The Bay Area offers so many activities that you can spend all day on your feet hiking with friends, visiting the local shops by the beach, or checking out what is new in the thriving arts and culture scene. You’d be hard-pressed to find a better setting for shopping, dining, and simply having fun with loved ones.

Now, if you spend a lot of time on your feet taking advantage of everything our community has to offer – or you like to wear sandals and open-toed shoes – you might want to treat those hard-working appendages to a pedicure from a local salon once in a while. Who wouldn’t?!

And though every podiatrist has a different opinion on nail salons, we feel they are well worth it – as long as you take some precautions to avoid toenail fungus and are not diabetic.

Here’s why:

Individuals who have diabetes should avoid going to nail salons. Yes – these establishments can be safe for those who don’t have diabetes when the salon is following appropriate sterilization practices. But those afflicted with the disease have too great of a risk for serious problems to develop.

That being said, whenever you do go to a nail salon, there are some things you should keep in mind to prevent potential fungal infections.

Get Pampered … Without Worrying About Infection

When you visit a nail salon, it is essential that you inspect the establishment’s cleanliness, observe their practices, and make sure all personnel have the proper licensure.

More specifically, you can reduce your risk of contamination at a salon with the following tips:

• Book the earliest possible appointment. The equipment at a salon is often cleanest first thing in the morning, so try to schedule your appointment for the earliest time possible.
• Keep a critical mindset when evaluating cleanliness. Once at the salon, take the time to check out the floors, chairs, and soaking tubs for cleanliness. Seeing dirty surfaces and dingy water? Turn around and head out the door. If a salon is not committed to a clean environment, they are not likely committed to your health and safety.
• Observe the processes used by technicians and staff. Pay attention to the disinfection practices salon employees are actually performing. If a tool is dropped, do they pick it up and continue using it without sanitizing first? That kind of action is enough cause to take your business elsewhere.
• Don’t be afraid to ask questions. In the event you aren’t sure exactly what the nail technicians are doing to sanitize their tools and avoid cross-contamination, ask. If they are following appropriate practices, you will get a straight response.

If, however, you do develop a fungal nail infection, you will notice affected toenails developing yellow spots and becoming thickened, ragged, and brittle. As soon as you see any small spot on your nail, come in for treatment.

Get Rid of Fungal Toenails Once and for All

For as easy as it is to develop this problem, getting rid of it can actually be more of a hassle than you might think. In fact, when left untreated, toenail fungus can be hard to eradicate – once the fungus has found its way underneath the nail, it will fight for its new home. So it’s important that you get proper treatment as soon as you notice anything amiss.

With regard to fungal toenail treatment, there are a couple of different options. We can discuss these together and determine which is best for you. They include:

• Topical medications, which are used to treat the condition from the outside, often as a polish applied to the surface of infected nails.
• Oral medications, which are delivered via bloodstream to the area and work to eradicate the offensive fungus from the inside out.

Often, we use a combination of the two treatments in order to target the source of the infection both from the inside and from the outside.

Other Things to Consider

Here are some more preventative measures you should always keep in mind (even when you are not at the nail salon):

• Trim your nails the right way – not too short, not too long, and never rounded.
• Never go barefoot in public places – especially wet areas like locker rooms, pools, etc.
• If you are undergoing treatment for toenail fungus, don’t cover up the problem with nail polish – this will only make matters worse.
• Change your socks throughout the day if you have to – a sweaty sock is a playground for fungus.
• Wash your feet every day – make sure to dry them thoroughly after each wash (especially between the toes).

And, of course, don’t wait to get the treatment you need right away – the sooner you do something about this problem, the better your chances of optimal recovery. All you have to do is connect with our team to restore your nails back to health. Either call us today at (510) 647-3744 or use our handy request form online to have one of our staff members reach out to you.