Athlete’s foot
Moisture and heat can cause fungi to grow on your skin or between your toes. You may also have contracted an infection which causes athlete’s foot. Athlete’s foot is contagious and you can easily contract it. Especially if you already have damaged skin, weakened skin or a compromised immune system.
The most common type of athlete’s foot is swimmer’s eczema. This may result in you suffering from:
- Flaky skin and fissures between your toes.
- Itching between your toes.
- Bad smelling toes and feet. This is due to the bacteria in the flaky skin.
However, athlete’s foot can occur in several places on your feet. If it’s on the sole or side of your foot, you will often suffer from:
- Flaky red spots. You can end up with spots or blisters here.
- Severe callus formation. Fissures can form here.
You can also get eczema and/or blisters on your fingers as a hypersensitive reaction to athlete’s foot. This will therefore not be a fungal infection.
There are a number of things you can do to prevent being infected with, or the development of, athlete’s foot. For example, it’s a good idea to:
- Wash your feet without soap. If you do, make sure no soap residue is left behind.
- Dry your feet well after bathing or showering.
- Wear clean cotton socks.
- Wear shoes which fit well and which offer adequate ventilation. We don’t recommend wearing plastic or rubber shoes.
- Regularly air your feet. For example, wear slippers at home or walk barefoot.
- Use a fungicidal cream if you suffer from athlete’s foot. You can buy this from the chemist or pharmacy. Obtain advice about the right product.
Contact your GP if:
- The athlete’s foot has not improved after 4 weeks.
- Your athlete’s foot is seriously worsening and the fungicidal cream from the chemist or pharmacy hasn’t worked.
- You start developing symptoms and you’re taking fungicidal tablets. These can be symptoms like: brown urine, yellow-white stools, nausea and/or itching.