Winter is just around the corner. With cold winds setting in, keeping your feet covered become even more important. Fortunately, winter is the ideal time for treating toenail fungal infection as wearing open-toed sandals or shoes and sinking feet into the pool become things of the previous season.
Toenail Fungal Infection
Onychomycosis, also known as tinea unguium, is a fungal infection that affects either the toenails or fingernails. It causes the nail to become hard, yellow and thick. The infection begins as a small, discolored area on one nail and can spread to other nails or the skin as it grows.
Causes
A fungal nail infection occurs from the buildup of fungi, in, under or on the nails. The fungi which causes this infection thrives in warm and moist environment, and is also responsible for causing ringworm, jock itch and athlete’s foot infection. Nails which are infected by fungi are usually thicker than normal and can break easily. They might also look yellowish in colour. When fungi start building up under your nail, your nail may loosen and even get separated from the nail bed.
The older you are, the more chances you have to develop fungal nail infection. People who are suffering from diabetes, athlete’s foot, or having a weakened immune system are more prone to this infection. Additionally, smoking, or people whose family members already have this infection are also at a higher risk. While a good quality fungal infection cream can offer an effective treatment, spending a lot of time in water or any nail injury can still make you vulnerable to nail infection.
Prevention and Treatment
Let us now look at some of the best ways to treat and prevent fungal toenail infection:
Good Hygiene
Keep your feet clean by bathing daily to avoid toenail fungal infection. Make sure that you completely dry your feet between the toes and around the nails, otherwise moist areas are the favorable places for the fungi to grow. You can also apply a top quality fungal infection cream to get rid of this infection.
Change your Socks
Avoid wearing the same socks every day. Changing your socks on a daily basis will help keep your feet and the surrounding area dry and less vulnerable to infections.
Trim your Nails
Most of the times, a nail fungal infection begins as a small area on one nail and then spreads from there. But if you see infection at the tip of the nail, you should simply cut it.
Footwear
Make sure the shoes you wear fit properly but have sufficient space to breathe. It is also important to disinfect your shoes to get rid of fungal infections.
Winter is the ideal time to treat toenail fungal infection because nails are covered by socks and you don’t feel the need to go for a pool party or wear nail polish. In case the infection gets worse, you can use the best cream for fungal infection to effectively treat the condition.
