Are you tired of dealing with athlete’s foot? If the answer is yes, there are several ways to successfully treat it. The majority of which are very affordable.
Otherwise referred to is tinea pedis, this skin condition is extremely common. In fact, as many as 70% of all individuals get it at least once in their lifetime. Left untreated, athlete’s foot spreads and gets worse. For this reason alone, you don’t want to ignore it.
Personal Hygiene
Proper personal hygiene and foot care is the first and most important step, when it comes to getting rid of athlete’s foot. This fungal infection doesn’t grow in dry places. So, it’s important to keep your feet clean and dry.
Always dry between your toes, after swimming and bathing. Tinea pedis spreads easily. Take precaution and dry your groin area, before drying your feet. In addition, put your socks on before your underwear. This helps to prevent the skin condition from spreading.
Proper Footwear
When you’re inside, wear socks without shoes if it’s comfortable for you. It’s best to wear either wool or cotton socks. Both of these materials absorb moisture, with wool typically doing the most adequate job.
Change your socks twice a day, if possible. Use anti-fungal powder on your feet and sprinkle it into your shoes. In regard to shoes, choose those constructed out of breathable materials such as canvas or leather.
Always wear flip-flops in public areas. Fungi thrives in moist places such as pools and locker rooms. If you step where someone with athlete’s foot has walked, you have a very good chance of picking up the condition and taking it home with you.
Non-Prescription Medication and Foot Soaks
There are a wide variety of over-the-counter medications, suitable to use for the treatment of tinea pedis. This includes everything from:
- Creams
- Sprays
- Lotions
- Ointments
- Gels
- Powders
Depending on the product used, expect the treatment to last between 1 to 6 weeks. Once you start treatment, it’s important to continue until there are no signs and symptoms of athlete’s foot remaining.
There’s also the option of soaking your feet in hydrogen peroxide. If you have cracked skin, this process may sting a bit. But, it’s not harmful in any other way.
Mix together 1 gallon of lukewarm water with one pint of 3% hydrogen peroxide. Soak your feet for 30 minutes, twice a day. Don’t use anything stronger than 3% peroxide. Higher concentrations of the product, can damage the skin.
As you can see, there are many simple ways to treat tinea pedis in the privacy of your home. In some (more severe) cases, a doctor’s care may be necessary. However, the majority of the time you can get rid of athlete’s foot yourself.
Click this link if you think you have athlete’s foot.
