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Athlete's Foot - Causes, Symptoms And Home Remedies To Cure Athlete's Foot

Alternative names :: Tinea Pedis, Tinea of the foot and fugal infection of foot

What is Athlete's Foot ?

Athlete's foot is an infection of the feet caused by fungus. It is also called tinea pedis. Once you have athlete's foot, it may last for a short or long time and may come back after treatment, especially if you are not careful. Tinea is a fungus that can grow on your skin, hair or nails. As it grows, it spreads out in a circle, leaving normal-looking skin in the middle. This makes it look like a ring. At the edge of the ring, the skin is lifted up by the irritation and looks red and scaly. It is more frequent among teenage and adult males, but may occur in women and in children under the age of 12.

The phrase" athlete's foot" really is not accurate because it has nothing to do with exercise or sports. Athlete's foot is caused by a mold-like fungus that thrives just about everywhere on your body - on your hair, skin, and around your nails. Most of the time it doesn't cause any problems. But occasionally the fungus is able to survive and thrive. When it does it can cause a variety of itchy skin infections - not only athlete's foot, but also such things as jock itch and ringworm. The athlete's foot fungus thrives in warm, damp places; which is why it grows so well on bathroom (or locker room) floors or on the insides of shoes.

What are the Causes of Athlete's Foot ?

Athlete's foot is a fungal infection of the foot caused by parasites on the skin called dermatophytes. 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. Your risk for getting athlete's foot increases if you :-

• Sweat a lot.
• Wear closed shoes, especially if they are plastic-lined.

What are the symptoms of Athlete foot ?

• The most common symptom is cracked, flaking, peeling skin between the toes.
• Discoloration or crumbling of the nails as the fungus progresses.
• You may feel burning or stinging, and there may be blisters, oozing, or crusting.
• Cracked or blistered skin.

Natural Home Remedies for the treatment of Tines pedis - Athlete foot.

It's impossible to avoid the fungus entirely, but there are ways to keep it under control and to prevent infections from taking hold. Here's what experts recommend for healthy, fungus-free-feet.

• Kill it with garlic :- For ages, Russians have used garlic to relieve athlete's foot infections. There's some evidence that they're on the right track. Garlic contains natural chemicals that kill a variety of organisms, including the athlete's foot fungus. The "next time you have an infection, you may want to try peeling and mincing a clove of garlic, putting it in your sock, and wearing the sock to bed. Do this every night for a few nights. You should start to observe improvement within a few days. Or you can simply peel a garlic clove and rub it on the sore areas on your feet twice a day
• Keep them high and dry :- Because athlete's foot thrives in warm, moist environments, you can keep .it under control simply by keeping your feet dry. One of the simplest strategies is also the most comfortable ­ going barefoot.This allows air to circulate around your feet and between the toes, which makes it harder for the fungus to survive. After showering, walk around barefoot as long as you can, then dry your feet thoroughly before putting on your socks and shoes.
• Give them all-day protection :- The same antiperspirant that keeps your underarms dry will work on your feet, as well. Applying an antiperspirant to your feet after bathing will help prevent sweating, making it harder for the fungus to thrive.
• Coco rose foot cream :- Take half cup coconut oil, one teaspoon glycerin and two tablespoons rose water. Take a mixing bowl and pour all these ingredients together. Beat till a smooth paste is formed. Store in a jar and keep it in your bathroom. Use every night drying of feet and cracks in the feet will be gone.
• Dry your shoes :- To prevent athlete's foot from setting up shop inside your shoes, doctors recommend giving' your shoes a good drying between wears. You can use a blow dryer, seton low, to dry the insides of your shoes. Or make it a point not to wear the same shoes two days in a row, which will allow them to dry on their own. Putting your shoes on a sunny window ledge will help them dry more quickly.
• Wash your feet regularly :- By washing your feet with soap and water, paying particular attention to the area between your toes, you will help wash away the athlete's foot fungus and help prevent infections from taking hold.
• Don't wear shoes without socks :- Clean, fresh socks absorb moisture and keep your feet dry. Shoes are meant to be worn with socks. Stick with socks made from natural fibers, like cotton or wool. Other fibers don't absorb moisture as well.
• Don't bother with flip-flops :- There's nothing wrong with wearing sandals or flip-flops, but don't count on them to prevent infections. The key to prevention is keeping your feet dry, which open shoes won't do.

Prevention tips for Athlete foot.

To prevent athlete's foot, follow these measures :-

• Wear sandals or flip-flops at a public shower or pool.
• Wash your feet daily.
• Keep your feet thoroughly dry, especially between your toes.
• Change your socks often to keep your feet dry. This should be done at least once a day.
• Keep home bathroom surfaces clean - especially showers and tubs.
• Don't share towels or footwear.

WHEN TO SEE THE DOCTOR

Athlete's foot is rarely serious and will usually go away with home treatments. If the infection lasts more than a few weeks, however, you should see your doctor. There are other skin infections that resemble athlete's foot but persist without medical attention. You should also see your doctor if the itching gets worse or begins to spread

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