What’s fungi got to do with it? – Oh yeah – it’s just Athletes Foot or is it?

Have you ever had Athletes Foot? It is very common and it wouldn’t be surprising if you have. What exactly is Athletes Foot you might ask? It is a condition in the feet where your feet itch, burn, make your skin dry and scaly, and it usually is around the toes. The symptoms are caused by a fungus that has attached itself to your feet. How in the world did you get fungus on your feet you might ask? It was probably from walking barefoot somewhere. At the beach, the pool, the shower, etc. The very reason why it is called Athletes Foot is because it is mostly athletes who get this fungus do to the fact that they frequent locker rooms, public showers, pools, etc. Athletes Foot can form blisters on your feet, and when those blisters break, they expose raw skin that will be painful and irritating.

How do you treat Athletes Foot or prevent it? First if you have it, you can try either a topical Athletes Foot creme or oral antifungal drugs, as they seem to treat the problem the best. The oral medication will need to be prescribed by your podiatrist, and a good inspection of your feet will happen at the same time. This will allow your foot doctor to make sure that what you are really dealing with is Athlete’s Foot and not some other problem. Here are a few other prevention tips - good foot hygiene is the best prevention in for Athletes Foot and helps also get rid of it too. This is accomplished buy cleaning your feet daily with soap and warm water, then drying them thoroughly, especially around the toes. A foot powder will help dry your feet and can be put in your shoes to help them dry too. Also makes sure you are not wearing the same shoes every day. Get at least two pairs that you can rotate in wearing. This gives your shoes time to dry out and any fungus in them to die, plus your shoes will last longer since you’re only wearing them every other day at the most. Make sure you change your socks too, and wash them thoroughly, and if there white, throw some bleach in the wash to help ensure no fungus survives the wash. And lastly, make sure you wear some shower shoes or flip-flops to help protect the bottom of your feet when you’re at those locker rooms and public showers. If you have any questions, please contact us via phone (877-941-FEET (3338)) or visit our website and send us an email at http://www.upstatefootcare.com/contact.html.