Athlete's foot

Athlete's foot is a common fungal infection that is highly contagious. Common symptoms are itching, burning, peeling skin and skin cracks. Many people get athlete's foot between the toes, for example between the little toe and the next toe. Here are tips on what you can do to get rid of athlete's foot symptoms.

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What is athlete's foot?

Athlete's foot is an infection of the skin between the toes, under or on top of the foot, which means that fungus has penetrated the top layer of the skin and infected it. Most often, it is a group of fungi called dermatophytes that is behind it. The fungus thrives best in a warm, moist and confined environment. It is common to get athlete's foot if you do a lot of sports, and athlete's foot is therefore called athlete's foot in English. Another name for athlete's foot is tinea pedis.

Athlete's foot can also spread to the toenails and cause you to get nail fungus.

What happens to the skin with athlete's foot?

The fungal infection causes the skin to produce more cells than it normally does. This in turn causes the skin to become thicker and it then begins to flake. The fungus itself also causes the skin's barrier function to weaken, and the skin becomes more sensitive to attack.

Athlete's foot cause

Athlete's foot is contagious between people, and it is common to get infected by walking barefoot in public changing rooms and swimming pools. You can also get infected if you borrow shoes, socks or a towel from someone who has athlete's foot.

Various factors affect the risk of being affected, for example

• gender, more men than women have athlete's foot
• age, children under 10 are rarely infected.

Because the fungus thrives in a warm and humid environment, the risk of being affected also increases

• you have a lot of foot sweat
• you wear tight, tight shoes.

It is also common to get athlete's foot if you do a lot of sports. They are partly due to you sweating more and partly to the feet being exposed to increased mechanical wear and tear, which makes the skin more vulnerable to an infection.

Athlete's foot symptoms

Athlete's foot often grows between the toes, most commonly between the little toe and the next toe. You can also get fungus on and under your feet.

It is common to have one or more symptoms such as

• scaly and flaky skin
• itching on the toes, between the toes, and sometimes on the feet
• a stinging, burning sensation
• loose, softened skin
• skin cracks
• dry skin under and on the side of the foot
• calluses
• bumps and superficial wounds between the toes
• blisters between the toes
• redness
• bad smell.

A red border is often seen between the infected skin and the adjacent normal skin. The type of fungus that causes athlete's foot can also cause you to get a rash high up on the thigh or in the groin.

Athlete's foot treatment at home

If you are affected by athlete's foot, it is important to kill all fungal spores that have accumulated in socks and shoes. You do this by washing socks, towels and sheets – textiles that come into contact with the feet – at 60 degrees. If everything cannot be washed at 60 degrees, you can buy special detergents that kill fungus at low temperatures.

You can also make it difficult for the fungus to continue growing by following the advice below:

• Wash the entire feet and between the toes every day, and dry thoroughly afterwards. A foot bath is an easy way to access and clean properly. There are special foot baths against athlete's foot that help with the symptoms.
• Avoid tight shoes and tight synthetic socks, and air your feet when you can to keep them dry.
• Change socks every day and after every time you exercise or get sweaty, because damp socks make it easier for fungus to grow.
• Prevent foot sweat and moisture by using powder in socks and shoes, alternatively foot spray or other antiperspirant on your feet that makes you sweat less.
• Spray inside your shoes continuously with an antifungal shoe spray.
• Wash your socks properly , that is, at least 60 degrees, alternatively with a specially adapted detergent that has an anti-fungal effect.

Athlete's foot treatment

You can treat athlete's foot with various antifungal drugs and medical devices. These can be bought at a pharmacy in consultation with the pharmacist and you can carry out the treatment yourself at home:

• Antifungal cream is available in several different variants where the treatment time can be from a single occasion to daily for several weeks. It is always important to lubricate the skin several centimeters around the affected area, because there are often fungal spores that you cannot see with the naked eye. Cream is preferable to gel or spray if the skin is dry.
• Antifungal gel or spray are also available in different variants with varying treatment times. Just like when you use cream, it is important to lubricate the area around where the fungus is visible to kill all the spores. Gels and foot sprays are a good option if the skin is moist, as these products help to dry out the skin. Spray is not suitable if you have skin cracks, as it can then sting.
• Medical foot bath against athlete's foot is a treatment option that makes it easy to access the entire foot and all areas between the toes. A medicated foot bath cleans the skin and has an exfoliating effect, which means that dead skin is removed and the remaining skin becomes softer. This makes it more difficult for the fungus to grow.
• Fungicide powder can be used in socks and to kill athlete's foot in shoes and can be a good addition to other treatment, especially if you have problems with foot sweat.

It is good to use anti-fungal products containing cortisone if it itches, as it reduces the itching. If you have athlete's foot that does not go away with over-the-counter products against athlete's foot and self-care of the feet, you should contact healthcare. You may then need to be examined to find out if you have a yeast infection, and you may need prescription treatment.

Prevent athlete's foot

Athlete's foot is easily contagious and thrives where it is warm and humid. It is therefore important to keep the feet clean, dry and cool to make it more difficult for the fungus to grow. To prevent athlete's foot, it is good to follow all the advice listed under the heading Athlete's foot treatment at home. By frequently changing your socks and washing them properly so that you kill any fungal spores, the risk of them getting attached to the skin is reduced. Preventing foot sweat and ensuring that the feet are aerated helps to create an unfavorable environment for the fungus. Fungal powder or foot spray in the shoes can also be used for prevention.

The skin is the body's largest organ and its first line of defense against infection. It is important to take care of the skin so that it feels good and can do its job. You can do that by washing your feet every day. Cleansing the skin is important for this type of symptom and for long-term foot health. Therefore, make sure that you thoroughly clean the entire foot, too

• underfoot
• between the toes
• under the nails.

After cleaning, dry thoroughly everywhere so as not to leave behind moisture that makes the fungus thrive. A good way to clean your feet and ensure access everywhere is to use a foot bath.

Also make sure to always use swimming slippers in public places such as changing rooms and swimming pools. The humid environment combined with many people in these places makes the risk of athlete's foot infection high.

Is athlete's foot contagious?