Tips for Avoiding Fungal Toenails

It’s not uncommon for us at Goldsmith Podiatry to see more Manhattan patients during the summer months who want to get rid of fungal toenail infections. Sandals and open-toed shoe styles often provide an incentive to deal with unsightly toenails that are thick, yellowed, and deformed in appearance due to fungal conditions.

Fungus is an organism that thrives in places that are warm and moist—like the insides of your shoes. It is spread by direct contact, which means there are steps you can take to protect yourself from contracting a fungal infection. These steps include the following:

• Wearing shoes or flip-flops at all times when walking in public places that see a lot of bare feet, such as gyms, nail salons, public pools, beach restrooms, and changing areas.

• Not sharing towels, shoes, nail clippers, or any other items that may have touched someone else’s feet.

• Treating athlete’s foot promptly. Many people don’t realize, but the fungus that causes this condition can spread to your toenails.

• Keep feet dry. If you tend to sweat excessively, have an extra pair of socks with you and change them as soon as you notice your feet feel damp. Consider dusting your feet with an anti-fungal powder each morning before putting on socks and shoes.

• Rotate your footwear to allow shoes a chance to air out after you wear them.

Fungal infections can be difficult and slow to eradicate using traditional treatment methods such as topical or oral medications. At our Upper West Side practice, our podiatrists, Dr. Howard Goldsmith or Dr. Rosanna Troia prefer laser therapy for treating fungal toenails. Laser therapy focuses a laser beam of light on and through the nail. This painless mode of treatment does not require anesthesia. There’s no downtime or risk. Most patients respond with clear and healthy nails with a minimal number of treatments. If you’re ready to get your fungal toenail taken care of, contact us for an appointment by calling: (212) 877-1002.