Risk Factors for Fungal Nail Infections

There are a number of factors which can influence your risk of contracting a nail fungus. These events or considerations can influence how your body fights against and interacts with different fungi-causing agents.

-Tight Footwear. Wearing footwear that is too tight crowds your toes together. The result of this is that they tend to stay warmer, promoting sweating, and fungi grow best in warm, moist locations. This makes sizing your shoes correctly important, not only for your comfort, but so that your toes get the appropriate amount of air.

-Exercise. Although good for your over-all health, exercise can cause repeated minor trauma to your nails. This allows fungi to get a foot hold on your nail, providing the physical location for them to grow and also access to the inside of the nail. Keep in mind that you are of greater risk if you tend to slam your feet into the front of your shoes, whether when running or doing an activity which requires you to stop quickly and repeatedly. Wearing tight shoes can be a factor here again, as your foot doesn't have the necessary room inside your shoes. This is not to discourage you from your favorite exercises, but to remind you to check your toenails and between your toes regularly. Most people who exercise regularly are also prone to fungal infections which cause athlete's foot, hence the name. You should check for fungal infections regularly, and be sure to wash your feet thoroughly.

-Communal showers. Communal showers are used mostly in conjunction with pools, locker rooms, and residence halls. Because of the amount of traffic through these shared showers, it is more likely that they have been exposed to fungi. It is a good idea to keep a pair of flip flops or other shower sandals handy where ever you are exposed to a communal shower. Keep them in your dorm room, work out bag, locker, or pool tote. They can help reduce your foot's exposure to fungi.

-Immune deficiencies. If you have an immune deficiency for any reason (perhaps due to illness, disease, or birth defect) your body has a hard time fighting off fungi, as well as all pathogens. You need to check your feet for any signs of fungi regularly and wash your feet thoroughly every day. You may also want to invest in a product like FungaSoap or Tea Tree Soaks which have been featured on this blog. These products help kill the fungus before it can grow on your feet.