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An athlete's foot is a fungal infection affecting the skin, especially between the toes. The affecting fungus, Trichophyton, affects warm and moist skin. It can affect any part of the foot and occurs in people who walk frequently, not only in athletes.
It causes a stinging, burning sensation, it feels itchy, and the affected part becomes red. It is a chronic infection that can frequently recur if not cared for. The causative organism is commonly found in damp places such as locker rooms and swimming pools.
The affected part of the skin has a specific appearance:
The skin may sometimes crack, owing to dryness, and there may be oozing from the bursting of blisters. The skin may become white and sometimes appear swollen. The surrounding sole and foot may become scaly. When it spreads to the sole, the condition is termed moccasin athlete's foot. A differential diagnosis of mocassin athlete's foot is eczema.
Athlete's foot can be treated with over-the-counter available creams, gels, or sprays without a prescription. These creams contain anti-fungal ingredients and are safe to use.
Home remedies may also help. For example, using herbal concoctions for footbaths can help relieve symptoms. But home remedies carry no scientific proof of their effectiveness in treating athlete's foot.
Risk factors that increase the chances of contracting an athlete's foot are:
The fungi causing tinea pedis grows well in a moist environment. It is beneficial to keep the feel dry to prevent getting the infection. For example:
To prevent getting infected from flakes of skin and to prevent its recurrence, the following can be practised:
Add a special anti-fungal laundry sanitiser if warm water cannot be made available.
Reviewed by Dr. Namrita Singh, Associate Director - Internal Medicine on 22-Mar-2023.
Max Healthcare is home to 4800+ eminent doctors in the world, most of whom are pioneers in their respective fields. Additionally, they are renowned for developing innovative and revolutionary clinical procedures.
Max Healthcare is home to 4800+ eminent doctors in the world, most of whom are pioneers in their respective fields. Additionally, they are renowned for developing innovative and revolutionary clinical procedures.
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