What is Athlete’s Foot?

Athlete’s foot is a common skin infection caused by the dermatophyte fungi which are the ringworm fungi (tinea). The infection can occur anywhere on the body but commonly infects the feet due to the warm, moist and dark environment. Breeding grounds for the fungus include swimming pools, showers, and locker rooms. The infection was common among athletes who use these facilities frequently and so the term “athlete’s foot” became popular. The truth is you do not have to be an athlete to get athlete’s foot, in fact it is estimated that near 70% of the population will be infected with tinea pedis at some time in their lives.

Symptoms of Athlete’s Foot

There are three types of Athlete’s Foot.

Toe web infection

This is the most common type of athlete’s foot and usually occurs between the two smallest toes but can occur between any set of toes or all of them.

This type begins with skin that feels soft and moist and can have some itching and burning involved. It may get worse if not treated and can spread across the foot to other toes and start to move up the foot.

Moccasin-type Infection

A long lasting(chronic) infection. This may begin with minor irritation, dryness, itching and burning but will progress to a thickened, scaling, cracked and peeling skin on the sole of the foot or heel. In some severe cases the toenails become infected and can thicken, crumble and fall off. This type can also appear in the palm of a hand.

Vesicular Infection

This is the least common type of infection and begins with a sudden outbreak of large fluid filled areas under the skin. The blisters often develop on the skin of the instep but can also develop between the toes, on the heel or on the sole of top of the foot. Occasional reoccurrence can happen after the initial infection. The infection may occur in the same area or in another area such as the arms, chest or fingers. Scaly skin may be present between outbreaks.

Possible complications of Athlete’s Foot

The complications of athlete’s foot include the potential, if untreated, to spread to other parts of the body or other people mainly your family members. The fungus may spread to your legs, toenails, hands, fingernails, and essentially any body area.

Infection of bacteria can occur due to the injury of the skin by the fungus. The natural protective barrier is broken and bacteria and yeasts can enter and the broken skin and cause bad smell, or an inflammation known as cellulitis.

How to treat Athlete’s Foot

Treatments can be divided into two parts.

The first step in treatment is to make the infected area less suitable for the athletes foot fungus to grow. This means keeping the area clean and dry with good hygiene. Use cotton socks whenever possible and remove shoes and let the feet breathe.

The second part of treatment is the use of topical antifungal creams and external medications. Treatment should be continued for at least four weeks and performed daily.

Prevention of infections of athlete’s foot

Avoid walking barefoot in public showers, locker rooms, pool decks, etc. Sandals or some form of footwear should be worn at all times.

Do not share footware and avoid rental footwear, such as bowling shoes or roller skates.

If rental equipment is used or any of the conditions mentioned above unavoidable, clean and powder feet as soon as possible after the occurrence.

When to seek medical treatment for athlete’s foot

If the infection is not clearing up and increased swelling and redness or bleeding are present, see your health care practictioner. Bacterial infection may also be occurring which makes it necessary for an antibiotic pill to counteract the infection. If fungal nail is present or you are a diabetic or have a compromised immune system, you should also see your physician for treatment.

Doctors that treat athlete’s foot.

Dermatologists are skin disorder specialists and can treat athlete’s foot. Family medical physicians, pediatricians, podiatrists (foot doctors) and other practitioners may also treat this common infection.

There was a time when I resolved to be stuck with the problem my entire life and as it was spreading up my feet and across more toes I remember thinking that at some point it was going to overtake my leg as well. Then I learned it could spread to other areas of the body as well and really started to be concerned about what to do. I felt hopeless because I had tried to treat the infection with some OTC medications that seemed to show improvements but never completely cured the problem. I had even gone to the doctor and been prescribed an ointment that didn’t seem to perform any better than the ones I was already using.  I felt like it was something I was going to have work hard at managing the rest of my life but had resolved to the idea I would never get rid of it.  It was painful and embarrassing and spreading – it sucked.

There are many different home remedies that are offered on this site as well as medications and products. I believe that some work for some people and some work for others.  I also believe that it depends on the severity of the problem. In other words – some anti-fungal treatments might correct the problem if the area is small but it is has spread and covers a large area with blisters and cracking that same treatment might not be very effective.

Here is what I know – I had it really bad for a long time and tried many different treatments – many of them are on this site.  How I cured it was a combination of some things both in treatment and daily routine of care and treatment.  It did not just vanish overnight, it took some time but it did go away.

I have written an ebook describing exactly how I cured my Athlete’s Foot.  There are also 9 other real life stories of how people have found a cure for their athlete’s foot and ringworm.

In the meantime I will tell you this. You need to be on top of your infection – do not let a day go by that you do not treat it with whatever you are using. I would suggest using a combination of anti-fungal medication ointments or natural oils and powder with whatever soaking or other treatments you might use.

If you are using a treatment of any kind – please share it and some information about your problem and length of time you have had it.

This common but persistent condition is considered a nuisance to most people but can become a more serious problem to anyone if not treated correctly. To the diabetic however, it is always a serious matter and extremely important to have early diagnosis and effective treatment.

One of the reasons diabetics are susceptible to infection and disease is their immune system is less able to counter the attack. The diabetic has a better chance of getting athlete’s foot (tinea pedis) and other fungal type infections then someone without diabetes due to the bodies inability to fight off the problem.

The Invasion

Once the infection has invaded the skin and started to attack the area of entry another problem occurs for the diabetic. In many diabetes cases there has been nerve damage from the years of wear and tear on the body. This makes it harder for the diabetes sufferer to recognize the symptoms of a foot disorder when it first starts. With a problem like athletes foot, if the symptoms are recognized early and treated consistently with an effective antifungal medication, in most cases it can be cured. If it is not treated early and allowed to spread it then becomes a much more difficult problem to overcome.

More Problems

Last but not least there is again one more reason why these minor infections are major problems for the diabetic. The process of healing the infected area is hindered as the reduced blood flow to the extremities does not keep a fresh supply of blood circulating to replenish the blood in the affected area. People without diabetes have fresh blood circulating to the leg, feet and other extremities, cleansing and replenishing blood from the affected areas. Because the diabetic does not have this normal blood flow it increases the odds of a more serious infection and conditions such as gangrene developing. This is one of the reasons why consistent inspections of the feet and extremities is vital to a diabetics health.

Athlete’s foot fungus thrives in dark, moist and warm conditions. No wonder it is typically found causing great discomfort to the feet. Usually found along the soles of the feet, the area between the toes and sometimes the toenails become infected, athlete’s foot (tinea pedis) is not choosy about where it grows.

It also has the ability to spread to other areas of the body. The fact that the infection becomes incredibly itchy and the hands are usually used to do the itching, the fungus commonly spreads to the hands. When this occurs the medical term for the problem is tinea manuum. It is possible for the fungus to spread to other areas of the body as well especially if other areas are touched with the hands after itching.

With that said it is very important to have good hygiene practices to have a chance of clearing up the problem. Wash your hands on a regular basis, preferably with anti-fungal soap. Make sure your feet are washed and dried and treated every day without fail.

The majority of athlete’s foot cases get out of hand because they are not dealt with when the first signs appear.  Since the area where the problem usually starts is the feet, which tend to be a breeding ground for the fungus, the infection gets a chance to quickly get out of control.  As the problem persists, inconsistent attempts are made to cure the problem and the inconsistency of the applications of antifungal treatment allows the problem to spread and get more out of control.

Consistency is the key, even after it seems like the ringworm infection is gone. Keep applying the medication you are using for a couple of weeks after the problem seems to have cleared up.