Whether you're at the beach, pool club, gym, camp, work, or even hanging around the house, there's a good chance you may develop a fungal infection this summer.
"Summer heat and humidity brings excess moisture and sweating to our bodies, creating the perfect setting for fungi to grow or fungal infections to develop," says Guy Webster, MD, professor of dermatology and internal medicine at Thomas Jefferson University. "Fungi tend to thrive in warm, moist places, such as between the toes, in the groin, under the breasts, and other parts of the body." One of every five persons gets a fungal infection at some time.
Athlete's foot is the most common fungal skin infection in humans and affects an estimated 70 percent of adults. It occurs mostly among teenagers and adult males. Many people will develop it at least once in their lives.
What About Public Showers?
Contrary to popular belief, walking barefoot in places like public showers, swimming pools, and locker rooms are not the main causes of athletes foot, but they can be contributing factors. "Sweaty feet, not drying feet well after swimming or bathing, tight shoes and socks which offer no ventilation, and a warm climate present the perfect setting for the fungus that causes athlete's foot to grow," notes Ronald Lepow, DPM, former president of the American Podiatric Medical Association.
Athlete's foot can affect different people in different ways. Symptoms include cracked, blistered, and peeling areas between the toes, redness and scaling on the soles, and intense itching. Athlete's foot may spread to other parts of the foot, including toenails. The fungal infection can also extend to other parts of the body, notably the groin (commonly referred to as jock itch) and underarms, by those who scratch the infection and then touch themselves elsewhere.
Proper treatment of a fungal infection depends on the right diagnosis, which makes going to a physician so important, stresses Dr. Lepow. Before treating what you think might be athlete's foot or some other fungal infection, he advises that you check with your podiatrist or dermatologist who can diagnose the condition and prescribe the correct course of treatment.
Should you choose to first self-treat your athlete's foot with an over-the-counter anti-fungal cream, be advised that some of these products might relieve some symptoms, but not necessarily the problem, cautions Dr. Webster. "While your skin may look better and temporarily feel better, the infection can remain for some time afterwards. Athlete's foot is notorious for its high rate of recurrence," he says. If you notice no improvement within two weeks of using an over-the-counter product, call your doctor to determine if a fungus is the cause of the problem.
For athlete's foot and other fungal infections such as jock itch and ringworm of the skin, your doctor may prescribe an antifungal cream. In more severe cases, a doctor may prescribe foot soaks before applying antifungal creams. If your athlete's foot is stubborn, antifungal oral medication may be prescribed.
Take These Steps to Lessen Your Chances of Infection:
- Wash your feet daily.
- Dry your feet thoroughly, especially in between your toes.
- Avoid tight footwear, especially in the summer. Sandals are the best warm weather footwear.
- Wear cotton socks and change them daily or more frequently if they become damp. Don't wear socks made of synthetic materials.
- Get rid of old, worn shoes.
- Don't wear other people's shoes.
- If possible, go barefoot at home.
- If you've had a fungal infection in the past, dust an antifungal powder into your shoes in the summertime.
- Avoid bumping and bruising your toenails.
- Keep toenails clipped short; and don't share nail clippers.
- To be on the safe side, don't walk around barefooted in public showers, restrooms, and swimming pools.
"Don't let rashes go untreated," adds Dr. Webster. "Not treating the rash at all can result in skin blisters and cracks that can lead to bacterial infections." |
