Prevent Nail Fungus

  1. Keep feet clean, cool, and dry.
  2. Wear socks made of cotton, wool, or similar absorbent material.
  3. Apply antifungal foot powders to shoes daily (Zeasorb AF®)
  4. Wear shoes of correct size and fit and reduce biomechanical stresses and trauma to toenails; limit the use of narrow-toed shoes and high heels.
  5. Avoid footwear that may have a high density of fungal spores: old worn shoes, shoes worn without socks, or someone else’s shoes.
  6. Avoid walking barefoot over surfaces that may have a high density of fungal spores: carpet, bathrooms, showers, gymnasiums, locker rooms, and swimming pools or hot tubs.
  7. Keep toenails short, cutting them straight across. Do not round out the edges.
  8. Examine for and treat skin or nail fungus elsewhere on the body. Do not use the same clippers to cut healthy nails after having clipped infected nails.
  9. Keep a high index of suspicion for recurrence of infection: itching, redness, waterlogged skin, blisters, or abnormal appearance in previously normal-appearing nails.
  10. Broad-spectrum topical antifungals should be applied to nails and feet at appropriate times, such as when fungus is present and as a preventative in cases where you may have been exposed to fungus. Ketoconazole shampoo 2% can be applied to the feet once or twice a week as a preventative as well.