Cure for Athletes Foot

Athletes foot is a tenacious fungal infection, caused by a variety of surface-skin inhabiting Trichophyton or Epidermophyton fungi. Usually, as the fungi lives on the surface of the skin, it is completely harmless and only feeds on the dead skin cells. If however, the fungus manages to penetrate the skin by way of a cut or another way, it can begin to spread more rapidly and suddenly the damaging symptoms of athletes foot develop.

Generally, the symptoms of athletes foot can be any of the following:

• Dry scaling skin develops on the sole of the foot, and may become cracked and even split. This is usually incredibly itchy and irritating. This symptom is sometimes referred to as moccasin-type athletes foot.
• Development of blisters, sores or pustules, also known as vesicular athletes foot. This type of athletes foot can often lead to secondary bacterial infections due to the tendency of blisters to burst and leak, exposing the skin underneath fairly deeply.
• General itchiness, irritating. Soreness of the feet as well as burning or stinging sensations. This can often be the early symptoms of athletes foot before anything described above becomes fully apparent.

The best cure for athletes foot is anti-fungal medication which is available on prescription, or purchased from the pharmacist. It is always best to see your doctor first as they can advise and prescribe based on the severity and type of athletes foot symptoms based on many years of medical knowledge and experience.

Avoiding athletes foot is so much easier when you follow these simple pointers:

• Avoid wearing footwear which makes your feet sweat excessively. Fungi thrive on moisture as well as warmth, and overly sweaty feet will provide an absolute paradise for fungi. Wear breathable footwear or kick your shoes off whenever possible to allow some air to circulate and curb moisture accumulation.
• Wash your feet a few times a day, drying your feet thoroughly, and change your socks each time. By washing your feet regularly you wash the fungi accumulations away, by drying them you starve any new or remaining fungi of moisture, and changing your socks means the fungi which will have clung to the inside of your socks will be kept away from your clean feet.
• Never walk barefoot in places such as shower rooms, spas or locker rooms. The fungi from other people's feet can transfer to the floor, then your feet. Of course, sometimes you have to go bare feet such as at the swimming pool, so the best way to tackle this is to get home as soon as possible, and wash you feet thoroughly and change your socks at home, and possibly apply a precautionary anti-fungal talcum powder at the same time, just in case.