The expert and foot therapist share advice on athlete's foot

Athlete's foot, toenail fungus, and heel cracks. That might not sound like very big problems, but for anyone who gets them, they can be painful and something that reminds you with every step. But it's fairly easy to counteract them. Here you'll get sound advice and tips from Carola Richardson, a medical foot care therapist who is passionate about good foot health.

‘It’s so important to take care of your feet—they carry us through our entire lives, yet they’re easy to forget about. Once you start having problems, though, you need patience, the right measures, and good products to get rid of them. There’s a huge benefit to doing things right from the start, for example to avoid strong medications,’ says Carola Richardson, who also runs courses for foot therapists on nail and skin fungus. In recent years, in her professional practice, she has seen an increase in foot and nail fungus, especially. ‘I think it could be because we exercise more. It’s also twice as common in men. The absolute biggest risk of infection is in public showers and changing rooms. It’s warm and humid there, fungus spores thrive in that environment, and the infection spreads easily.’

How to get healthy, nice feet

- Regular foot baths, preferably with BIOpH+ Footcare, which treats and builds healthy feet.
- Moisturize with a foot salve with good ingredients.
- Don’t file and buff too much, this triggers the skin to form calluses.
- Get regular foot care from a medical foot care therapist. First step to healthy feet

First step to healthy feet

Taking care of your feet has never been easier. Regular foot baths with BIOpH+ lay the foundation for avoiding problems and deliver positive results for anyone dealing with issues like athlete's foot, heel cracks, and calluses. 

It’s almost impossible to tell with the naked eye that, for example, dry feet and flaky skin patches are fungus—symptoms mimic both eczema and psoriasis. A first step is to use BIOpH+ Footcare. The foot bath soothes symptoms regardless of whether the person has fungus or not. BIOpH+ is effective, biodegradable, and a safe product with no side effects, according to clinical studies. Many people who see symptoms they think are fungus start treating themselves with medications. But that will be ineffective if they don’t actually have fungus, and the result is that they’ve used strong products unnecessarily, with the risk of side effects that medications carry. 

‘I’m really passionate about this, specifically foot fungus,’ says Carola Richardson, who also trains aspiring foot care therapists about athlete's foot.

‘It’s so important to act quickly so that the problems don’t develop into moccasin foot fungus that covers the entire sole of the foot or spreads up into the nails. 
She explains that fungus is a parasite that significantly worsens skin quality and can also lead to cracks. With BIOpH+ medical-grade foot care products, you soothe symptoms regardless of whether you have athlete's foot or not. If you don’t get the desired effect after regular use, it’s a good idea to get a diagnosis. It’s relatively easy to do, either with a so-called DNA test at a medical foot care therapist or with a culture at your primary care clinic.

‘My most important advice of all is to keep the skin on your feet healthy, and your nails too. Take therapeutic foot baths, file moderately, and moisturize with a good foot salve—that’s the foundation. If you still develop problems, seek help from a medical foot care therapist.’

Have you gotten fungus?

- Start by using BIOpH+ Footcare, which soothes the symptoms of athlete's foot, such as calluses, cracks, and unpleasant odor, regardless of whether you have athlete's foot or not. BIOpH+ removes what shouldn’t be on the skin so that the skin has the conditions to heal. The skin is the body’s largest organ and our most important defense against infections. If the skin’s barrier doesn’t work properly, we become sensitive to infections. BIOpH+ creates an environment where unwanted bacteria, viruses, and fungus cannot thrive. When what shouldn’t be on the skin is removed, the skin gets the right conditions to thrive. 

- Get a diagnosis. Symptoms of fungus are difficult to distinguish from psoriasis, eczema, or other issues. You can get a simple DNA test at a medical foot care therapist or have a culture done at your primary care clinic. 

- If you’ve received a fungus diagnosis, here are some great tips to get started:

- Take regular foot baths with BIOpH+ Footcare and moisturize with the foot salve after the bath. This simple treatment prevents and kills the microorganisms that attack the skin, while treating the entire foot at the same time. Healthy skin and healthy nails make it harder for fungus spores to take hold.

- Fungus spores can survive for a long time and lurk in shoes and socks. Wash your socks in high heat, or use BIOpH+ Washing powder—then a 30-degree wash is enough to ensure that fungus spores die. At low temperatures with regular detergent, the spores can spread to other laundry. 

- Disinfect all shoes you use. BIOpH+ Shoe spray effectively kills fungus spores and other microorganisms in shoes. It also removes any unpleasant odor from the shoes.

- Be consistent and have patience.

How to avoid athlete's foot

Fungus spores are stubborn and can linger in shoes and socks for a long time. Or in humid spaces like gym showers or changing rooms. Great advice from medical foot care therapist Carola Richardson is to both prevent issues by keeping your feet and nails healthy, and always use bath towels in public showers and changing rooms.

‘A great way to build healthy feet is to use BIOpH+ Footcare and moisturize your feet regularly. Fungus spores take hold in small cracks and on flaky skin, and by keeping your feet healthy and the skin clear, you prevent infection. 
Another simple step is to keep the spaces between your toes dry. Studies show that athlete's foot often starts between the fourth and fifth toes, explains Carola Richardson, and she urges people to dry their feet and between their toes thoroughly after showers and baths. 
Healthy feet are the first step to avoiding infection. It’s also important to keep your shoes and socks in good condition and change them often.

‘Socks and shoes made from natural materials are always best, and don’t wear overly tight or warm shoes—they create an environment where bacteria and fungus spores thrive. I recommend using BIOpH+ Washing powder especially for socks; a 30-degree wash is enough to effectively kill bacteria and fungus spores. It’s also a good idea to regularly spray your shoes with BIOpH+ Shoe spray to ensure that your shoes are fresh and odor-free.’
Bacteria cause the unpleasant odor of foot sweat, so you’ll gain a lot just by using a good detergent. 
And you—bring a pair of bath towels the next time you go to the gym, changing room, or shower in a public facility. It’s an effective way to avoid getting athlete's foot.

How to avoid infection

• Healthy skin and healthy nails are the foundation of healthy feet.
• Breathable shoes and socks made from natural materials.
• Change shoes and socks often.
• Keep the spaces between your toes dry, especially the smaller toes where they are often crowded together.
• Use bath towels in public showers and changing rooms.