What is Athlete’s foot?
Athlete’s foot is a contagious fungal infection of the feet – a condition which generally affects men more commonly than women. Often, younger people will ‘catch’ athlete’s foot due to being in shared communal shower areas after school games sessions, at college, or at their local swimming baths.
Athlete’s foot is basically a fungal condition. It affects the skin in-between toes. This then results in a range of uncomfortable symptoms.
Athlete’s foot is treatable and can usually be caught in time before spreading and taking a firmer hold. However, in severe cases, athlete’s foot can last for several years.
Symptoms
Symptoms of athlete’s foot include:
Itchy feet (particularly between your toes)
Blistered, cracked and/or peeling skin between your toes
Red, scaly skin – like a rash that gradually spreads across the underside of the toes and causes an uncomfortable stinging sensation which is particularly severe when you try to walk or when your feet support your full body weight
Damaged skin to the soles of the feet (in rare cases and where the infection is left untreated)
Causes
Causes of athlete’s foot include:
Becoming infected through using a communal shower or bath (e.g., in a leisure centre)
Catching the infection through walking in bare feet across or standing upon tiles on a changing room floor
Through wearing and/or sharing training shoes wear the infectious fungi have thrived and multiplied in the concentrated humidity and heat inside the shoe
The fungal infection can also be passed on through contaminated clothing, bed sheets, towels and flannels.
Diagnosis
Most cases of athlete’s foot can be treated with over-the-counter remedies, such as creams, powders, liquids and sprays. However, if they prove unsuccessful in controlling and then clearing up your symptoms, arrange an appointment with your GP. After taking your medical history, they will ask you some questions about your symptoms and lifestyle, and then examine the affected area.
Treatment
Where over-the-counter treatments fail, your GP will prescribe a stronger antifungal medicine. This can often be in tablet-form.
The best preventative measure you can take to protect yourself from catching athlete’s foot is good feet hygiene. Always wear clean dry socks (a fresh pair every day and after any exercise is best), and always dry your feet thoroughly after bathing (and wash your feet thoroughly while bathing, too).
How Chemist Online can help
Through this website we have a range of treatments available to buy which can help relieve the symptoms of athlete’s foot.
www.chemistonline.co.uk
This information and advice is not intended to replace the advice of your GP or chemist. Chemist Online is also not responsible or liable for any diagnosis made by a user based upon the content of the Chemist Online website. Chemist Online is also not liable for the contents of any external internet sites listed, nor does it endorse any commercial product or service mentioned or advised on any of the sites.