Top 10 Tips to Prevent Toenail Fungus

The organisms that cause toenail fungus infections are nearly impossible to avoid. If you spend time in public areas such as gyms, swimming pools or locker rooms where people are barefoot, you are more likely to pick up toenail fungus.

Here are our top 10 tips to keep your feet fungus free:

1. Always wear shower shoes in the locker room, public showers and at the pool. Fungus thrives in damp, warm places like a wet locker room floor.
2. Keep your feet clean and dry. Wearing moisture-wicking socks and changing your socks whenever they get wet prevents toenail fungus from settling in your shoes.
3. Wear shoes that fit well. Shoes that fit properly give your feet room to breathe and prevent excess moisture.
4. Use an anti-fungal spray or powder in your shoes to keep fungus at bay.
5. Trim your nails straight across your toes and don’t pick at the skin around your nails. Even small nicks in your skin help toenail fungus take hold.
6. Consider replacing your old shoes if you think they might have fungus in them.
7. Don’t share towels or shoes with others to prevent accidental fungus sharing.
8. Avoid nail trauma to your toenails. A nail injury can give toenail fungus access to the skin under your nails.
9. Always clean the tools used on your nails, including nail clippers and pedicure tools. You may want to ask your pedicure salon how they clean their tools, or bring your own.
10. Don’t use nail polish or artificial nails to hide your nails. These trap moisture and can make unhealthy nails worse.

If you suspect you have a toenail fungus infection, make an appointment with your Water’s Edge medical dermatologist. He or she will help you get the toenail fungus treatment that works best for you.