Athlete’s Foot

Athlete’s foot is an itchy, irritating, and uncomfortable skin condition. To successfully eliminate the fungus-causing athlete’s foot, visit Sameep Chandrani, DPM, and his colleagues at Mercer Foot & Ankle Center. The experienced podiatrists offer effective anti-fungal treatment and foot care advice to reduce re-infection risk. Call Mercer Foot & Ankle Center to request an Athlete’s Foot assessment or use the online booking feature today.

What is Athlete’s Foot?

Athlete’s Foot is a skin infection triggered by a fungus. Usually, symptoms develop between your toes, which are most likely moist. The fungus that’s responsible for Athlete’s Foot prefers dark, damp, warm environments, like sweaty shoes and socks. You can get the infection through exposure in swimming pools, locker rooms, public showers, sweaty or wet towels, footwear, and bed linens. Athlete’s Foot isn’t a serious disorder for most healthy people, but for those with diabetes, it can present more of a problem. This is because breaks in their skin can lead to ulcer formation — unpleasant open sores that resist healing.

What symptoms does Athlete’s Foot typically casue?

Athlete’s Foot causes various symptoms, including:

• Flaky, dry, or scaly skin
• Blisters, especially between your toes
• Raw, red skin
• Itching
• Burning
• Swelling

While Athlete’s Foot typically appears on the feet (especially between the toes), it can spread elsewhere if you scratch the damaged skin and accidentally transfer the infection to another part of your body.

How is Athlete’s Foot  treated?

Mercer Foot & Ankle Center podiatrist designs a personalized treatment plan based on your symptoms. This may include:

1. Topical anti-fungal medications
2. Oral anti-fungal drugs
3. Anti-fungal foot powder

These products eliminate the fungus, which resolves your symptoms.

Keeping your feet clean and dry when recovering from Athlete’s Foot is vital. Moisture encourages fungus to multiply rapidly, worsening the problem.

Can I prevent Athlete’s Foot?

You can’t always avoid Athlete’s Foot, but podiatrists offer several tips to help reduce the risk of fungal infection in the future.

Always take good care of your feet. Wash them every night before bed and dry them thoroughly. Apply anti-fungal powder before putting on your socks and shoes, choose moisture-wicking socks that help to keep your feet dry, and change your socks daily.

It’s wise not to go barefoot in public places. Simply wearing a pair of flip-flops in the gym shower or at the pool can significantly minimize your chances of contracting athlete’s foot.

If you have cuts, scrapes, or other foot injuries, clean them thoroughly, disinfect them, and apply a bandage promptly. Contact your podiatrist if you experience any problems with your feet.

Call Mercer Foot & Ankle Center or book an appointment online today for fast and effective Athlete’s Foot treatment.