Ask anyone who has tried, and failed, to rid themselves of toe nail fungus and they will tell you that this is one foe you don’t want to underestimate. Not only is it an unsightly nuisance that can make taking off your shoes an embarrassment, it is highly contagious and easily transmittable. While you may want to share every part of your life with the person you love, that doesn’t include fungus. You can fight back, however, by arming yourself with the knowledge below. You don’t have to be yet another victim in the battle against toenail fungus.
If you visit a local gym or if you enjoy walking barefoot along the beach, you are participating in high risk activity for transmission. It is a good idea to make sure that your feet have plenty of room to breathe at night while you sleep and while you are at home. Avoid wearing socks around the house and for the ladies, avoid wearing nail polish. Fresh air and circulation are important parts of keeping your feet fungus free, and that applies to both athlete’s foot and the type of fungus that grows underneath your nails.
Perhaps the most fun you will have keeping your feet fungus free is taking a trip to your local pedicurist. These folks know how to take care of nails, and they can show you exactly how you should clip, trim, wash and take care of your feet. Of course, not everyone can afford to go to an expert like this on a regular basis, but even one trip can help to highlight what you are doing wrong and what you are doing well. If you are serious about taking care of your feet, a trip to the local pedicurist is an educational adventure you just can’t pass up.
When it comes to keeping your feet, and your entire body for that matter, in tip top shape, it is important to stay as clean as possible. Many of us know to wash our hands before we touch our faces, especially if we have a problem with acne or other facial skin conditions, but did you know that you can transmit fungus from your fingers to your feet, as well? Our hands come into contact with all sorts of dirt, grime, germs and, yes, fungus each and every day. If you are going to scrub your feet or even if you are going to change socks, wash your hands first, just to be on the safe side.
While fingernail fungus isn’t as common as toe fungus, it can still be quite the bother, and unlike toe fungus, finger fungus is a lot more visible. You can prevent both by never picking at your cuticles or by putting on your hangnails. Both actions can cause small cuts and tears in the skin and that can seriously increase your chances of infection. Go grab a pair of nail clippers to take care of the problem for you.
July 23rd, 2009 at 2:25 pm
Oh…. I must disagree with the pedicurist thing. I had never ever had any incidence of toenail fungus… in fact wasn’t even aware what it was, until after I went for my first pedicure. I went only because our nephew got married and someone in the family had paid for all us ladies to get a pedicure. A couple of weeks after the wedding when I went to take the nailpolish off, I saw the first signs of the fungus, which has become progressively worse over the years. I am assuming that at this shop they were not properly sanitizing their implements. So I say, beware of pedicurists.