I’m used to making an attempt tips and hacks from magnificence professionals—utilizing a humid sponge when making use of face make-up, the wonder-working magic of an in a single day masks—however when my editor informed me that nail professional Deborah Lippman instructed she blow-dry her toes after showering, I used to be fully confused. I completely get blow-drying your hair after a bathe, however your toes? That simply sounded bizarre.
Seems, she wasn’t speaking about serving to your nail polish dry quicker (which, really, doesn’t work, she was speaking about stopping foot fungus.
Lippman informs me that she really bought the tip from her podiatrist, Ivar Roth, D.P.M., M.P.H., of Concierge Podiatry and Spa. “Utilizing a blow-dryer is one thing that I got here up with to fight fungus infections of the ft and nails,” Dr. Roth tells SELF. The rationale is easy, he explains. Fungi develop in moist environments; take away the water, and it helps to cease progress.
While you let your ft air-dry, it could take as much as half-hour for the corners of your nails and the areas between your toes to dry—these are the locations the place fungus typically begins to develop, Dr. Roth says. Blow-drying cuts that all the way down to round a minute or so, which implies there’s much less time for fungus to develop, and subsequently much less probability you’ll stroll out of your lavatory or the health club locker room with a budding case of athlete’s foot.
(Be aware, if in case you have decreased sensation to ache or temperature in your toes, from diabetic neuropathy or different causes, do not do this at dwelling—you might threat burning your pores and skin.)
NYC sports activities podiatrist Lori Weisenfeld tells SELF the strategy is sensible. “Fungi like heat, darkish locations, which is why it’s necessary to dry between and below toes,” she says. “Your ft dry rapidly—it’s between and below toes that act as a reservoir for moisture and fungus.” But, she says, many individuals are likely to neglect drying the areas between and below toes after bathing. Dr. Weisenfeld has by no means suggested sufferers to make use of a blow-dryer, however all the time recommends they use a tissue versus their physique towel when drying their ft, as utilizing the identical towel might doubtlessly unfold fungus.
The usual recommendation for stopping foot fungus, based on the American Podiatric Medical Affiliation, is to put on sneakers that aren’t too tight to offer air circulate to ft, in addition to altering sneakers and socks often to maintain your ft dry. And when you bathe on the health club, you’ll wish to put money into a pair of bathe sneakers.
One of many first indicators you could be coping with doable foot fungus? Small white spots in your toe nails. “White spots on the nails or any indicators of discoloration or thickening of the nail may very well be an indication that you could be be coping with a fungus or mildew,” says Dr. Roth. “Different indicators are scaly/dry pores and skin on the foot, which may point out pores and skin fungus.” In keeping with podiatrist Emily Splichal, many sufferers consider assume their pores and skin simply is dry once they even have a fungal an infection. Strive an over-the-counter antifungal—and when you do not see an enchancment inside two weeks, seek the advice of a podiatrist.