Fungal Nail Infection And Swimming

Jan 08, 2018 Fungal Nail Infection

Feet are the hardest working part of our bodies and are often neglected.  We walk hundreds of steps every day and sometimes wear really uncomfortable shoes.  Our feet get warm and moist due to sweat which sometimes results in a fungal nail infection. There is no medical reason to stop you from swimming with such an infection. Fungal nail infections cause nails to become discoloured and unevenly textured.  Many people don’t like the look of infected nails and try to hide them.  There are no serious health risks to having such an infection except brittle nails.  The condition is contagious only if you share washing facilities with an infected person. The main reason people seek treatment is because their nails look horrible. Fungal nail infections and flip-flops is not a good look.  Successful treatments work because they coat the nail with a protective layer which allows the medication to work.

Causes Of A Fungal Nail Infection?

You can tell if you have a fungal nail infection because your nail will be yellow and bumpy.  The infections start at the edge of the nail moving to the centre and covering the entire nail.  Eventually, the nail becomes brittle and bits of it fall off. Fungal infections thrive in warm moist environments just like your shoe.  It is difficult to keep your feet completely dry because you use them all of the time.  A fungal nail infection is not a serious condition unless you suffer from diabetes.  If you have diabetes foot damage can cause complications so it is important for you to visit your doctor.  You can get fungal infections in your fingernails too. Your nail will fall off if you don’t get your fungal nail infection treated.  

Treatments

Antifungal creams are the most obvious treatments for fungal infections.  They often fail because they rub off and don’t treat the problem. Loceryl is a nail lacquer that protects the medications so that it remains in the nail bed.  This solves the problem of treatment rubbing off. Loceryl contains 5% Amorolfine which kills fungi and yeast.  It works by destroying the cell casing and allowing the infection to burst out.  The infection dies and the nail continues to be protected from subsequent infections.  People rarely suffer side effects from fungal nail treatment because it is topically applied rather than taken internally. Some people may find that their nails become brittle and discoloured.  Skin irritation, allergic reaction and a burning sensation is a very rare side effect.  If you do suffer from any side effects stop using the treatment immediately and consult your doctor.

Why It’s OK To Go Swimming

Public swimming pools are treated with chlorine to prevent the spread of infection.  The chemicals in the water will not cure your fungal infection but will protect other swimmers from catching it.  You will need to wear beach shoes or flip flops when walking at the side of the pool because there is no protection there. Swimming in the sea or a lake is not likely to spread the infection due to the sheer quantity of water.  You must be careful that you don’t expose yourself to further infections so wearing sandals is a really good idea. If you would like to review and purchase fungal nail infection treatment please click here.  

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