Around 5.5% of people worldwide struggle with nail fungus, and as treatments are slow to work, it is important to find out whether there is anything we can do to prevent it.
A new study in the Journal of Fungi has compiled a list of scientifically proven risk factors, some of which are quite strange.
Avoid these risk factors and prevent or even reverse nail fungus without complications.
The study involved patients aged 18 or older in the All of Us database from May 6, 2018, to January 1, 2022. Nail fungus cases were identified using the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) and Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine (SNOMED) diagnostic codes.
The authors collected the participants’ age, sex, ethnicity, and co-occurring conditions via medical records and questionnaires.
In total, 15,760 nail fungus patients and 47,280 healthy controls were included. The average age of the patients was 64.9 years, with women comprising 54.2%.
The racial composition was diverse to ensure the most accurate scientific conclusions, with 52.8% of participants non-Hispanic white, 23.0% black, 17.8% Hispanic, and 6.3% other.
Compared to the control group, the likelihood of having nail fungus was higher for certain groups:
1. Obesity increased risk 2.59 times and 46% of obese participants had nail fungus.
2. 21% of people with foot ringworm had nail fungus, with an almost 11 times greater risk.
3. 14.4% of those with peripheral vascular disease had nail fungus, with a threefold larger risk.
4. Venous insufficiency increased their risk 3.38 times, with 13.4% of sufferers struggling with fungal infections.
5. 5.6% of people with varicose veins had nail fungus, with their risk increased 2.71 times.
6. Diabetes increased participants’ risk 3.28 times, with 5.6% of them affected by the condition.
This study reaffirms the importance of identifying and managing these risk factors, not only to prevent initial nail fungal infections but also to identify high-risk groups that should be particularly well-screened and protected.
If, however, you’re already suffering from nail fungus, you’ll be thrilled to discover that it’s easy to treat naturally. Thousands of readers have already used the simple steps explained here to rid themselves of nail fungus for good…
For your health,
Julissa Clay
