5 Diabetes-Friendly Ways to Care for Your Feet
Diabetic ulcers and wounds are painful and can lead to serious medical problems. Understand 5 diabetes-friendly ways to care for your feet that prevent and help treat potential complications.
How to Keep Toenail Fungus from Spreading
Once you get a fungal nail on your toe, it can be a frustrating process to get it to go away completely. Worse, an untreated fungus can spread to other nails, systematically, or to other people.
Thankfully, by using preventative measures and getting prompt treatment, you can reduce the risk of spreading toenail fungus. Podiatrists Thomas Rambacher, DPM, FACFAS, FAPWCA, and Amber O’Connor, DPM, practicing at Podiatry Hotline Foot & Ankle in Mission Viejo, California, share what you can do to stop the spread of toenail fungus.
How toenail fungus spreads
Fungal nails are extremely contagious. On yourself, the fungus can spread to other nails. If you have a chronic condition like diabetes that compromises your immune system, you’re also at risk for infection getting into your bloodstream and causing a systemic infection.
A fungal infection is also contagious to other people. Your loved ones, and even people you don’t know, could get your infection.
Fungus is most commonly spread by:
- Damp and moist environments
- Touching the affected area on yourself or another person
- Using or sharing anything that’s touched the fungus
- Cracks or cuts on or by a nail where fungus can get in
Fungus nails are common, and anyone can get them. Your risk is higher if you’re older than 60, live in a humid, damp climate, sweat frequently, or have a medical condition get medical treatments that weaken your immune system.
Preventing the spread of toenail fungus
You can help stop toenail fungus from spreading in yourself and others by taking a few straightforward precautions. These include:
Changing socks and shoes often
Your socks and shoes become moist and sweaty quickly, making them a prime area for the fungus to spread between your toes. Change your socks every time they get sweaty, and alternate pairs of shoes to give your shoes time to dry.
After recovering from a fungal nail infection, throw out the socks and shoes you wore during the infection. Choose new socks and shoes that fit well and don’t overcrowd your foot.
Keeping your feet dry and clean
At least once a day, wash your feet with soap and water. You might need to wash more often if you sweat or get your feet dirty regularly.
After washing your feet, pat them down thoroughly to make sure they get fully dry.
Practicing good toenail care
Clipping and filing your toenails in a smooth, straight line after washing your feet helps reduce your risk of cuts and cracks that fungus can spread through. Don’t pick your toenails or the skin that surrounds them.
Avoid getting pedicures or painting your nails while you have an active fungal infection. Once recovered, only visit licensed salons with high safety and cleanliness standards.
Being careful in communal spaces
You can keep your family and friends from getting your fungal infection by wearing shoes or flip-flops in any shared space. This includes showers, locker rooms, outside pools, hot tubs, and saunas, and the floor of your home.
If possible, have other members of your family use a different bathroom and shower while you’re recovering. You should also avoid sharing items like towels and nail trimmers until they’ve been thoroughly sanitized.
Getting treatment early
The sooner you get your fungal nail treated, the faster you'll recover and reduce your risk of spreading the fungus. Let our team know as soon as you have symptoms.
Treatment depends on the severity of the infection and can include antifungal cream and medication, laser treatment, and removing a severely impacted nail entirely. The fungus can take some time to go away completely, so getting started as soon as possible and staying committed to your treatment is important.
Fungal nails can be a pain, but you can take measures to recover and keep them from getting worse. Contact us to get started with toenail fungus treatment.
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