How To Deal With Discolored Toenails

You may wake up one morning to find your toenails being an unattractive color of yellow or brown. This results in what is known as a fungal infection. The reason that a toenail could turn a different color varies. It could be dirt that is stuck underneath the nail. Even if one showers every day, toenails could still get infected if not specifically cleaned and cared for, since fungus grows because of moisture. Other things that could happen to an infected toenail include a bad odor, getting thicker, getting brittle, or getting dull. Your toe may also swell or get bigger due to the nail, and it may or may not hurt.However, it is recommended that you contact a podiatrists in Houston or wherever you may live for prescriptions on fungus infections. Over the counter remedies may be deemed useless, and may only treat your infection instead of outright curing it. Treatment involves the killing of all the bacteria from the current toenail, or even growing a new toenail underneath the infected one.

Fortunately, toenails that are discolored can still be restored to their usual color and condition, but it may take a long time, even with constant, aggressive treatment. Here are a few tips to help you out during this process.

Clean Yourself Often

It was previously mentioned that water makes fungus grow, but when there isn’t any fungus at all, then there is nothing to worry about. Be sure that you shower every day and that your nails have no signs of dirt underneath them. Bathing or showering constantly with proper nail care will guarantee no signs of fungus infections.

Wear Shoes Outside

Do you love to roam around outside in bare feet, whether you are at the pool or having fun with family in the backyard? That is an easy way to collect dirt underneath your toenails, so be sure to wear socks and shoes when you are outside. Shoes also provide feet with protection, so it’s recommended to wear shoes regardless incase of rocks or prickly plants that you might step on.Change Your Socks ConsistentlyYou might put on socks frequently, but over time, they will get dirty from bacteria that come from your carpets and floors. People may reuse socks for a couple of days, which is strongly not recommended for a fungal infection. Changing into new socks will reduce the risk of a fungal infection and preventing one from getting worse.

Trim Toenails

Podiatrists in Houston suggest that long toenails make it easier to collect dirt underneath them, and it will make the process of doing so easier than short toenails. Be sure to clip your toenails to keep them short and make it more difficult to gather dirt. If your toenail is already infected, it may be tougher to trim due to how thick it will be grown.

Be Weary Of Nail Products

If you are a woman who loves to color her toenails, a lot of bacteria might be transferred from your hand or the bottle to your toenails. Be sure to wash your hands regularly and before applying anything to your feet.These are just some ways to accelerate the fungus infection removal process as well as to prevent future infections from occurring on your toes. It’s always important to clean yourself daily, but be cautious of possibly ways that your toes and feet could get dirty throughout the day.