During the very early stages of toenail fungus, you may not even realize that you have it. One of the earliest signs of infection could be yellowed nails or spots of various colors on the nail. These colors are usually yellow, white, or black.
Since toenail fungus is a fast-growing fungus, it is highly contagious. It can spread quickly in warm, moist places such as public areas. The most commonly-known places that it spreads include public swimming pools, gym locker rooms, and public saunas. Thankfully, there are a few different things that you can do to stop this from happening. Not only to your other nails but also passing it on to other people.
A lesser known place for it to spread is at a nail salon. If the workers don’t properly sanitize their instruments between clients, the fungus can spread easily from person to person. This includes nail polish, as well, unless you use the best antifungal nail polish.
In this article, we will talk more about how easily nail fungus can spread, and what you can do to stop it from doing so. We will also give you some advice on how to get rid of toe fungus as quickly as possible, so it doesn’t spread to other nails.
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Can Toenail Fungus Spread to Other People?
Any fungus spreads quickly. If someone’s feet were to come into contact with it, they would probably get it. People with poor immune systems, such as diabetics or people with HIV/Aids are prone to getting it. Also, older people and others with poor circulation to the feet are more prone.
If you have many people in your household, they can easily acquire it, just by taking a shower if you fail to disinfect the shower after you use it. This is because the fungus will stay and grow in warm and moist conditions.
Many people don’t realize this, but if a person were to use something that you use on your nails, such as clippers, files, or even towels, it could spread to them if you don’t disinfect them. This is why it is important that you disinfect the tools that you use thoroughly when you have an infection.
Can Toenail Fungus Spread to Fingernails?
In some cases, it can spread to other nails, even fingernails. You should wash your hands with a disinfectant soap before and after each treatment. This will stop the fungus from spreading to other nails.
Also, if you paint your toenails, the fungus stays in the polish bottle and brush. This means that every time you paint your nails, the fungus can spread to each nail that you paint. Of course, this doesn’t happen all of the time, but there is a good chance that it can. There are anti-fungal nail polishes that you can use that will not only hide toenail fungus but also works to treat the infected nail or nails. A good nail polish to use for treating and hiding the problem is Dr.’s Remedy enriched nail polish.
How to Stop Toenail Fungus from Spreading
There are several things that you can do to avoid spreading the fungus to other toenails and other people. Following some or all steps will help.
- Wash your nails and dry them completely before you use any treatment for toe fungus. After you use the treatment, it’s essential that your feet are allowed to dry properly. This will keep the fungus from attaching to them, and stop the chance of it spreading to your other nails.
- Use the StinkBOSS deodorizer to kill any fungus in your shoes and wear copper socks to create a less favorable environment for the fungus. You should encourage your entire family to do the same.
- When you clip your toenails, don’t trim them so low as to cut your skin accidentally. If you do, then the fungus can get under the skin and will be much harder to eliminate.
- If you go to public places where there is moisture, make sure that you wear a protective covering on your feet. This can be flip-flops or water sandals that many people wear on the beach. This will protect the fungus from getting onto your skin.
- Prevent another family member from getting it by disinfecting the shower floor, and making sure that no one else uses the things that you do to take care of your nails. This even includes towels, as the fungus attaches itself to everything it can.
- Don’t let anyone else wear your shoes, even for a little while. Sometimes people borrow sandals or flip-flops or even dress shoes. If you have an infection, they will also catch it.
Ways to Avoid Reinfection
There are also some ways to avoid re-infecting your nail, even after it has healed. Once you get it, it is pretty hard to get rid of it, as it gets on your socks and shoes as well.
If you are on your feet all day, especially walking around a lot or working with boots on, your feet will sweat, and this will provide the perfect breeding grounds for the fungus to grow faster.
The first thing that many people think of using is an antifungal spray or powder. These can work, but it is very hard to reach the top part of the shoe, which is where most of the fungus is.
The best way to kill the fungus and any other bacteria that may be in your shoes is to use the UV Total Recovery Shoe Sanitizer. This will safely kill fungus and bacteria, making sure that the fungus stays out of your shoes.
The very best way to make sure that toenail fungus doesn’t spread to your other nails, or to other people, is to start treatment as soon as you start to see signs of an infection. A very good treatment to use is the Purely Northwest system. It not only works to kill the fungus, but it also protects other nails from getting the infection as well.
Toenail fungus is not fun to deal with and is not something that can be cured overnight. But if you are diligent with the treatment, and follow the advice above, there is little to less chance of it spreading any further.
