Nail fungus treatment is certainly no fun. Neither is hiding your toes in sweaty shoes, when you have a fungal nail infection. Believe it or not, when you do this, you’re actually making the problem worse… something you definitely don’t want to do.
How Toenail Fungus Spreads
The fungi associated with toenail fungus, otherwise referred to as onychomycosis, thrives in damp, dark, places such as your shoes. If you shoes are tight that makes the situation even worse.
Once you realize that you have a problem with nail fungus, starting treatment right away is essential. The longer you wait, the worse it gets. It may only affect one or two toes, in the beginning. But, it’s not uncommon for the fungus to spread to healthy nails, in a relatively short period of time.
Signs of a Fungal Nail Infection
There are numerous signs and symptoms of a fungal nail infection. They include:
- Brittle or crumbling nails
- Pain and irritation
- Redness
- Yellowing nails
- A bad odor
- Debris under the nails
- Nail separation from the skin underneath
Nail Fungus Treatment and Opting for Proper Footwear
When you have toenail fungus, wear sandals or just socks whenever you can. Avoid wearing nylon socks, as they cause your feet to sweat worse than some types of shoes. Cotton socks are better than nylon, especially organic cotton. Wool is preferred over both of these choices because this material wicks moisture away from the skin.
Obviously, if you live in a warm climate wool socks aren’t appropriate. Just do your best to stay away from nylon or similar fabrics.
Look for shoes that feature a wide toebox. This gives your toes the most room to move and breathe. Go one step further and sprinkle anti-fungal powder in each shoe, for added protection.
You don’t have to wear a different pair of shoes every day of the week. However, let your shoes dry out for at least 24 hours before wearing them again. Fungi doesn’t grow well in dry environments.
Now, you know what not to do when you have toenail fungus. At first, it might not seem like wearing closed-toed shoes is part of the problem. But, in reality it is.
That’s not to say that you need to wear open-toed footwear the entire time you’re dealing with a fungal nail infection. However, the more you let your feet breathe, the less time you’ll need to spend on nail fungus treatment.
