Summer and fungus
Fungal nail infections can be a summer showstopper when our feet are more likely to be seen in public wearing more open footwear. I believe prevention is better than cure, and your risks are higher in the summer due to increased exposure.
Why is this a riskier time of the year for picking up a fungal infection?
Swimming pools, hotels, bathrooms and being barefoot in public areas! Think of fungus as a mushroom-it requires warmth, moisture and low light to survive well. You are more likely to pick up the infection if you use public communal spaces and walk around these areas barefoot as the fungus survives on the hard surfaces you walk on. It’s the same bug that causes Athlete’s foot!
8 top tips to help reduce your risks of picking one up this summer!
1. Don’t walk barefoot around public pools and communal shower areas! Wear your flip flops, sliders or crocs.
2. Wash your feet and dry them properly before wearing your socks/shoes again after activities. This ensures your socks/shoes are not damp, as this can encourage the fungus to survive.
3. Wear more open shoes in the summer so that your feet can be aired and exposed to light, which fungus hates.
4. Give your toenails a break between uses of nail varnish, too many coats of varnish locks in moisture and the harmful chemicals in the varnish can penetrate the nails causing pitting, and a surface onychomycosis (fungal infection) can colonise.
5. Wear breathable socks, such as cotton, and breathable footwear. This ensures your feet can breathe under them.
6. Let your trainers and sports shoes ‘air’ after use. This lets sweat dry completely before you put the shoes back on, preventing fungus breeding.
7. Wash your shoes (if they are washable) and socks regularly on a 60° wash and dry them throughly, as sweat can accumulate helping fungus to breed.
8. Contact us if you are suffering with a fungal nail infection or athlete’s foot, and remember, prevention is better than cure!
