I Don’t Live In A Yurt But…

Are you wondering whether or not you have a fungus on your foot…maybe Athletes Foot?   Athletes Foot is very common, in fact I read a statistic that up to 70% of the population will contract the infection at some point in their lives.  Athletes Foot, otherwise known as Tinea Pedis, is a fungal infection that is not only contracted by athletes alone, anyone can be at risk.  Athletes foot is caused by the ringworm fungus which can be found in many places such as on the floors of gyms and locker rooms, in socks and shoes,  in bathtubs and on shower floors, on the decks of swimming pools and in spas. The fungus can  be spread by contact with an object or spread from person to person. If the conditions are right for the fungus to survive such as on warm moist areas (in between toes as an example) or in little micro lesions such as on the heel from dry cracked skin then the fungus can take hold.  As the infection spreads it may affect the soles of the feet or even nails. Once the fungus has taken hold the effected skin becomes more vulnerable to bacteria that can cause skin infections of which persons with compromised immune systems, the elderly and those with diabetes are more at risk.

So are you now wondering what Athletes Foot looks like? Athletes Foot can be described as red peeling and/or itching skin. The skin can also appear to be dry and flaky.  If you have the inflammatory type of Athletes Foot the infection may appear as red blisters or thick patches of dry raised skin. Between the toes, especially the 3rd and 4th and 4th and 5th toes are a common spot for Athletes Foot to thrive. If the skin around the heel and down the lateral side of the foot is dry and rough, it may be what’s known as the “Moccasin” type of  Athlete’s Foot. Sometimes the infection may also appear on the hand, which is also known as Tinea Manuum.

Once you have been diagnosed with Tinea Pedis you will definitely want to know how to get rid of it and how to avoid getting it again.  First off, keeping the the feet clean and dry especially the area between the toes dry is very important as this fungus likes warm moist areas. That being said, wearing shoes that breathe will help, vinyl as an example would not be a good choice.  Try giving shoes 24 to 48 hours to dry out between wearing time.  If the shoe has a liner, take out the liner to aid in the drying process. Along the same lines as wearing shoes that breathe, socks with cotton or bamboo, that are natural fibers may also help as they won’t trap moisture.

Secondly, there are products available to get rid of the fungus.  One of the products that I am aware of that I feel really does work and isn’t a powder that can get into your lungs is a line of products called FootLogix.  This line has a product for fungal feet that delivers the ingredients as a “mousse”.  This way of delivery makes sense to me as it doesn’t spray into the air or poof into the air like a powder.  The ingredients go where they are supposed to as the company claims to have develped  a dermal integration system so that the product acts like a carrier to deliver the medication down into the epidermis. The soles of the feet and the palms of the hands have an extra layer in the epidermis called the Stratum Luciderm. Footlogix claims their product is able to get down into the layers of the Epidermis.  If there is a fungal nail, then they have a product that can be directed under the nail by a spray, not a fine mist spray that gets into the air, but an actual spray that gets under the nail. Footlogix is also non drying. This product, including the fungal products contain Urea, a non occluding moisturizing agent. Putting this product on will not dry out your skin, which is especially important for the elderly and the diabetic.  Applications should be 1 to 2 times a day for about 4 weeks for skin and longer for the nail. If you go to purchase a product, you may want to check to see if it has alcohol (which is drying) or an occlusive ingredient that won’t allow your feet to breathe.

Fungus under the nail of the Great Toe; Onychomychosis

Another option is to try Tea Tree Oil, this has also been known to help clear up Athletes Foot, and is a natural product.  I happen to like the smell, but there are those who find the smell to be very strong.  It may take 4 weeks of treatment for skin infections to clear up, but longer for the nail to clear up and grow out.

Thirdly, moisturing to help avoid dry skin is important. Dry skin can lead to micro lesions (small cracks) which can act as a portal of entry for fungus among other things.  Intact skin is an important part of keeping out fungus, bacteria and viruses. Moisturing your feet after a bath or shower is very important but especially during the summer months when sandals are common, but not in between toes.

An option for foot care would be to see an esthetician for a pedicure or a footcare nurse. These two options would be more reasonably priced than a podiatrist or a Chiropodist.  If you do go for footcare, ask how the implements, and foot soak tubs are cleaned and sterilized.  As I said earlier, a spa can be a breeding ground for infections some of which can be very serious such as MRSA and TB if there aren’t good cleaning and sterilizing practices in place. Foot Baths, Files and Implements should be cleaned properly!

Implements for footcare should be properly sanitized, disinfected and/or sterilized

Summer is coming and I want to enjoy my sandals, so I am going to take care of my feet so they can take care of me. Here’s to all of us getting our feet ready for the summer!

Note: I am not a doctor and recommend anyone that has a concern about their feet seek the advice of a physician.