Can I Get a Pedicure with Toenail Fungus?
Toenail fungus is a common disease or physical condition that many of us have. Whether it is your living condition or you got infected by the fungus from someone who was already affected, toenail fungus is a very irritating and frustrating situation.
Now if you care for your fingernails while being a victim of toenail fungus then you might ask yourself, “can I get a pedicure with toenail fungus?”
Well, the answer is that you can’t or shouldn’t get a pedicure if you are affected with toenail fungus. But there are certain situations where you can get a pedicure with toenail fungus. And in this article, we will break down all these scenarios for you!
What is Toenail Fungus?
Toenail fungus is a fungal-based infection that affects the toenail and its surrounding areas. This is a wide-spreading infection that can spread across the entire toe and from there, transmits to another person.
The main reason behind a person getting affected by toenail fungus is because of Dermatophytes, a version of mold that originates from wet and polluted muddy areas. Other reasons can cause toenail fungus but none of them are as common as Dermatophytes.
These Dermatophytes are fungal-based microorganisms that can not be seen with the naked human eye attacking the toenail bed, the tissue directly underneath the toenail to feed on Keratin located on the toenail bed. In general, Dermatophytes get into the toenail from the crack of your toe.
Keratin is a protein that works to keep our toenails hard and robust. Therefore, when Dermatophytes starts to feed off on the Keratin located on your toenail, your toenails eventually will start losing the amount of keratin required to maintain the proper outlook of your toenail which later results in the spread of toenail fungus across your entire toe.
This scenario occurs to the elderly more compared to younger human bodies.
How to Recognize Toenail Fungus?
Now there is a certain indication that one will notice if they get affected with toenail fungus, their toenail will become thick, swollen & yellow. In some cases, there will also be streaks and white spots in the affected person’s toenail. In scientific terms, this situation is called ‘Onychomycosis’.
There won’t be any type of pain in the affected spot but the outlook of the toenail finger will be horrible. And the affected area’s outlook will only get worse over time unless it has gone through the proper medical procedure the affected area will start to omit odors that are quite disgusting to breathe in.
Now, if you are facing these issues or have confirmed that you have been affected by toenail fungus then you should take steps to prevent it.
Why You Shouldn’t Pedicure with Your Toenail Fungus
Now while you might think that a pedicure might heal or fix your toenail that is affected with toenail fungus, then you are dead wrong. Because not only having a pedicure will not remove the fungal infection from your toenail but it can also increase the spreading rate of the infection.
Pedicure Increasing the Spreading Area
In a standard pedicure session, your toenails will be cut and washed with oils and water. There is also the involvement of water and beauty products. While that’s all good when you have a toenail without any disease or infections, it is quite the opposite for toenails harboring toenail fungus.
The pedicure’s care procedure will allow the Dermatophytes to travel even faster within your toenails and toe. This means the spread will rapidly increase and your entire toe might start to get affected. This means the toe will start to smell and will look horrible in the eye.
Also, if the pedicure procedure involves any chemical products, then there is a high chance that it will produce a negative reaction when the chemical comes in contact with the affected toenails. This can result in serious medical conditions. That’s why for your personal safety avoid pedicure if you have become a victim of toenail fungus.
Pedicure Increasing the Spread of Toenail Fungus to Others
Normally in a pedicure place, you are not the only one who is getting a pedicure, there are multiple clients and people there. And if you are an affected person then the infection can spread from you to others.
The transfer can happen via nail cutters, massage oils, or other comfort equipment. The infection can also travel to the person who is attending to your pedicure, and then can be carried on to the next person he or she attends to.
Therefore, if you go to a pedicure parlor when you have toenail fungus, then you are not only risking the fungal spread in your body but also risking the spread of the infection to a lot of people, who won’t even know how they got infected in the first place.
For that reason, we suggest that you avoid taking pedicures at all if you have found out that you are or might be affected by toenail fungus.
When You Should Take Pedicure with Toenail Fungus
Now there are some cases where you can go and take a pedicure with toenail fungus. If your doctor suggests that you go take a pedicure then you can go along with his or her idea. But this is a very rare case where doctors suggest this.
Another situation where you can go and take a pedicure is if the pedicure parlor or specialist you are going to offer toenail fungus treatment via pedicure. This type of pedicure treatment is slowly growing.
So, if that’s the case then you can opt for a pedicure. That’s being said, consult your dermatologist on this matter before, and check if the pedicure provider has proper authorization to provide this type of service in the first place.
Conclusion
Hopefully, this answers all your questions regarding- “Can I Get a Pedicure with Toenail Fungus?”. If so, then make the right choice and avoid pedicure if you can. Best of luck!