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Why Does My Teen Keep Getting Toenail Fungus?
A nail fungus infection is a common podiatric condition that affects up to 14% of women, men, and kids in the United States. Toenails are more often affected than fingernails.
If your child has chronic toenail fungus, they may be embarrassed by how their feet look. Classic signs of toenail fungus are toenails that are:
- Yellow
- Whitish
- Crumbly
- Discolored
- Cracked
- Thick
- Fragile
- Odorous
- Separated from the nail bed
At North Park Podiatry, our expert podiatrists — Trent Brookshier, DPM, and Ricardo Navarette, DPM — offer pediatric foot care at our San Diego, California, office.
If your teen has chronic toenail fungus, we eliminate it and help your child’s toenails heal. We also recommend preventive care.
Does your teen’s toenail fungus keep coming back? The following are a few reasons why this might be so.
They’re on a sports team
Gyms are notorious for promoting fungal infections in the feet, including toenail fungus, warts, and athlete’s foot. If your teen is on a sports team, they probably pad around the locker room or showers in their bare feet. That’s a great way to pick up a fungal infection.
Even lending or borrowing someone’s athletic footwear could pass on a fungal infection. If they want to keep their toenails fungus-free, they should not swap shoes or socks with anyone.
Discourage them from borrowing or sharing towels or other personal items, including nail clippers. Fungi can easily get passed from person to person when they both touch the same object with their feet.
Even lending out or borrowing someone’s athletic footwear could pass on a fungal infection. Be sure they don’t swap shoes or socks with anyone if they want to keep their toenails fungus-free.
They don’t wash or dry their feet well
Fungi love warm and moist conditions. Sweaty feet are an ideal breeding ground for fungus to thrive and spread.
Your child should wash their feet daily, especially if they have toenail fungus. Drying them with a clean towel is equally important. Moisture may collect between the toes, so be sure they address those areas, too.
They’re hard on their feet
Even if your child isn’t a student-athlete, they may like to hike or run. The more often they injure their toes or feet, the more likely they will catch a fungal infection the next time they’re exposed to one.
They also need to take care of their feet to prevent fungal infections. In addition to thoroughly washing and drying their feet each day, they should keep their toenails short and cut straight across. Longer nails make it easier for bacteria, dirt, and fungi to accumulate under the nail and on the nail bed.
If their skin is dry and callused, they should moisturize their feet, too. Cracks and fissures allow fungi to enter the skin.
Their shoes or socks are sweaty
Even though athletic shoes are a hefty investment these days, invest in two pairs. That way, they can alternate days between the shoes so that one pair has a chance to dry before they wear them again.
Sweaty or damp shoes are more likely to harbor and promote fungal growth. They should also change their socks regularly. If their feet sweat, they may need to go through more than one pair of socks a day.
They can also sprinkle antifungal powder in their shoes. The powder can stop fungus from growing inside the shoe.
They get pedicures
If your teen regularly gets pedicures at a local salon, be sure to visit it with them. Salons are another place where fungal infections are easily transmitted. The salon should be licensed by California’s cosmetology board.
The salon should change the soaking water between customers and thoroughly cleanse and sanitize the basin. If disposable liners are used, they should be discarded between clients after draining the water.
All instruments and tools should either be single-use and disposable or sterilized. If metal tools aren’t kept in a sanitizing solution, they should come straight from a sanitizing autoclave.
Does your teen keep getting toenail fungal infections? Get treatment to clear the fungus and learn more prevention tips by calling our friendly team today. You can also schedule a consultation using our easy online appointment form.