Athletes Foot

Athletes foot (tinea pedis) is a fungal infection of the foot. This fungus depends on dead tissue for nutrition and growth. It commonly occurs between the toes and the toenails, but can also appear on other areas as well.

Moisture and warmth provide an environment for this fungus to thrive. Public or private showers, locker rooms, gym floors, hotel bathrooms and pool areas are common places to contact this fungus.

People with sweaty feet are more like to contact it, while others have a natural resistance to it. People usually do not pass this from person to person.

Athlete Foot Symptoms

Symptoms include burning, itching and cracking between the toes and on other places of the foot. It can also appear by patches of dry skin or bumps on the feet.

Yellowish-brown toenails are another symptom of athletes foot. Redness and scaling on the soles can occur. When the skin between the toes looks lumpy and has an unpleasant odor, you probably have the infection.

Athletes Foot Treatment

Change your socks daily and keep your feet dry and your shoes off as much as possible. This infection does not grow easily in the dry open air.

Wash your feet daily and dry them thoroughly. Go barefoot at home.Wear shoes or sandals as much as possible in public bathrooms, showers or gym locker rooms.

Wear looser fitting cotton socks. Try to avoid tight synthetic material that doesn’t allow your feet to breathe easily.

If you contact this infection easily you will want to use foot spray and powder in your shoes to kill germs.

Always contact your physician. They have medicine and powder they can give you to treat the infection.

more than athletes foot on our Health Conditions page


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