What is toenail fungus? What exactly is causing your toenails to harden? What’s turning your once healthy and luscious nails black and yellow? Toenail fungus is a type of infection that affects the bed and plate of the nail. If you start noticing the growth and development of toenail fungus on your own feet you should seek treatment immediately since toenail fungus is extremely infectious. The fungus feeds off of keratin, a type of protein our bodies produce. It is often believed that the more discolored and distorted the nail, the further and more advanced the toenail fungus infection has become.

Avoiding Toenail Fungus Infection

You may be curious and wondering how you contracted toenail fungus?” Many people are unaware of the many ways toenail fungus can form or the many places they could have easily caught it.

  1. If your toes make contact with a wet and moist environment, or if you live in a very humid climate.
  2. Walking barefooted in gym locker rooms, public showers, swimming pools, and hot tubs.
  3. If you already have a case of athlete’s foot
  4. If you have experienced trauma to the nail. For example, by stubbing it, dropping a heavy object on it, or a sports-related injury.
  5. If you have visited a nail salon that does not properly disinfect their instruments and supplies, or have improperly performed a nail service on you. We recommend taking your own instruments to any nail salon you visit.
  6. If you wear socks that are not good at absorbing moisture or sweat, or a fabric that causes more moisture and sweat. We recommend cotton socks.
  7. If you have poor blood circulation to the toes and feet, this usually occurs in diabetics.
  8. If you are doing cancer or HIV treatment, you may have a weakened immune system, resulting in toenail fungus.
  9. Lastly, if you have a family history of a toenail fungus, you may be more susceptible to obtaining one.

Best Treatment for Toenail Fungus

Although this may seem frightening and a long list of possible ways of obtaining a nail fungus, it is important to remember that nail fungus is preventable, and treatable using the FDA-approved PinPointe laser, which typically takes only one treatment. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation with one of our doctors at one of our over 150 locations. Let us help you find the office near you. We have offices nationwide including Dallas, Tx.