Athlete’s foot is the form of ringworms that occurs in the feet. It is caused due to the warmer climates. It is also commonly found on the feet which sweat in excess amount. If the disease persists for longer duration, the toenails become thickened. It is the same kind of fungus that causes onychomycosis or the toenail fungal infections. It is only one fungus that can cause such a severe condition. Though there are also other species that can cause such infections. If you have chronic itching or peeling on the feet then you need to check it immediately.
How does the athlete’s foot happen?
In order to cure the athletes foot, it is important to understand the reason behind the cause of such infection. The main reason is the fungi that live on our skin. Though they are considered to be harmless, but in case there is a change in the environmental condition then the fungi starts growing and contributes in fungal infections which ultimately results in athlete’s foot.
The diagnosis of such infection is done by taking a scrap of skin and looking for the available fungus under the microscope. If the result is negative, then it is further taken in the culture bottle for analysis and finds whether the fungus grows. There are certain drugs like Lamisil or Nizoral that are usually used to clean the fungal infections. This can be the reason for recurring of the infections as the nail does not respond to the topical medicines or the short course of oral medicines.
How does the infection look life?
The symptoms begin with the scaly and flaky patches of the skin that are sensitive and create itching. You can stop the itching by scratching on the part and this may give rise to discomfort. If you do not take proper care of it, then the skin can starts cracking and blisters may also become visible which will ultimately expose the underneath tissue. The affected area may further become inflamed and highly painful.
How to cure athlete’s foot?
In order to cure the fungus and deal with the condition, it is important on your part to understand that it has caused because of fungus. It is found that fungi prefer to stay in moist environment, along with the warmth. Therefore, it is essential to keep your feet dry and cool by removing the shoes often and exposing it to the air. This will definitely help you cure the athletes foot.
You can also avoid wearing closed shoes. You might use open-toed sandals or open heeled and open toed shoes that will enable your feet to breathe. When washing the feet, you should dry the feet properly so that you can reduce the probability of increasing the fungus on the feet. You need to dry the space in between the toes so that you do not carry any moisture that gives the chance for the fungi to grow.
You can also change your socks frequently as this can also give you the chance to get healthy feet. You can make the habit of spraying your shoes with anti-fungal spray.