PREVENTING ATHLETE’S FOOT & TOENAIL FUNGUS

• Always, always wear flip-flops in public areas, such as: around the swimming pool, in the locker room, in public showers (at the gym, club, etc.), and anywhere else that is damp and sees a lot of foot traffic.
• Be clean! Wash your gym socks!! Be sure to change sweaty socks – moist and warm areas are breeding grounds for fungus. And wash your feet with soap and water, at LEAST once a day. Dry your feet after washing them.
• No borrowing. Don’t share your shoes and socks, or borrow them from other people. Also, don’t swap nail files or nail clippers. Otherwise you might be trading more than you think...
• Polish safely. If you like to wear toenail polish, be careful not to glob it on too thick. It can make it hard for your toes to naturally “breathe.”
• Manicure with care. If you get a manicure or pedicure, be sure that your salon cleans their equipment properly. You don’t want to bring home a fungal infection with your pedicure!! Consider bringing your own equipment instead of using the salon’s.
• Switch it up. If you exercise a lot, consider having two pairs of sneakers that you switch between every day. That way you won’t be wearing sweaty, damp shoes.
• Show your toes. Since fungi like to live in warm and moist places, hidden away in the dark, you can keep your feet healthy by keeping them out of shoes! Wear sandals or flip-flops when you can – this gives your feet room to breathe and stay dry if you’re prone to sweating a lot.
• Powder your feet. If you have sweaty feet, use powder to help absorb the moisture.

TREATING ATHLETE'S FOOT

There are a number of over-the-counter and prescription treatments for athlete’s foot. If you’re treating the condition yourself, you can buy creams, sprays, or powders that fight the fungus. You should see your doctor if the infection does not improve after a couple of weeks, or if your foot has signs of a bacterial infection (such as red streaks). If you visit your doctor, he or she will probably prescribe or recommend a “topical” (applied to your skin) antifungal treatment. There are also antifungal pills that your doctor might prescribe; these fight the infection from inside your body. Remember to keep using whatever treatment you use for the full amount of time recommended. It might look like your athlete’s foot has cleared up, but if you stop treating it, it will probably flare back up.

TREATING A TOENAIL INFECTION

Toenail fungus is notoriously hard to beat. Your toenails grow very slowly, so it’s hard to replace the infected nail with new, healthy nail. It can take up to a year for a fully healthy nail to grow out and replace the infected portion. One type of topical (applied to your nail) treatment has been successful in treating the infection. It looks like toenail polish, but has ingredients to fight fungus.

Your doctor might prescribe an oral medication (a pill you would take by mouth). Some of these medications have serious side effects, so it’s important to take them according to your doctor’s instructions. Be sure that you take the medication for the full length of time that you are supposed to – otherwise the infection will probably come right back!! In really severe cases your doctor may remove a toenail, but this is a last resort.

Some people who have not had success with traditional treatments have turned to herbal or home remedies to treat toenail fungus. While some people swear by using tea tree oil or vinegar, it’s a good idea to check with your doctor before starting to use an alternative “medicine.”