Is Toenail Fungus Contagious?
Is Toenail Fungus Contagious? Toenail fungus is only contagious is the other person is at risk. But don’t blame your wife or husband! Fungus is almost everywhere, including our skin, our socks and old sneakers. It’s true that there are some virulent strains out there, but they are very rare. To get toenail fungus there must be some previous inflammation and irritation already occurring!
There are Four Reasons People Find Toenail Fungus Contagious:
1) The development of a precursory condition – Microtrauma or Immune Depression.
Before fungus can ever get underneath the toenail, it is necessary for something to irritate the toenail and cause little microscopic cracks and loosening. This is almost always a result of microtrauma and inflammation that must be corrected. This may also not be a problem in some, but usually the immune system is also impaired
Causes of Microtrauma:
- Footwear abnormalities- Poorly fitted shoes, tight shoe box, compressed forefoot, high heels or angled dress shoes.
- Biomechanical Abnormalities- flat feet, tight calves, tight hips, one leg shorter than the other.
- Structural abnormalities- Long 2nd digit, a morton’s foot type, hallux rigidus, flat feet foot pain, wide foot types.
- Systemic abnormalities- Obesity.
Causes of Immune Depression
- Smoking- causes poor blood flow.
- Diabetes.
- Peripheral vascular disease.
- Obesity.
- Any other severe metabolic problems.
2) The development of tinea pedis or contact with an environmental fungus.
Tinea pedis is any fungus present on the skin. This is usually very common and not a problem. Almost everyone gets some fungus in their shoe if they sweat at all. It is almost never a problem but if there is space forming underneath the nail- then this gets dangerous because the fungus can migrate underneath the nail and start causing some problems. It is almost impossible to try and avoid the fungus. You should focus on making yourself resistant rather than avoiding it!
3) The spread of pathogens along skin’s stratum corneum into the nail bed.
This just means that the skin fungus migrates along the deeper layers of the skin and gets in underneath the nail plate. This is difficult to avoid because most shoes already have fungus in them. And you will eventually be on a beach, a pool or a shower barefoot and you may contact fungus.
4)The fungus begins to grow under the nail.
Because the conditions were ripe for fungus settlement under the nail, they colonize here. They begin a vicious cycle of expanding and irritating under your toenail even further causing more damage. Just remember that they are not the cause! They came because something was already wrong in the first place. This is no different than leaving a pile of garbage in your backyard where rats hang out, and focusing only on getting rid of the rats and not the garbage pile. New ones would just show up later!
Eliminate your Contagious Toenail Fungus!
1)Correct the Microtrauma
Treating the nail fungus is only one step in the treatment of nail fungus, the nail must be prevented from being susceptible from becoming infected. If this is not done then after you spend all that time curing your fungus, it may just come right back again. This can be done by correcting one of many factors:
- Hallux Limitus.
- Bunion.
- Flat Feet.
- Obesity.
- Tight calf muscles
- Correct any system problems like smoking, peripheral vascular disease or diabetes.
- Get a biomechanical exam by your podiatrist
2)Eliminate the Fungus
Return to our treatment guide for this step.
For more on How is Toenail Fungus Spread:
The Complete Toenail Fungus Guide
Other Related Nail Problems:
See if any of these other problems apply to your situation!
