Aging is the most common risk factor for onychomycosis due to diminished blood circulation, longer exposure to fungi, and nails which grow more slowly and thicken, increasing susceptibility to infection. Other risk factors include perspiring heavily, being in a humid or moist environment, psoriasis, wearing socks and shoes that hinder ventilation and do not absorb perspiration, going barefoot in damp public places such as swimming pools, gyms and shower rooms, having athlete's foot, minor skin or nail injury, damaged nail, or other infection, and having diabetes, circulation problems, which may also lead to lower peripheral temperatures on hands and feet, or a weakened immune system.

Conservative treatments include topical or oral antifungal medications that may have little success and may be damaging to your liver. New PinPointe Footlaser treatments for Nail Fungal infections have been proven affective in clearing the infections in as little as one treatment. Most recent research suggests that fungi are sensitive to heat, typically 40–60 °C .The basis of laser treatment is to try heat the nail bed to these temperatures in order to disrupt fungal growth.