Podiatrist - Scottsdale
South Scottsdale Office
North Scottsdale Office
Summer is ending again. Marked by "Back to school" sales and football preseason, a new school year is upon us. As the school season begins, so does athlete's foot. Athlete's foot is a foot fungus doctor's call tinea pedis. This disease was coined athlete's foot due to its ease of transmission in public showers. This means fall athletes are now at high risk of contracting the fungus.
Athlete's foot is recognized by peeling skin between the toes and on the bottom of the foot. It may be itchy, stinging or burning. Once contracting foot fungus, there are two choices. Kill it, or grow it. Although this appears to be a call for a science project, your podiatrist and I plead that you choose the former. Untreated foot fungus can grow rapid. It can grow and lead to a moccasin foot or begin to infect the nails. It can also lead to secondary problems such as bacterial infections and allergic responses. Once these problems occur, the treatment plan becomes more difficult.
There are a few steps you can take to avoid athlete's foot this year. You need to keep your feet dry. This includes changing into clean socks regularly, alternating pairs of shoes, and possibly using a talc powder such as baby powder. Also, it is necessary to protect your feet in public. This means wearing shower shoes in the gym showers and not borrowing shoes from friends.
If you believe you have foot fungus, go to Walgreens and grab yourself an over the counter antifungal cream. Lotriman, Lamisil, and Tinactin all work. Wash and dry the infected area and apply the cream one to two times daily or as instructed. If your feet sweat during the night, putting cotton balls between your toes can help keep them dry. If the problem persists beyond four weeks, it's time to visit a podiatrist.