How To Prevent Toenail Fungus
No one wants to experience toenail fungus (also called onychomycosis). However, it is relatively...
How to Remove Athlete’s Foot in Shoes
Issues with foot fungus, toenail fungus and athlete’s foot are all fairly straight forward to treat but if you’ve ever run into problems with this kind of issue then you might have found that it has the potential to reoccur. One of the reasons for this is that whilst you might treat a fungal infection with antifungal agents on your skin and nails it can linger in other locations such as in your shoes.
Foot fungus can be caught and transferred in a number of different ways. It is common to catch it via direct contact with someone who has it, by touching surfaces that have been in contact with the fungus itself. Foot fungus is a very common issue and unfortunately this means it is easy to catch. Foot fungus typically spreads in warm and moist environments. That is why you’ll commonly find it in showers, swimming pools and gyms. Once you have been exposed to foot fungus then it can also be transferred to your shoes and socks that you are wearing. Since your shoes are dark, warm and moist they make the perfect breeding ground for the fungus. Since the fungus can live a long time in your shoes, even if you have not been wearing them, the chance of re-infection can be high. For example, if you have had foot fungus, and treated the fungus successfully, you can re-infect yourself by wearing an old pair of shoes that you haven’t worn for a while. That is why it is important to not only treat foot fungus on your nails and skin directly, but also ensure that any contaminated surfaces such as on the inside of your shoes are also treated.
Find out more about Onychomycosis
The Best Way To Kill Fungus In Your Shoes
Perhaps the most effective way to ensure that your shoes do not spread foot fungus back to your feet and toenails is to simply throw away your old shoes if you have had issues with foot fungus. This is the best way to ensure that you do not re-infect yourself. If you are a gym user who has suffered with foot fungus, then getting rid of your old sneakers or shoes will help.
Sometimes it isn’t cost-effective or practical to simply throw away your shoes. In this instance, you can use antifungal powders in the shoe itself to reduce the likelihood of the fungus living in your shoes. Some individuals advocate bleach and disinfectant as a way to kill fungus. Ultimately, both these chemicals can kill foot fungus, but bleach and disinfectant can be bad for your skin and feet, and can damage your shoes, so it is better to use an over the counter, specially designed foot powder instead.
A smelly shoe odor may be one of the tell-tail signs that you may have a fungal foot problem but even if your shoes do not smell that doesn’t mean that they aren’t contaminated with fungal spores.
When it comes to ensuring that your shoes are fungus spore free you need to ensure that whatever method you adopt to clean your shoes is carried out regularly. In the case of foot fungus one treatment will simply not be enough to stop the fungus in its tracks. You’ll need to repeat the procedure regularly in every pair of shoes that you wear.
You can also buy a shoe sanitizer device that can be placed in your shoes which is designed to kill the fungus. These can be a good option if you’ve had a lot of issues with fungus in your shoes.
Prevent Fungus From Spreading to Your Shoes
There are a number of ways that you can keep your feet and toenails in good health. When it comes to foot fungus the best treatment option is prevention.
Firstly, sweaty feet are one of the main causes for transferring fungus from your feet to your shoes. So, if you suffer from sweaty feet consider changing your shoes more regularly. Don’t wear the same pair of shoes all day. The same can be said for socks. Changing to a fresh pair of socks can help reduce sweaty feet.
If you have repeated issues with foot fungus in your shoes, then you may need to change the make or style of the shoes that you own. Since one of the ways foot fungus is spread is through sweaty feet, ensuring that your feet and toes have plenty of room to breathe in your shoes is important. This also goes for the material your shoes are made from. For example, your feet can become quite sweaty in plastic shoes, whereas they tend to breathe a little better in leather shoes.
If you take a shower in the gym, then consider using shower shoes that will stop the fungus contaminated surfaces from touching your feet in the first place. Wearing flip-flops or sandals in the locker room can help too. This will limit your exposure to foot fungus.
Identifying Foot Fungal Infections
If you have a pungent foot odor, and perpetually stinky shoes then this can be one of the signs of a foot fungus infection. Over time if you have a nail fungus infection, you’ll see a change in the way your nail looks. Your nail can become discolored and even start to disintegrate and split. If left untreated the symptoms will only become worse and eventually the nail can even start to pull away from the nailbed. Other foot problems such as athlete’s foot can display as cracking and peeling between your toes. You’ll also likely experience itchiness between your toes. Unfortunately, nail and foot fungus can develop in one area and then spread to another. So, it is possible for you to have athlete’s foot and for this to the become a nail fungal infection.
Sometimes individuals may think that they have a fungal infection but instead their feet and nails may just look unsightly. Even though this may be the case it’s important to ensure that your concerns are addressed so if you think you may be suffering from a fungal infection then you should get it checked out by a medical professional.
If you have problems with toenail fungus then our Clear + Restore product can help and it has been designed to rejuvenate your nails to their best.