The expert and the podiatrist give advice on athlete's foot

Athlete's foot, nail fungus and cracked heels. It may not sound like a huge problem, but for the person affected it can be painful and something that is reminded at every step. But it is quite easy to counter. Here you get good advice and tips from Carola Richardson, medical podiatrist who is passionate about good foot health.

- It is so important to take care of your feet, they will carry us throughout your life, but at the same time they are easy to forget. Once you have started to have problems, patience, the right efforts and good products are required to get rid of them. There is a big profit in doing the right thing from the beginning, for example to be able to avoid strong drugs, says Carola Richardson, who also holds courses for podiatrists about nail and skin fungus. In recent years, in her professional practice, she has seen an increase in, above all, foot and nail fungus. - I think it may be because we exercise and do more sports. It is also twice as common in men. The absolute greatest risk of infection is found in public showers and bathhouses. It is warm and humid there, the fungal spores thrive in that environment and the infection spreads easily.

This way you get healthy and beautiful feet

- Regular foot baths, preferably with BIOpH+ Footcare, which treats and builds healthy feet.
- Lubricate with a foot salve with good ingredients.
- Do not file and sand too much, it triggers the skin to create calluses.
- Do regular foot care with a medical podiatrist. The first step to healthy feet

The 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 provide positive results for those who have problems with, for example, athlete's foot, heel cracks and calluses.

It is almost impossible to see with the naked eye that, for example, dry feet and flaky patches of skin are fungi, the symptoms are similar to both eczema and psoriasis. A first step is to use BIOpH+ Footcare. The foot bath relieves the symptoms regardless of whether the person has fungus or not. BIOpH+ is effective, biodegradable and a safe product without side effects, all according to clinical studies. Many people who see symptoms of what they believe to be fungus begin treating with medication on their own. But it will be ineffective if it is not actually a fungus and the result is that you have used strong agents unnecessarily with the risks of side effects that medicines entail.

- I'm really passionate about this fungus, says Carola Richardson, who also trains future foot care therapists about athlete's foot.

- It is so important to act immediately so that the problems do not develop into moccasin fungus that covers the entire sole of the foot or goes up into the nails.
She explains that the fungus is a parasite that significantly deteriorates the quality of the skin and can also lead to cracks. With BIOpH+ medical technology products for foot care, you relieve the symptoms regardless of whether you have athlete's foot or not. If you do not get the desired effect after regular use, it may be good to get a diagnosis. It is relatively easy to do, either with a so-called DNA test at a medical podiatrist or with a culture at the health center.

- My most important advice is to keep the skin on the feet healthy and likewise the nails. Take a therapeutic foot bath, file appropriately and lubricate with a good foot ointment - that's the basis. If you still have problems, seek help from a medical podiatrist.

Have you got fungus?

- Start by using BIOpH+ Footcare which relieves the symptoms of athlete's foot such as calluses, cracks and bad odor regardless of whether you have athlete's foot or not. BIOpH+ removes what should not 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 line of defense against infections. If the skin's barrier does not work, we become sensitive to infections. BIOpH+ creates an environment where unwanted bacteria, viruses and fungi do not thrive. When what should not be on the skin disappears, the skin gets the right conditions to feel good.

- Get a diagnosis. Symptoms of fungus are difficult to distinguish from psoriasis and eczema or other problems. You can do a simple DNA test at a medical podiatrist or with a culture at your health centre.

- If you have been diagnosed with fungus, there are some good tips to start with:

- Take regular foot baths with BIOpH+ Footcare and lubricate with the foot ointment after the bath. The simple treatment prevents and kills the microorganisms that attack the skin and treats the entire foot at the same time. Whole skin and whole nails make it difficult for the fungal spores to stick.

- The fungal spores live a long time and lurk in shoes and socks. Wash the socks at a high temperature or use the detergent BIOpH+ Washing powder and 30 degrees is enough to be sure that the fungal spores die. At a low temperature with ordinary detergent, the spores can spread to other laundry.

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

- Be persistent and be patient.

How to avoid athlete's foot

Fungal spores are stubborn and they lurk in shoes and socks for a long time. Or in damp areas such as in the shower at the gym or in the bath house. A good piece of advice from the medical podiatrist Carola Richardsons is to partly prevent by having healthy feet and nails, partly to always use bath slippers in public showers and in bathhouses.

- A good way to build up healthy feet is to use BIOpH+ Footcare and to lubricate the feet regularly. The fungal spores take hold in small cracks and on skin flakes, and by keeping the feet whole and the skin healthy, you prevent infection.
A simple measure is also to keep dry between the toes. Studies show that fungus often starts between toes four and five, says Carola Richardson and recommends drying feet and between toes carefully after showering and bathing.
Healthy feet are step one to avoid infection. It is also important to keep shoes and socks in good condition and change them often.

- Socks and shoes made of natural materials are always best and not to have too tight and warm shoes, it creates an environment where bacteria and fungal spores thrive. I recommend using BIOpH+ Washing powder especially for socks, washing at 30 degrees is sufficient and effectively kills bacteria and fungal spores. It is also good to spray the shoes continuously with BIOpH+ Shoe spray to be sure that the shoes are fresh and odor-free.
It's bacteria that causes foot sweat to smell bad, so there's a lot to gain just by using a good detergent.
And you – bring a pair of flip flops the next time you go to the gym, bathhouse or take a shower in a public shower. It is an effective way to avoid getting infected with athlete's foot.

This is how you avoid infection

• Whole skin and whole nails are the foundation of healthy feet.
• Airy shoes and socks in natural materials.
• Change shoes and socks often.
• Keep dry between the toes, especially the little toes where it is often tight between them.
• Wear beach slippers in public showers and in bathhouses.