Athlete's foot is an often-found infection of the skin, usually on the foot, and is caused by fungus. The most common cause of the infection is Trichophyton. The ringworm fungus "tinea" can be found in many places, including clothing, socks, pools, locker rooms and gyms. This fungus thrives and infects your upper dermal areas, when they remain irritated, warm and moist. You can be infected with fungus anywhere on your body, but the feet are obviously more prone to them, because of their moist and warm environment. The fungus can be spread when you come into contact with a person infected with it, or if you contact objects that are infected.
Symptoms:
Athlete's foot usually looks like dry, peeling red skin on the sole or soles of your feet. The flaking may spread to the sides and onto the tops of the feet. Usually, though, the rash is found only on the foot soles.
Athlete's foot has nicknames, depending on where it occurs. On the soles, it's called "moccasin". If it is between your toes, it's called "interdigital". If it's "blistering" or "inflammatory", it's technically called bullous tinea pedis, and with this type, you would have thick patches of reddened, dry skin with calluses. Milder cases may appear like simple dry skin, and may or may not be inflamed or red.
Causes:
There is more than one possible cause of rashes on the foot, and athlete's foot is one that is more commonly seen. Other causes include dermatitis, bacterial infections, yeast infections, psoriasis, or rashes from shoes, socks or creams.
Your health care provider can utilize an easy test to confirm athlete's foot. It's called the KOH test, and it is a potassium hydroxide examination for fungi. He or she will use small skin flakes and examine them under a microscope. In some instances, the physician may send a piece of skin away for a biopsy, to help in confirming the diagnosis.
People who get athlete's foot often may be more prone to fungus infections, and may experience more of them. You can prevent fungus to a degree, by keeping your feet dry and clean, staying away from long-term walking in moist areas, and by allowing the feet to "breathe", without shoes on. Avoid contact with people whom you know are infected, and don't walk barefoot in gyms or around public pools. You can also use anti-fungal brands of foot powder, and spray your shoes with disinfectant.
Treatment:
Treatment for athlete's foot generally is composed of two parts. The first means of treatment, and the most important, is making the area less suited to fungus growth. Keep your feet dry and clean. Buy shoes that are constructed of breathable materials like leather. Vinyl doesn't breathe, and can cause your feet to stay too moist for prolonged time periods. This is an excellent breeding ground for fungus. Wear cotton socks that help to pull moisture away from your feet, too.
Medicated powders can also be used to keep your feet their driest. You can soak your feet in aluminum acetate, which is a drying solution, or soak them in diluted white vinegar and water.
The second aspect of athlete's foot treatment is using anti-fungal washes or creams. They are marketed under various brand names, so ask your pharmacist to point them out to you. You should continue treating your feet for a month, or for at least a week after you are symptom-free.
If you have an advanced type of athlete's foot fungus, you may also need to take an anti-fungal in pill form. You will be given liver tests before you are prescribed these pills, because you can't take them if you have liver disease.
If you apply corticosteroid creams to your feet to help, these can actually fertilize the area and make your athlete's foot worse. Do not use them to treat fungus. If the fungus spreads to your toenails, you will have to treat them as well, or the fungus may recur. Treating the toenails may require a longer term of oral anti-fungals.
Athlete's foot can actually also affect the hand, and, oddly enough, if it does, it will only affect one hand. No one knows exactly why only one hand is affected, in these cases. The fungus can also be seen at the same time as groin-based ringworm, particularly in men. Regardless of where the fungus is, it's important to treat all affected areas so that the fungus doesn't continue to multiply.
