Athlete's Foot: Symptoms Causes & Treatment

What Is Athlete's Foot: Athlete’s foot is also known as Tinea Pedis. It is a skin infection caused by a very harmful and dangerou...

What Is Athlete's Foot:

Athlete’s foot is also known as Tinea Pedis. It is a skin infection caused by a very harmful and dangerous fungus. Athlete’s foot is mostly infected by fungi known as dermatophyte fungus.

But Athlete’s foot is also caused by a number of fungi such as Trichophyton (T.) rubrum, T. interdigitale previously called T. mentagrophytes var. Interdigitale and Epidermophyton floccosum.

Highlights

• What Is Athlete's Foot
• Historical Background of Athlete's Foot
• Forms & Features of Athlete's Foot
• Athlete’s foot is divided into following types
• Vesiculobullous Athlete's Foot
• Plantar (chronic scaly) Athlete's Foot (aka "moccasin foot")
• Acute UlcerativeTtinea Pedis
• Chronic Interdigitale Athlete's Foot
• Signs & symptoms
• How is athlete’s foot diagnosed?
• Factors That Inspire Athlete's Foot
• Treatment of Athlete's Foot
• Topical Treatment
• Conventional Treatment
• Oral Treatment
• Prevention

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It is a skin infection that may lead to the itching, scaling, patching, and redness of the skin. Athlete’s foot may infect any part of the foot for example nails, hands but especially it infects the bottom of feet and toes.

 Historical Background of Athlete's Foot:

Athlete’s foot was first described in 1908. Tinea Pedis has badly affected the people for millions of years.

And then Pellizzari described it in detail but not conformal on this point. After many years Whitfield describes that Tinea Pedis is a skin infection caused by fungi.

His point of views on Athlete’s foot is very clear and reasonable. He makes many observations on this contagious disease.

It mostly infects only a small region of Australia, Southeast Asia and some regions of Africa. This infection is mostly noted in those areas where people do not use footwear.

In the United States, Athlete’s foot was noted in Alabama and Birmingham very first time in the 1920s.

Tinea Pedis may have transported by soldiers that return from battle with this contagious infection.

Forms & Features of Athlete's Foot:

Athlete’s foot is divided into following types.

• Vesiculobullous Athlete's Foot.
• Plantar (chronic scaly) Athlete's Foot (aka "moccasin foot").
• Acute UlcerativeTtinea Pedis.
• Chronic Interdigitale Athlete's Foot. 

The Vesiculobullous disease is a type of disease that causes vesicles and blisters that are differentiated by size that may be vesicles that are less than5-10mm and blisters that are larger than5-10mm.

Maceration is the breakdown of skin due to heavy moisture. Chronic Interdigitale Athlete's Foot cause Tinea Pedis sandwiched between the digits or toes.

The ulcerative condition cause macerated lesion with scaly margins.

Signs & symptoms:

There are following symptoms of Athlete’s foot. First of all, itching, stinging and burning of skin between the toes and on the soles of feet. The second symptom is vesicles on the feet.

The third one breaks down of skin and dry skin on the feet. Waste and extra skin on the feet. Weak and uncolored nails on foot. Itchy nails. Weak skin. The skin may appear as red and flaky.

How is athlete’s foot diagnosed?

There are many methods "to diagnose the Tinea Pedis" but the most important method is “KOH Test.

Potassium hydroxide (KOH) test is the most common test for athlete's foot. However, a doctor may also detect this disease on the base of symptoms or with the help of skin test.

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The ease with which the fungus spreads to other areas of thebody (on one's fingers) poses another complication.

Because it is a contagious disease, a doctor may diagnose this disease easily. It may also diagnose by medical interview during which the doctor asks questions about her skin problem (such as about damaged skin).

Factors That Inspire Athlete's Foot:

Athlete’s foot is a contagious disease; it mostly spread by different methods. Fungi that cause Tinea Pedis are endured in bathrooms, changing rooms, swimming pools, parlors, parks, and many other public places.

Walking barefoot can also be infected with infectious fungus.

• They are more exposed to the fungi at home or during other activities.
• They wear occlusive footwear.
• They wear the same pair of socks or shoes for long periods.
• They sweat excessively (hyperhidrosis).
• They have some form of immunodeficiency e.g. medication such as azathioprine, or infection with human immunodeficiency virus.
• They have poor circulation resulting in cold feet e.g. due to lymphoedema.

Treatment of Athlete's Foot:

Athlete's foot can be the cure without medication in 30–40% of cases. Doctors may treat this disease with medication. Topical antifungal medication constantly produces much higher rates of alleviating. 

The most effective "treatment of Athlete's foot" is usually topical treatment but if the treatment is unsuccessful, oral antifungal medicines may be best. Conventional treatment is also the best way to treat this infection.

Topical Treatment:

There is a much topical treatment of Tinea Pedis such as topical antifungal drugs. The main topical antifungal drugs are imidazoles such asmiconazoleandclotrimazole, pyridone-ethanolamine salt, dimethylmorpholines, and all mines or naftifine.

Tinea Pedis infection may be treated with antifungal agents which may be in the form of cream, gel, powder or spray or maybe shampoo type agents.

You can use these agents as the prescription of the doctor. The doctor may recommend using cream or shampoo once or twice a day.

Conventional Treatment:

In this treatment, a doctor recommends you to wash foot thoroughly once or twice a day. The extra skin is stick on the epidermis and because water is a great emollient agent it can prejudice the outer extra layer of skin.

Oral Treatment:

In severe cases, Tinea Pedis can be treated by taking medicines orally. Oral treatment can be used just for a rigorous condition. The best oral medicines are Lamisil, Diflucan, Sporanox, Nizoral, Fulvicin, Grifulvin, and Gris-PEG.

Prevention:

There are many "precautionary measures" to prevent infection of Athlete's foot and reduce re-infection. 

• Do not wear shoes at public places. Because it wet your foot by sweating that cause infection.
• Keep feet dry, use dry socks, use the separate clipper, use cotton socks. Because cotton socks are airproof that do not wet your foot.
• Avoid wearing tight footwear. Avoid wet shoes, keep away your feet from moisture. Because fungi need moisture for infection.
• Wash your feet daily with hot water and good soap and also spray your feet with disinfectant fungus spray such as Clorox wipe. Because hot water, soap, and antifungal spray prevent fungus attack.
• You should not share your socks, shoes and towel, air out your foot when you are at home.
• Keep nails short because nails can house and spread infection.

The most important thing that I want to share with you is that the infectious fungi that cause infection need hot and wet environment. So keep yourself away from these environments.