your socks at least twice a day, especially if you already have toenail fungus infection.
15. Do not share socks.
16. Wash all socks in hot water with bleach.
Nail Care and Pedicure Tips For Toenail Fungus Prevention
17. Clip your toenails short and trimmed straight across, to help prevent debris from building up under the nails. Smooth the nail edges with a file and file down thickened areas, so that the nail does not extend beyond the tip of the toe, in order to keep them strong and avoid ingrown toenails.
18. Disinfect your nail clippers and home pedicure tools after each use.
19. Never share nail clippers and files.
20. If you get pedicures or manicures at nail salons, choose nail salon that uses sterilized pedicure tools after each client, or you can also bring your own clippers and file from home. Ask that your cuticles not be cut in order to avoid tiny breaks in the skin that let germs in.
21. Do not use nail polish or artificial nail extenders, such as acrylic or gel nails.
Recommended Read:
Home Remedies and Foot Soaks To Get Rid of Toenail Fungus from Pedicures
Watch the following video from WebMD for tips on how to prevent getting plantar warts and toenail fungus from pedicure.
