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Skin Disorders and Treatment
Acrochordons
Acanthosis Nigricans
Actinic keratosis
Allergic Contact Dermatitis
Alopecia Areata
Anal Warts
Angioma
Amoebiasis
Aphthous Ulcer
Athlete's Foot
Atopic Dermatitis
Baldness
Blackheads
Blue Nevi
Browen's Disease
Bullous Pemphigoid
Candidiasis
Cavernous Hemangioma
Cellulite
Chilblains
Chapped Lips
Cracked Heels
Cysts
Dandruff
Dark Circles
Dermatitis Herpetiformis
Dermatitis
Dermatofibroma
Dry Lips
Dyshidrotic Eczema
Eczema
Enlarged Pores
Epidermolysis Bullosa
Erythroderma
Eye Stye
Facial Rashes
Fibroadenoma
Flexural Psoriasis
Fordyce's Condition
Folliculitis
Freckles
Furunculosis
Genital Herpes
Granuloma Annulare
Grovers Disease
Hand Dermatitis
Heat Rash
Herpes Simplex
Herpes Zooster
Hidradenitis Suppurativa
Hirsutism
Hot Tub Folliculitis
Ichthyosis
Impetigo
Ingrown Toe Nail
Intertrigo
Keloid
Keratoacanthoma
Keratosis Pilaris
Leucoderma
Lichen Planus
Lichen Sclerosus
Lichen Simplex Chronicus
Lichen Straitus
Liver Spots
Lupus Erythematosus
Lymes Disease
Lymphomatoid Papulosis
Mastocytosis
Melasma
Morton's Neuroma
Mucocutaneous Candidiasis
Necrobiosis Lipoidica Diabeticorum
Paget's Disease
Pemphigus Vulgaris
Pityriasis Versicolor
Pityriasis Rosea
Pruritis Ani
Shingles
Tinea Versicolor
Tinea Cruris
Venous Angioma
Vulvodynia
Xerosis
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Athlete's Foot
Athlete's foot is a skin disease caused by a fungus, usually occurring between the toes. The medical term is tinea pedis. Athlete's foot may last for a short or long time and may come back after treatment. Fungal infections of the skin are called dermatophytosis . Athlete foot is called Trichophyton. Dermatophytes may be spread from other humans (anthropophilic), animals (zoophilic) or may come from the soil ( geophilic ). The condition easily spreads in public places such as communal showers, locker rooms and fitness centers. People with sweaty or damp feet are at risk. Walking barefoot where others also walk barefoot is one way the fungus can get on your feet in the first place. The fungus that causes Athlete foot can be found on floors and in socks and clothing. The fungus can be spread from person to person by contact with these objects. A foot inside a shoe is the perfect place for the fungus. The same fungus may also cause "jock itch" in the groin.
Athlete's foot is mildly contagious. It is also called tinea pedis. The risk of developing athlete's foot can also depend on your susceptibility. For example, people who have diabetes are at greater risk. The warmth and dampness of areas around swimming pools, showers, and locker rooms are also breeding grounds for fungi. It may occur at the same time as other fungal skin infections such as ringworm or jock itch. These fungi thrive in warm, moist areas. The fungi persist for a long time in the environment, facilitating transmission of the disease in communal areas such as locker rooms and showers. Also called tinea pedis, ringworm of the foot and dermatophytosis, athlete's foot is closely related to other fungal skin conditions, most with similar names. It is more frequent among teenage and adult males, but may occur in women and in children under the age of 12. Symptoms of these infections can vary depending on where they are on the body. The source of the fungus is usually the soil, an animal (usually a cat, dog, or rodent), or most often, another person.
Causes of Athlete's foot
The common causes and risk factor's of Athlete's foot include the following:
- Athlete's foot occurs when a particular type of fungus grows and multiplies in your feet (especially between your toes) or, less commonly, your hands.
- Soft corn (build-up of thick skin because the toes are pressing against each other).
- Pathogenic or disease causing organisms or the overgrowth of saprotrophic ones can multiply rapidly and cause infection.
- Skin conditions such as psoriasis, eczema or keratolysis exfoliativa.
- Person to person by contact with these objects.
Symptoms of Athlete's foot
Some sign and symptoms related to Athlete's foot are as follows:
- The most common symptom is cracked, flaking, peeling skin between the toes.
- Excessive dryness of the skin on the bottoms or sides of the feet
- The affected area is usually red and itchy.
- Inflammation.
- Blisters.
- In some people the skin becomes very sore and even bleeds a little.
- Nails that are thick, crumbly, ragged, discolored or pulling away from the nail bed.
- Less frequently, this infection may involve painful blistery lesions, which can be weepy and may have a strong odor.
- A rash that spreads to the instep (inside part of the foot).
- A more serious secondary bacterial infection may also develop.
Treatment of Athlete's foot
Here is list of the methods for treating Athlete's foot:
- Fungicidal and fungistatic chemicals, used for athlete's foot treatment, frequently fail to contact the fungi in the horny layers of the skin.
- Daily washing of the feet with soap and water followed by thorough drying, especially between the toes, is important.
- Powders, especially medicated powders (such as with miconazole or tolnaftate), can help keep your feet dry.
- Many medications are available including miconazole, clotrimazole, etc.
- If possible, remove the insoles of shoes and sneakers to allow them to dry out over night.
- Many over-the-counter antifungal medications can be applied to the affected area. These creams should be used sparingly but regularly, at least once a day. ]
- If the topical antifungal medications do not clear up the infection, your doctor may prescribe an oral antifungal medication.
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Skin Treatments