Suffering from athlete's foot? Make sure you treat it as soon as possible, as fungus can spread and affect your toenails, or other areas of the skin, causing a nail fungal infection.6,7
Nail Fungal Infection
Catching a Nail Fungal Infection puts you at risk of spreading dermatophytes from the affected toenail to other parts of your body.1
A Nail Fungal Infection (onychomycosis) is caused by dermatophytes, a highly contagious fungi that thrives in warm and moist environments.2
Nail Fungal Infection Symptoms
Causes of a Nail Fungal Infection
There is no doubt that several factors unique to modern life have resulted in an increased prevalence of onychomycosis. These include the wearing of shoes, particularly fashionably tight, high-heeled shoes; the increased use by large numbers of people of damp spaces such as locker rooms and gymnasiums; Other factors that increase the risk of onychomycosis are direct trauma to the nail, including that resulting from certain tic disorders (e.g., nail biting).5
Treatment of a Nail Fungal Infection
Even if the symptoms of a fungal infection, such as foot or nail fungus, or scaly skin, can be unpleasant and painful, take comfort in knowing that there are effective and easily available treatment options available.
Remember: if you tackle the infection early, it's easier to get rid of it quickly.
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Preventing a nail fungal infection
Keep your toenails short and trim. The correct way to cut or file them is straight across, not in a rounded shape.
When visiting nail salons, consider bringing your own set of accessories. Shared clippers and nail filers can contribute to a spread of fungal infections if not properly sterilized.8
Avoid wearing tight-fitting shoes. This can damage the skin barrier between your toenails and the toes, allowing fungi to invade.9
Facts about nail fungal infection
Globally, nail fungus is the most frequent type of nail fungal infection, and accounts for up to 50% of all nail diseases.10
Changing rooms, public showers and unsterilized equipment in nail salons can put you at an increased risk of a nail fungal infection.11
Remember to wash your hands! Direct physical contact with a person suffering from a nail fungal infection can put you at risk of catching an infection yourself.
REFERENCES:
- Check if it's a nail fungal infection, in: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/fungal-nail-infection/
- What causes onychomycosis?, in: Eisman, S. & Sinclair, R., nail fungal infection: diagnosis and management, in: BMJ, 2014
- Check if it's a nail fungal infection, in: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/fungal-nail-infection/
- Who is at risk?, in: Eisman, S., op. cit.
- Preventing nail fungal infection, in: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/fungal-nail-infection/
- Check if you have athlete's foot, in: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/athletes-foot/
- https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/athletes-foot/
- Preventing nail fungal infection, in: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/fungal-nail-infection/
- Ibid
- Epidemiology, in: Ameen, M. et al.: British Association of Dermatologists’ guidelines for the management of onychomycosis 2014, British Journal of Dermatology (2014) 171, p. 938
- Preventing nail fungal infection, in: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/fungal-nail-infection/
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