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.

Sometimes the fungal infection can have a few symptoms such as itching, especially when perspiring occurs. As the weather warms the condition gets worse. The disease is easy for a dermatologist to recognize but it can be mistaken for other skin conditions. There is no known medical reason why it occurs in some people and not others. The dermatologist can perform a "KOH prep" which is a common test done quickly in the office to make sure of the diagnosis.

The infection is treated with either topical or oral antifungal medications. In very mild cases, non-prescription antifungal creams will work. Prescription antifungal lotions and sprays may work better. The most economical effective treatment is to apply an antifungal shampoo (Nizoral, Loprox) to the body as if it were soap, but leave it on for some minutes before rinsing.

For severe, extensive or recurrent cases, a few tablets of Nizoral pills will clear things up. A newer pill, Sporonox, may replace Nizoral for this problem. These will eliminate the fungus and relive any itch and scale. The

What is Ringworm?

Ringworm is a common infection not caused by a worm as the name would imply but by a parasitic fungi organisms called dermatophytes. They feed on the dead layer of keratine protein found on the outer layer of the skin, nails and hair. These fungi flourish in the skin areas that remain moist, warm and hidden from the light.

This 3-Day Ringworm Treatment has been reviewed and supported by leading physicians familiar with the ringworm fungus. If you are suffering from ringworm, stop hoping the next treatment you try will solve the problem. This program will provide you with all of the necessary information and procedures to make sure the problem is brought under control and ensure it won’t come back. Get relief now.

What Does It Look Like?

There are a variety of ringworm infections that can occur on different areas of the body. The common term for ringworm is “tinea” and depending on where the infection is on the body it will be designated with a latin term for the body part. The tinea infections can each look a bit different but the most common type of ringworm on the body, tinea corporis, will have a red to brown circular bumpy patch of skin. The area will be lighter in the center giving it the ring appearance. Most ringworm infections are itchy and can be painful if not treated.

Make Sure It Is Ringworm

Ringworm can be mistaken for one of the following conditions granuloma annulare, discoid lupus, and sarcoidosis. Bullous tinea pedis (athlete foot with blisters) can mimic bullous drug reactions, bullous pemphigoid, and other bullous diseases of the skin. If suspected ringworm does not respond to routine antifungal treatment, further diagnostics must be performed, like a skin biopsy, a fungal culture, or a skin scraping for fungus identification.

How Do You Catch It?

Ringworm is spread by contact with an infected person, animal or infected surface, such as clothes, towels, and bedding. It’s more common among people living in crowded conditions or participating in contact sports, such as wrestling gymnastics, or martial arts. Ringworm can also be contracted through the soil.

Ringworm-in-children: Children going to day care have a higher risk of the infection as it is highly contagious and as children play one may pass it to another. Also children tend to be more susceptible to certain types of ringworm because their immune systems are not fully developed.

There are several kinds of ringworm that have developed over time and have been given their own names to differentiate them from some of the more well known types. A few of the examples are:

Majocchi’s granuloma, a deeper fungal infection of skin, hair, and hair follicles. It is most common in women who shave their legs.

Tinea corporis gladiatorum, a special name given to tinea corporis spread by skin-to-skin contact between wrestlers.

Tinea imbricata, a form of tinea corporis seen in Central and South America, Asia, and the South Pacific.

How is ringworm treated?

Ringworm can be treated topically (with external applications) or systemically (for example, with oral medications):

Topical treatment: When fungus affects the skin of the body or the groin, many antifungal creams can clear the condition in two weeks or so. Examples of such preparations include those that contain clotrimazole (Cruex cream, Desenex cream, Lotrimin cream, lotion, and solution), miconazole (Monistat-Derm cream), ketoconazole (Nizoral cream); and terbinafine (Lamisil cream and solution). These treatments are effective for many cases of foot fungus as well.

Buy products for ringworm at drugstore.com.

Systemic treatment: For a long time, the only effective antifungal tablet was griseofulvin (Fulvicin, Grifulvin, and Gris-PEG). In recent years, newer agents have been introduced that are both safer and more effective. These include terbinafine (Lamisil), itraconazole (Sporanox), and fluconazole (Diflucan). Reputations die hard, however, and many people continue to fear that even these newer agents are “bad for the liver,” when in fact they are quite safe when used properly.

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.

What are the Effective Treatment Options

The effectiveness of the treatment can be different case by case.  Some early infections can be arrested with home remedy treatments if caught early enough and treatment is administered consistently and for a length of time that eradicates the bacteria infection completely.

If the nail fungus infection has spread deeper into the nail it will be more difficult to control.  There are some products that have been effective in the treatment of advanced nail fungus.  One of the most effective and safest products is Zetaclear Nail Solution.  It is an herbal remedy with no side effects and has an impressive success rate with effectiveness in treatment of nail fungus.  Almost everyone that tries Zetaclear has results to some degree.  One of the best ways to combat the problem is to utilize a combination of treatments along with the daily routine of fundamental fungus control – i.e. Keep the area dry, well ventilated and try not to keep it dark for very long.

Homeopathic Treatments

There are a few popular home remedy treatments that have been effective at treating the early symptoms of this difficult to control fungal problem.  The more popular ones include

Tea Tree Oil, Listerine and Apple Cider Vinegar.   See my article on Apple Cider Vinegar for more information on this age old medicine.

It is estimated that in the United States there are approximately thirty five million known suffers of nail fungus or Onychomycosis, the medical name for fungal nail infections. There are many more sufferers who are not accounted for because of the nature of the problem they do not seek medical advice or medication.

Ringworm can affect people of all ages but most often affects children.  Animals can also be affected with this fungus problem.

Types of Ringworm Infections

A number of species of fungi cause ringworm. Dermatophytes of the genera Trichophyton and Microsporum are the most common causative agents. These fungi attack various parts of the body and lead to the following conditions:

Tinea corporis – Affects the arms, legs, and trunk
Tinea capitis – Affects the scalp
Tinea cruris – (Jock Itch) affects the groin area
Tinea pedis – (Athlete’s foot) affects the feet
Tinea unguium – Affects the fingernails and toenails
Tinea versicolor – Skin spots, not contagious, very common
Tinea manuum – Affects the hands and palm area

Problems – Treatments for the Problem – Let Us Hear From You

If you would like to share your particular problem and any possible solutions you have attempted or been successful with we would love to hear from you.

The Conditions & Affects of Nail Fungus

What is Nail Fungus?

Nail fungus occurs when fungi infect one or more of your nails. The medical term for this infection is Onychomycosis. This is caused by a fungi called dermatophytes also known as tinea unguium (tinea of the nails). Nail fungus is not the same as athlete’s foot, which affects the skin, but at times the two may coexist.

Symptoms & Affects of Nail Fungus

The infection may begin as a white or yellow spot under the tip of your fingernail or toenail. As the nail fungus grows it feeds on the the keratin that makes up the surface of the nail and in this way spreads deeper into your nail. This may cause your nail to discolor, thicken and develop crumbling edges and distort in shape.

Infected toenails may also develop a condition called onycholysis where the nail separates from the nail bed. This can be an unsightly and potentially painful problem.

Causes & Conditions of Nail Fungus

The problem affects about 6-8% of the adult population and usually develops on nails continually exposed to warm, moist environments. The fungi organisms invade the skin through invisible cuts or a small separation between the nail and the nail bed. This becomes a problem only when the nails have continuous exposure to conditions perfect for the growth and spread of fungu – warmth and moisture.

Risk Factors for Nail Fungus

For several reasons nail fungus tends to be more common among older adults. Some of these reasons include a slow in blood circulation and with aging the nails grow slower and thicken making them more susceptible to infection. Men are affected more than women and a family history of this infection increases the possiblilty of a lack of resistance to nail fungus.

These factors also can increase your risk of developing nail fungus:

1. Perspiring heavily
2. Working in a humid or moist environment
3. Wearing socks and shoes that hinder ventilation and don’t absorb perspiration
4. Walking barefoot in damp public places, such as swimming pools, gyms and shower rooms
5. A minor skin or nail injury, a damaged nail or another infection
6. Diabetes, circulation problems or a weakened immune system

Complications of Nail Fungus

Nail fungal infections can lead to other serious infections that can spread beyond your feet especially if you have a suppressed immune system due to medication, diabetes or other conditions.

Fungal infections of the nail pose the most serious health risk for people with diabetes and for those with weakened immune systems, such as people with leukemia or those who’ve had an organ transplant. If you have diabetes, your blood circulation and the nerve supply to your feet can become impaired. Therefore, any relatively minor injury to your feet — including a nail fungal infection — can lead to a more serious complication, requiring timely medical care. See your doctor immediately if you suspect nail fungus.

What is cellulitis and what are the symptoms?

Cellulitis is a common bacterial infection of the lower layers of skin (dermis) and the subcutaneous tissues (areas underneath the skin). Cellulitis sometimes develops around wounds in the skin or surgical incisions. It usually begins as a small area of tenderness, redness and swelling. In other cases it arises without an obvious source for the bacterial infection. As the infection begins to enlarge, the person may develop a fever – sometimes with chills and sweats – and swollen lymph nodes near the infected area.

Who is at risk for cellulitis?

Anyone may develop cellulitis. However, people whose immune systems are weakened for any reason (including from chemotherapy for cancer or other immune-suppressing drugs) and those with diabetes are at highest risk for developing cellulitis.

Cellulitis may appear in areas where the skin has broken open, such as the skin near ulcers, such as those caused by athletes foot fungal problems. Surgical wounds can also create the conditions that allow the bacteria to enter the body. The infection can also occur in areas where there is no break in the skin at all, such as with chronic leg swelling (edema).

What causes cellulitis?

The majority of cases of cellulitis are caused by either staph (Staphylococcus) or strep (Streptococcus) bacteria.

Staph (Staphylococcus aureus) is the most common bacteria that causes cellulitis. There is a growing incidence of community-acquired infections due to methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), a particularly dangerous form of this bacteria that is resistant to many antibiotics and is more difficult to treat.

Strep (usually group A or B Streptococcus) is also a common cause of cellulitis. A form of rather superficial cellulitis caused by strep is called erysipelas; its conditions are characterized by spreading hot, bright red circumscribed area on the skin with a sharp raised border. Due to these factors it is sometimes referred to as the "flesh-eating bacteria" and are, in fact, also a strain of strep that can sometimes rapidly destroy tissues.

Cellulitis can be caused by many other types of bacteria.

1. In children under 6 years of age, H. flu (Hemophilus influenzae) bacteria can cause cellulitis, especially on the face, arms, and upper torso.




2. Cellulitis from a dog or cat bite or scratch may be caused by the Pasteurella multocida bacteria, which has a very short incubation period of only four to 24 hours.




3. Aeromonas hydrophilia, Vibrio vulnificus, and other bacteria are causes of cellulitis that develops after exposure to freshwater or seawater.




4. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is another type of bacteria that can cause cellulitis, typically after a puncture wound.

Is cellulitis contagious?

Cellulitis is not contagious because it is an infection of the skin’s deeper layers and the skin’s top layer provides a cover over the infection.

Where does cellulitis occur?

Cellulitis may occur anywhere on the body, but the legs and feet are the most common site of the infection, followed by the arms, and then the head and neck areas. In special circumstances, such as following surgery or trauma wounds, cellulitis can develop in the abdomen or chest areas. In cases of morbid obesity, it can also develop in the abdominal area.

How is cellulitis treated

First, it is critical for the doctor to distinguish whether or not the inflammation is due to an infection. This can be difficult at times with many cases of cellulitis because the concentration of bacteria may be low and cultures fail to show the cause of the problem.

When it proves difficult to distinguish whether or not the inflammation is due to an infection, doctors sometimes treat with antibiotics just to be sure. If the condition does not respond, it may need to be addressed by different methods dealing with types of inflammation that are not infected.

Antibiotics, such as derivatives of penicillin or other types of antibiotics that are effective against the responsible bacteria, are used to treat cellulitis. If the bacteria turn out to be resistant to the chosen antibiotics or in patients who are allergic to penicillin, other appropriate antibiotics can be substituted. In many cases, treatment requires the administration of intravenous antibiotics in a hospital setting, since oral antibiotics may not always provide sufficient penetration of the injury to be effective. In certain cases, intravenous antibiotics can be administered at home.

Ringworm is a very common disease in cats and dogs, especially dogs.  Ringworm is not a worm but a fungus that thrives on dead tissues present on skin surfaces.  The fungus grows in a circular pattern and will appear inflamed.

The pets usually pick up the fungus from their surroundings like kennels and other animals that already have the fungal infection.    The most common areas of the occurrence of ringworm are the face, ear tips, tails and paws.

I suggest as a good basis for an anti-fungal treatment for your pet is to start with and maintain an anti-fungal shampoo on a regular basis until the problem is resolved. This will aid in controlling the spreading of the fungus and provide a treatment that can’t be licked off.

A topical anti-fungal cream should be used on the areas of the infection. Apply the cream as indicated in the directions but it is important to use a cream safe for pets since they tend to lick the cream as soon as it is applied.

The Malaseb Shampoo offered by Pet Meds is a very good product and they also stock a couple of anti-fungal creams and lotions labeled for pets. Pet Meds is a pet supply warehouse so should you need any other pet supplies you will find this supplier to be one of the best in the business in service and price. Orders over $39.00 ship for free.

The Pet Meds banner will take you to the store where you can search the site for ringworm to get a list of the products available.