Do you suffer from athlete’s foot?
What is athlete’s foot?
Always treat athlete’s foot!
Athlete’s foot is a condition which is caused by a fungus that likes to embed itself in a humid environment. In crowded showers and locker rooms there may be traces of the fungi present, because they are frequented by people potentially suffering from athlete’s foot.
Whenever the skin is damage or humid for a significant amount of time, the quality of protection reduces and the fungus can penetrate the top layer of the skin.
It is also possible that the acidity of the skin, which normally provides protection against the fungus, is disturbed by, for example, soap that has not been properly rinsed off.
And thus an athlete’s foot infection occurs. The starting point of the infection usually takes place between the fourth and fifth toe because a higher degree of humidity prevails. Due to the fungus the skin between the toes will flake. The skin under the flakes can be red and painful. Blisters can occur on the skin of the foot that containing clear moisture.
Be careful because an athlete’s foot is easy to pass on to someone else and can cause a fungal nail. Therefor it is important to take action if you have an athlete’s foot.
Causes athlete’s foot
The incidence of Athlete’s foot can occurr in different ways. This mainly occurs in warm and humid environments because spores can easily grow into fungi here.
Common causes of fungal infections are:
- Swimming and showering make the skin humid and therefore more susceptible for infections.
- Sweaty feet, badly ventilating shoes and socks promote fungal grow.
Who has a higher risk at catching an athlete’s foot?
- people who already had an athlete’s foot
- people who suffer from a fungal nail
- athletes
- people who often visit public places such as swimming pools, showers, sauna’s
- an imbalanced acidity of the skin
- people who inadequately dry their feet
- reduced resistance
- people who have a family member with athlete’s foot
Athlete’s foot symptoms
Recognize athlete’s foot
Fungi prefer to live in a warm and humid environment. If your skin is delicate or damaged these fungi can penetrate your skin. Athlete’s foot can occur on multiple areas on your feet, but it will usually nest itself between the toes.
The most common symptoms of an athlete’s foot are:
- The skin on the feet, especially between the toes, will flake
- Cloves
- Itching, pain or a burning sensation
- The skin can feel fragile
- Blisters may appear where clear moisture comes out.
- Under the flakes the skin can be red or painful.
Always treat an athlete’s foot
Athlete’s foot does not heal on its own, you will have to do something about it! Therefore, always treat athlete’s foot. In addition, the fungi that cause athlete’s foot are contagious. There is a chance that the infection will spread to other parts of the foot such as the toes and nails and cause a fungal nail there.
Are you looking for a solution for your athlete’s foot then use the Mycosan Athlete’s Foot Treatment, kills 99% of the fungi that cause athlete’s foot.
We advise you to regularly inspect your feet for these symptoms so that you can react in time to the development of an athlete’s foot infection.
For more tips on taking care of your feet, check out Mycosan Tips & Advice.
Treating athlete’s foot
What is the best way to treat athlete’s foot?
It is important to treat athlete’s foot because not only can it be painful but it is very contagious and can affect other parts of the body or other people. Most athlete foot infections are superficial and can succesfully be treatd with Mycosan Athlete’s foot treatment.
There are two types of treatment methods for treating athlete’s foot:
- Local treatment for mild cases
- Oral treatment for severe cases
If you are not sure whether you have athlete’s foot, we recommend that you see your doctor. The same applies if over-the-counter medicines prove to be ineffective, even though you have used them correctly.
Local treatment
An athlete’s foot can be treated well with Mycosan athlete’s foot treatment. The gel can be applied easily and hygienic thanks to the double angled precision brush. The formulation kills 99,9% of the fungi. The itching and the redness will reduce quickly. However, it will take a few weeks before the athlete’s foot is treated completely. Therefore, it is important to continue this treatment, even when the skin lesions are no longer visible.
Oral treatment
These treatments are available by prescription only and are only used to treat severe cases where the nail matrix has been compromised. The disadvantage of this treatment is that they often have to be taken for a long time and that the liver and kidneys can suffer damage.
Are you familiar with the Mycosan products? Mycosan offers everything for fungus free feet!
Mycosan tips at athlete’s foot
Tip 1
Dry your feet carefully after showering and do this with extra care between the toes! This gives fungi less chance.
Tip 2
Wear clean socks every day, preferably cotton or wool. It is important that the socks absorb perspiration (moisture) and keep the skin dry. Wash your socks inside out so that any fung in the fabric is washed out well and can adhere less to the fabric.
Tip 3
Change your shoes regularly and wear well-ventilated (leather) shoes. When possible, take off your shoes and walk barefoot or in socks.
Tip 4
Wear pool slippers in common areas.
Tip 5
Wash your feet every day, preferably with little or no soap at all.
Tip 6
Use Mycosan Foot & Shoe Powder to keep feet dry and prevent fungal infection. Use Mycosan Protect to protect your feet against fungi for 12 hours.
For more tips on taking care of your feet, see Mycosan Tips & Advice
Frequently asked questions about athlete’s foot
Is athlete’s foot contagious?
Yes! Athlete’s foot is highly contagious, the fungi that cause athlete’s foot can spread to other parts of the body or even other people if you don’t do anything about it.
Does athlete’s foot go away on its own?
Athlete’s foot does not heal on its own; you should always treat these.
I have athlete’s foot, can I get fungal nails?
Yes, what many people do not know is that fungal nail and athlete’s foot are caused by the same fungi. If you don’t treat athlete’s foot, this infection can spread to the nails and cause a fungal nail.
Does Fungal Nail occur with children?
Athlete’s foot infections can occur in children, usually in the form of swimmer’s eczema. Your child will notice a fungal skin infection by symptoms such as itching, scaling or redness of the skin. The food fungus is then mainly found in places that can be moist, such as between the toes (‘swimmer’s eczema’), in the armpits or in the groin (‘blemishes’). The nails can also become infected. Your child also always has a chance of infection if, for example, you suffer from athlete’s foot or fungal nails and you share the shower room with each other. Mold flakes can remain on the floor and infect others.
Does athlete’s foot occur on fingers?
If athlete’s foot is not treated properly, it can cause a special form of hand eczema. This form is called “acrovesicular eczema” or blister eczema. Strong itchy blisters and red spots occur on the hands and between the fingers.
I have athlete’s foot, what now?
If you suspect that you have athlete’s foot, first check all symptoms and do the athlete’s foot test. When you are sure that you have an athlete’s foot infection, start treatment immediately. Don’t wait! The sooner you start treatment, the sooner you stop the development of the fungus and slow down the athlete’s foot infection.
I’ve been treating my athlete’s foot for a few days now, but I don’t see any results yet?
When you start treating athlete’s foot, you will notice a relief from itching for the first few days. Subsequently, other symptoms such as red, dry skin, pain, flakes will disappear. The infection will not spread further, the growth of the fungi is inhibited. The growth of a moderate to mild athlete’s foot takes an average of 1 to 2 weeks, depending on the severity of the complaints. It is therefore important to always complete a treatment and according to the instructions for use. In addition, we advise you to continue the treatment for at least another 2 weeks, when all symptoms have already disappeared.
How long does it take for athlete’s foot to go away?
The growth of a moderate to mild athlete’s foot takes an average of 1 to 2 weeks, depending on the severity of the complaints.
Can I treat athlete’s foot while pregnant?
We advise not to use athlete’s foot treatments, including Mycosan Athlete’s Foot Treatment, during pregnancy, unless a (family) doctor says that this is not a problem. The reason for this is that we cannot say with 100% certainty that Mycosan has no influence on the unborn fetus. Use of Mycosan Athlete’s Foot Treatment during breastfeeding should not be a problem. Always consult your doctor to be sure.