Athlete's Foot Advice and Treatment

Tinea Pedis, in the layman's language known as the athlete's foot or foot fungus and not limited to just athletes in particular is a dermatological condition affecting some people. More common in males than in females, this condition happens in one out of every ten people, which makes it quite common.

Athlete's foot is of the following 3 types:

Interdigital: Found between the 4th and the 5th toes, this is the most common category of the foot fungus, with symptoms like itching, scaling and even fissures on the surface of the skin.

Moccasin-Type: Soles of the feet become tender, skin surface turn dry and flaky, and is peculiar in that it either occurs in 2 feet and one hand, or two hand and one foot
Acute Vesicular: Painful blisters suddenly crop up from nowhere on either side of the foot, and these are the consequences of the fungus getting an allergic reaction. However, this is the least common type of foot fungus.

Categorically speaking, the foot fungus may get divided into further sub classes, but in effect, they all produce almost the same outcome, and these include itchy, reddish skin, inflamed bumps on the souls, and the feet feel like they are burning. All this is usually common in the first two toes.

You can get the athlete's foot from wet places, places that re public and particularly the locker rooms of gyms. Sharing of items such as socks and towels or even having skin contact m get you the athlete's foot without a problem. Such scenarios are the special hosts for fungus to spread and breed and that's why it is important to exercise caution. Fractures in skin such as cuts or bruises and big promoters of athlete's foot and diabetic people need to be especially wary of this, as the first symptoms of foot fungus do not cause any feeling at all.

Depending on the severity, foot fungus cases can be either solved by the use of anti fungus creams for the mild cases or long prescriptions for the more severe cases. Oral medication is another line of defence because they contain anti fungal as well as anti bacterial properties. Whatever be the scenario, it is highly recommended that you use anti fungal powders in the shoes, as well as self hygiene by keeping the feet clean and dry.

You should consult a doctor if you are not sure whether you have foot fungus and the symptoms don't go away by using counteractive measures. It's even possible that you may be suffering from pathologies like eczema, ringworm or psoriasis, and the doctor's consultation is absolutely important. There is danger of other infections too if the athlete's foot is left unattended.

Prevention is better than cure, and this applies to athlete's foot as well. General cleanliness and dryness are strong measures to keep the fungus from even popping up. Drying of the feet, especially the innermost areas after the shower goes a long way in ensuring that you don't contract fungal infection of any kind. Use socks that absorb the sweat and moisture if you happen to engage in a lot of physical activity, because in the end, it's the taking of preventive measures that really fight against fungal infection.