How to Get Rid of an Athlete’s Foot
Flaky and itchy skin between the toes is a classic symptom of athlete’s foot. This fungal infection is often treatable with over-the-counter ointments, but there are a few things you need to know before you start.
Make sure it’s just on your feet
The fungus that causes mycosis can also appear on other parts of your body. In the groin, this is called the athlete’s itch; on other parts of the body, it is commonly referred to as ringworm. Ringworm is not a worm , it’s just a term for a fungus that loves to eat the top layer of our skin. (Sometimes it starts small and expands into a ring.)
The American Academy of Dermatology notes that if you have infections in more than one part of your body — say, you have a sports foot and a ringworm patch on your arm — treating just one is unlikely to be effective. You need to completely heal ringworm for it to clear completely.
If large areas of skin are affected, you may need oral or prescription drugs, so seek medical attention. Ringworm on the nails, scalp, or beard area also requires prescription treatment.
Make sure you have a sporty foot
If you’ve had a sports foot before, you may know exactly what it looks like, but it’s important to know that other skin conditions, such as eczema and psoriasis, can resemble a sports foot in many ways. When in doubt, make a real diagnosis instead of relying on Dr.Google.
Correct identification is important because these conditions often have opposite treatments. For example, a hydrocortisone cream helps with eczema, but can worsen the condition of an athlete’s foot.
Get Antifungal Treatment
Fortunately, there are over-the-counter medications that work well for potions and other types of ringworm. Topical antifungal creams often contain clotrimazole or terbinafine as active ingredients.
Follow the directions and keep using the product (be it cream or pills) for as long as recommended. As with antibiotics, if you stop too early, you may find that the infection is returning.
Wash your hands
After touching your feet or applying an antifungal agent, wash your hands to make sure the fungus is not spreading to other parts of the body or to other people.
Keep your feet clean and dry
First of all, you should think about how you got mycosis of the foot (or ringworm). The fungus can be spread from person to person, and it does well in humid environments.
While this is associated with showers and changing rooms, the showers themselves are not always to blame. Athletes tend to spend a lot of time in sweaty clothes and come into skin-to-skin contact with other sweaty people if they are involved in contact sports. You can also pick up mud fungus from the outside.
So, yes, in theory you could pick up fungus from the dressing room floor, but you’re much less likely to catch the infection if you dry your feet thoroughly before putting on your socks and shoes again . Remember, the mushroom loves a warm and humid environment, so wet feet, hastily tucked into a sock, are ideal breeding grounds.