Foot fungal infections are quite common, especially in athletes or in individuals who regularly walk on highly-trafficked surfaces with their bare feet, like swimmers or gym enthusiasts. In fact, foot fungal infections are so common in athletes that the most common fungal infection is aptly named Athlete’s Foot. But what does a fungal infection of the foot look like, and more importantly, how is the condition treated? In today’s blog, we share some tips for recognizing and treating fungal infections in your feet.
Recognizing The Signs Of A Foot Fungal Infection
When you think of “fungus,” you probably picture something green or splotchy, like mold, but that’s not how fungal infections of the feet present themselves. If you’re trying to self-diagnose a fungal infection in your feet, look for these signs:
- Redness
- Cracked, blistering or peeling skin on the feet
- Itchy skin
- Burning sensation
- Foul odor
If you are dealing with one or more of the above symptoms, consider having a conversation with your primary care physician or a foot and ankle specialist like Dr. Silverman. Fungal infections are also something that you can typically treat successfully at home with a little proactive care, so if you want to take a swing at treating the problem on your own, we’ll share some tips on how to do just that in the next section.
Treating Fungal Infections Of The Feet
It’s possible for a fungal infection to clear on its own, but doing nothing typically has a pretty low success rate, and the issue can become harder to treat the longer you wait, so more proactive care is recommended. In most instances, a good place to start is with an over-the-counter fungal infection cream, ointment or powder. This will help to resolve the fungal infection, but you also want to take some steps to eliminate the environment in which fungal infections thrive.
Fungal infections tend to form in wet, hot and moist environments. If your feet are sweating a lot during athletics or other activities and you’re not doing anything to free your feet from this environment, fungal infections can fester and grow. Some ways to provide a cool and dry environment for your feet include:
- Wear breathable shoes
- Wear moisture-wicking socks
- Change your socks if they get wet
- Proactively dry your shoes if they become damp or wet
- Wear flip flops or a similar shower shoe if you’ll be in a locker room or community changing area
- Regularly wash and scrub your feet
Most patients see improvements in symptoms in a few short days with the help of a topical cream and a few changes to their footwear habits, but a complete resolution of your active infection can take weeks. If you only treat the infection and don’t provide a better environment for you feet, it’s certainly possible that the infection could return, so be aware of how you’re treating your feet inside a sock and shoe!
