Tinea Pedis

'Tinea Pedis' is the medical name for what is commonly known as 'Athletes Foot'. Athletes foot is a fungal infection which can affect anybody, not only athletes. Symptoms can include the formation of sore pustules, and a scaly dry skin which may be between the toes, on the toes, or on the sole of the feet.

Through the general populace, a lack of understanding on what athletes foot is, how it develops and a lack of understanding on how to prevent athletes foot from first taking hold means many people suffer from athletes foot when they needn't.

Athletes foot develops by way of a usually innocuous surface-skin inhabiting fungi penetrating the skin, thus spreading underneath the skin and causing tissue damage. As athletes foot is a fungal infection, the conditions for its survival and activity must be to that of most fungi, moist and warm. Whilst the fungi which causes athletes foot can live harmlessly on our feet in small quantities - and does no matter how clean our feet are - we still don't want to help it multiply, so must keep in mind the moisture and warmth variables. Whilst our feet will always be warm, we can ensure they don't become too hot, swelter and sweat so much. This can be achieved by not wearing tight non-breathable footwear so often and allowing our feet to breath. Feet should also be washed once or twice a day, and a clean pair of socks worn each time. Drying your feet thoroughly after each time of washing them is essential, and applying powder can help this immensely. Athletes foot can also be picked up from other people, particularly by walking without footwear on shower room floors and the like.

Athletes foot is easily cleared up with either prescription based or store-bought anti-fungal medication, and should have your feet back to normal within no more than a month.