Athlete's Foot (Tinea Pedis)

What is Athlete’s Foot?

Athlete’s Foot (Tinea Pedis) is a common fungal infection of the skin. The fungus is contagious and is easily spread between people by walking on surfaces such as bathrooms, showers, and barefoot communal areas where the fungus is found. Other common places to pick up Tinea Pedis are swimming pools, gyms, and by wearing contaminated clothing. Some people seem to be more prone to the infection than others.

• Itchiness
• Redness
• Scaling/flaking and peeling skin on the sole of feet
• Scaling/flaking and peeling skin between toes, often between the fourth and fifth toes.

Predisposing factors (causes)

• More exposure to the fungal spores at home or during recreational activities.
• Wearing occlusive, non-breathable footwear.
• Wearing the same shoes and socks for long periods of time.
• Excessive sweating.

Treatment considerations

• Footwear advice. Wear breathable shoes. Shoes that aren’t tight fitting. If a shoe is too occlusive this will contribute to tinea pedis. Do not wear other peoples shoes and socks and make sure socks are clean.
• Environmental advice. Do not go barefoot in communal areas. Eg, pool areas, showers, dressing rooms, beach change rooms.
• Hygiene. Was feet daily and dry them thoroughly. do not share towels and clothing.

At OnePointHealth we can help recommend appropriate anti-fungal medication to assist in removing the infection, and provide advice to prevent a reoccurrence of the infection. If the fungus has caused your skin to flake and peel, we can clean that up too.