Festival-goers BEWARE – fungal spores lurk in dark, damp conditions, waiting to take hold in those vulnerable nail beds!
Glastonbury Festival 2013 is upon us and I hope all you intrepid campers have fun in the sun, but, JUST in case the British summer does what it does best, please remember to take good care of your feet. Clearly foot care will not be your number one priority, but maybe it should move up the list – at least a little!
Why? Fungal spores love dark, damp and dirty conditions and the fields of the Glastonbury Festival provide the perfect breeding ground – especially when the heavens open!
During the summer months I see an increasing number of holidaymakers who made the brave decision to camp in the UK, only to come home with fungal nail infections and Athlete’s Foot.
Fungal spores enter via any small break in the skin integrity and soon take hold. Once established, the infections can be difficult to eradicate.
Here are some practical tips to help avoid nail fungal infections during the long weekend:
- Trim your nail short before you go
- Dry feet thoroughly after bathing – try to keep your towel clean and dry (!)
- Wear 100% cotton or wool socks – helps absorb the sweat and moisture
- Wear shoes that have wide space for your toes to ‘breathe’
- In wet and moist areas, avoid walking in barefoot
- If possible, wear shower shoes, sandals or flip flops when going to public areas
- Before going to bed, try to thoroughly dry your feet
- NEVER share shoes and sandals with others
- Avoid injury to nails, nail beds, and nail plates
If you do suspect a fungal nail infection has taken hold, then book in to see your local podiatrist. Over-the-counter solutions are not particularly effective and you may well need a more sophisticated treatment such as state-of-the-art Lunula Laser.
Symptoms of nail fungus:
- Thickened nails
- Crumbly or brittle nails
- Nail distorted in shape or separated
- Nail with no lustre or shine
- White, yellow or brown coloured nail
How does it work? Unlike conventional solutions, the Lunula Low Level Laser is the first treatment to tackle the root cause of nail fungus – not just the symptoms. Known as the ‘COLD’ laser – this new device does not rely on heat to treat, instead utilises two light wavelengths, 635nm and 405nm, to tackle differing cell membranes.
Have a fabulous time – if nothing else, keep your feet happy by avoiding walking barefoot around the venue, and let’s hope you will all be basking in sunshine. (I’ll save my sunscreen lecture for next year!)
The topic for my blog this month is gout – an unpleasant and often debilitating disease, which can put you out of action for several weeks. There have been a number of high profile sufferers throughout history – Henry VIII, Pavarotti, Jim Belushi and more recently, Jared Leto, who contracted gout symptoms after piling on 60lbs for a film role.