Hygiene Tips for Preventing Nail Fungus

Nail fungus is a common condition that usually presents in mid-life or later years, a nasty little problem that can be embarrassing, unsightly, and even painful. Fungal infections develop slowly over time and can be a difficult condition to treat, often causing permanent damage to the nails and possibly nail loss. Once a fungal infection has invaded your nails, it can be quite a battle to get ride of it. Fungus thrives in warm, moist and dark environments, so it comes as no surprise that nail fungal infections often develop in your toes.

But there are steps you can take to avoid the onset of nail fungal infections. Here are eight simple and effective tips (especially for women) for outsmarting nail fungus. Don't forget, it's a lot easier to prevent getting a toehold (sorry!) in the first place than to have to fight it off for years.

1. Keep your nails trimmed and healthy. To help prevent nail fungus, you should trim your toe and fingernails short. Trimming regularly helps prevent fungi from sneaking into the warm, moist part of the inside of your nails.

2. Don't cut your cuticles. If you visit a nail salon, tell your manicurist that you do not want your cuticles cut but have her push the cuticles back. Snipping the cuticles can result in the nail becoming separated from the nail bed. If the cuticles are clipped, this makes it easier for fungi and other infectious agents to get into the nail.

3. Only visit trained and licensed spa technicians and manicurists. If you're not sure, ask about the training of the manicurists. Most reputable spas will be proud to boast of the expertise and training of their staff, so it should not be difficult to find this information if you are visiting a well-known establishment.

4. Make certain that the nail salon is adhering to proper sanitation standards. Before you sit down at the manicurist's table, make sure your nail salon is following proper nail salon hygiene. Don't be afraid to ask about hygiene procedures. Any reputable and hygienic nail salon will want to make their customers feel secure about their salon experience and won't hesitate to explain their safety and hygiene



standards. We've all heard horror stories about women contracting serious infections from nail salons who use infected tools and supplies. You need to know how often equipment is sterilized, the procedure for sterilization, and whether they use disposable emery boards. As emery boards cannot be sterilized, it's important they use a different emery board for each customer.

5. If in doubt, bring your own tools to your salon. You may feel too shy to ask about the salon's hygiene standards, so an easy solution is simply to bring your own nail tools. Just tell your manicurist that you feel more comfortable using your own tools.

6. Keep your nails clean and dry. To help prevent and reduce recurrent infections, practice good hand and foot hygiene. Fungal infections thrive in warm, moist and dark areas, just like the inside of your shoes. Wear clean cotton socks and closed shoes if you plan to be around water. Keeping the nails dry after hand-washing, showers and swimming will also help to prevent nail fungus. Avoid walking in public wet places, such as wet sidewalks, bathrooms, shower stalls, or public swimming pools. Although fungal infections are not very contagious, they can be passed on from one person to another.

6. Visit your dermatologist or skin surgeon every year, especially if you have a history of nail fungal infections. The best treatment of a is an early treatment. One of the keys to eradicating toe is to catch it early on. Prevention is best when it comes to nail fungal infections. Once the infection has settled in, it can be hard to eliminate. Look at your toes, because is more common on your toes than on your fingers. Make it a point to visit your dermatologist or skin surgeon each year and have them check for early signs of problems or infection.

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