Athlete's Foot (Tinea Pedis)
Fungal Infection of the Feet

Athlete's foot is a very common skin condition - many people will develop it at least once in their lives. It is more frequent among teenage and adult males, but may occur in women and in children under the age of 12. Athlete's foot can be easily treated, but may recur in susceptible individuals.

Itching of the feet is thought by many to be the hallmark of athlete's foot. While perhaps the most annoying and distracting part of the disorder, it is by no means the only symptom, and since it is not always present, should not be relied upon for self-diagnosis when athlete's foot is suspected. Instead, look for other telltale symptoms - changes in the skin between the toes, generally the last two toes - in particular, a whitish discoloration, as well as dryness, redness, peeling, blistering, cracking and scaling. Athlete's foot may also present as redness, scaling or blisters along the sides or soles of the feet. The 'trademark' itching may be present in varying degrees, or it may be absent altogether.

Everyone has probably heard that athlete's foot is caused by walking around barefoot in locker rooms and shower facilities, such as those found in health clubs, public pools, dormitories and so forth - hence, the name athlete's foot. And to a certain extent, that's true. Bare feet can, and do, come into contact with the culprit fungus in these areas. Fungus loves a warm, moist environment, and the constant humidity and dampness of a shower or locker room provides a great medium on which it can lurk. However, athlete's foot is not as contagious as it's made out to be, and in many cases, an infected family member can use showers, bathrooms and more, and never infect others living in the same household. In fact, many instances of athlete's foot have nothing to do with showers, rest rooms, pools or the like; instead, they can be caused by fungus that develops and/or spreads due to not washing and drying feet thoroughly, not wearing socks, or wearing socks for too long etc.

Rather than taking a chance on self-diagnosis and home remedies, your best bet is to make an appointment with a podiatrist who can examine your feet and give you a diagnosis, so that treatment can begin and relief can occur. (This will also help lessen the probability of secondary infections, or of the fungus spreading elsewhere on the body, which has a higher chance of taking place if the patient waits too long). The doctor may recommend a topical over-the-counter antifungal agent such as those containing miconazole or clotrimazole. In more severe cases, oral anti-fungal prescriptions may be necessary, such as ketoconazole or sulconazole. If a secondary bacterial infection is present, an antibiotic must also be used. More extensive treatment may be required if the patient's problem has progressed to the point of having open lesions.