Although a fungal nail infection isn't usually serious, it can feel uncomfortable. They also look unpleasant aesthetically, which is why a lot of people rush to banish them. By understanding how you can banish toenail fungus, you can make sure your feet look and feel fantastic.
Topical Treatments
As your fungal infection starts to progress it can cause some areas of your toenail to thicken. In a worst-case scenario, you may find that some parts of your toenail fall off.
A range of topical treatments can remove the fungus from your toenails and soften them. Over-the-counter fungus toenail treatments can take months to work and in severe cases may not be effective. If yours does work, you can use a toenail softening cream to reduce the hardness. As your toenails begin to grow out, that hardness and thickness should naturally start to reduce.
Prescribed Treatments
In a small number of cases, it is necessary to take prescribed treatments. To get them, you'll need to see a doctor. Anti-fungal medications act internally to reduce and remove fungus. However, they do come with some side effects.
Headaches and nausea are common when taking anti-fungal medications, and in a small number of cases, minor surgery becomes necessary. If you do take medications, make sure you report any uncomfortable side effects to your doctor, especially if you find that you can no longer cope with them.
Toenail Hygiene
Your toenail hygiene doesn't need to be bad for a fungal infection to develop. Simply spending a long time wearing shoes that make your feet hot and sweaty can encourage fungus to grow. However, there's always room for upping your hygiene routine, especially if you suffer from sweaty feet.
Always make sure you wash your feet thoroughly. Try to avoid wearing the same pair of socks for more than one day, and if possible try to vary the shoes you wear from one day to the next. If you engage in sports before or after your usual daily hygiene routine, it's worth washing your feet again to reduce the risk of fungus regrowing.
Preventative Action
Some of the day-to-day activities you engage in could cause toenail fungus to grow. For example, if you're a regular swimmer, going barefoot by the pool and in the showers could spark an infection.
Always wear sandals when swimming or exercising in public areas. They'll act as a barrier between your feet and contaminated areas, which can contribute towards remaining fungus-free. To learn more, contact a company that can provide fungus toenail treatments.
Share9 July 2021
Having a fungal infection on your feet can be really annoying. You may find that your feet feel itchy, uncomfortable and that they don't smell great. The aim of this blog is to provide you with all of the info you need to fight a fungal infection. We are not trained podiatrist, but we have dedicated many hours to learning all we can about this subject. We will also be posting info about other conditions which can affect your feet and we hope to highlight how a podiatrist can help you to tackle them. Thank you for stopping by to read our blog!