Tuesday, 13 August 2024 00:00

Athlete's Foot

Athlete’s foot is an extremely contagious infection caused by a fungus that results in itching, burning, dry, and flaking feet. The fungus that causes athlete’s foot is known as tinea pedis and thrives in moist, dark areas such as shower floors, gyms, socks and shoes, commons areas, public changing areas, bathrooms, dormitory style houses, locker rooms, and public swimming pools. Athlete’s foot is difficult to treat as well because of the highly contagious and recurrent nature of the fungus.

Tinea is the same fungus that causes ringworm, and is spread by direct contact with an infected body part, contaminated clothing, or by touching other objects and body parts that have been exposed to the fungus. Because the feet are an ideal place for tinea to grow and spread, this is the most commonly affected area.  It is, however, known to grow in other places. The term athlete’s foot describes tinea that grows strictly on the feet.

The most commonly infected body parts are the hands, groin, and scalp, as well as the feet. Around 70% of the population suffer from tinea infections at some point in their lives, however not all of these cases are athlete’s foot. Just like any other ailment, some people are more likely to get it than others, such as people with a history of tinea infections or other skin infections, both recurring and non-recurring ones. The extent to which a person experiences regrowth and recurrent tinea infections varies from person to person.

Sometimes people will not even know that they are infected with tinea or that they have athlete’s foot because of a lack of symptoms. However, most experience mild to moderate flaking, itching, redness, and burning. However, some of the more severe symptoms include cracking and bleeding skin, intense itching and burning, pain while walking or standing, and even blistering.

Because of the recurring nature of the tinea fungus and the athlete’s foot it causes, the best way to treat this condition is with prevention. You can take some preventative measures such as wearing flip flops or sandals in locker rooms and public showers to reduce contact with the floor. It also helps to keep clean, dry feet while allowing them to breathe. Using powders to keep your feet dry is a good idea, as well as keeping your feet exposed to light and cool air, to prevent the growth of tinea. If you do happen to get athlete’s foot, opt for using topical medicated creams, ointments or sprays. These treatments help eliminate and prevent it from coming back.

Schedule your foot and ankle podiatry appointment now!

Please feel free to call us at (954) 455-9404 with any questions you have or to schedule an appointment for your foot or ankle problems. You can also make an appointment online now by clicking here. We hope you'll find our foot doctor practice in Hallandale Beach, FL offers the accessibility and personal commitment you look for from a podiatric physician.

While our podiatry office is conveniently located in Hallandale Beach, FL, we serve patients from Miami Dade and Broward County including:

Hallandale Beach, Hollywood, Fort Lauderdale, Aventura, North Miami, Miami, Miami Beach, Miami Lakes, Sunny Isles Beach, Coral Gables, Surfside, Bal Harbour, Plantation, Cooper City, Weston.

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Advanced Podiatric Procedures & Services in the Broward County, FL: Hallandale (Hollywood, Dania Beach, West Park, Fort Lauderdale, Davie) and Miami-Dade County, FL: Aventura, Sunny Isles Beach, Oju, North Miami, Golden Beach, Bal Harbour, Opa-locka, Surfside areas