Athlete's foot

Athlete's foot is an infection of the feet caused by fungus. Tinea pedis is the medical term for athlete foot which can last for a short or long time.

The most common symptom is cracked, flaking, peeling skin on the sole of the foot or between the toes. It is usually red and itchy. There may be burning or stinging and blisters, oozing or crusting.

You will need to keep your feet clean and dry, especially between your toes. If you have a hard time drying between your toes you can use a hair dryer on a low setting .

Wash your feet thoroughly with soap and water and dry very carefully.

Wear clean socks and change your them and your shoes every day. Do not wear the same pair of shoes every day. They need to air out. At Advanced Foot Care Clinic we offer our patients socks that contain bamboo fibers in them that help wick away moisture from your feet.

CAUSES: Our bodies normally hosts a variety of microorganisms, including bacteria and fungi. Some of these are useful to the body. Others may, under certain conditions multiply rapidly and cause infections. Athlete's foot occurs when a particular type of fungus grows and multiplies in your feet especially between your toes.

These fungi thrive in warm, moist areas, so that is why it is important to keep your feet dry and clean.

Athletes foot is contagious and can be passed through direct contact or contact with items such as shoes, stockings, and shower or pool surfaces.

PREVENTION: Dry your feet thoroughly after bathing or swimming. Wear sandals or water shoes in public shower or pool. Change yor socks often to keep your feet dry. Use Zeasorb AF powder. This is an antifungal powder to prevent athlete's foot. Wear shoes that are well ventilated and preferably made of natural material such as leather. Alternate shoes every day so they can dry between wearings. Avoid plastic-lined shoes.

On our website:www.vailfoot.com on our online store we have numerous items for athlete's foot. There is fungasoap which has tea tree oil in it to help wash away the bacteria and fungus from your feet while showering. We also offer the sterishoe which uses ultraviolet light to kill the fungus that is in the shoe.

If you live in the Findlay, Ohio area and you have been fighting athlete's foot for a long time just give our office a call at 419-423-1888 to set up an appointment.