What are the Symptoms of Athlete’s Foot

Courtesy Premier Foot & Ankle

Athlete’s foot is a fungal infection that can go from bad to worse.

If the skin between your toes is raw, red, inflamed, and swollen, you may have an athlete’s foot infection. Athlete’s foot, which can affect anyone, even non-athletes, tends to begin as a red rash that flares up between your toes. As this fungal infection continues to worsen and spread, you may start experiencing:
Dry, flaky skin
Scaly rash
Blisters
Itching

You may also find that your skin becomes raw and painful to the touch, so you find it unbearably uncomfortable to slip on socks and shoes. An athlete’s foot infection can spread up the sides of your feet and can even affect your hands if you scratch or pick at your rash.

How did I get athlete’s foot?
Because athlete’s foot is a viral infection, you can easily contract it from anywhere fungal organisms thrive. For instance, fungi develop rapidly in moist, warm, dark environments. So, if you walk barefoot across a pool deck, or skip shower shoes in the gym locker room, you risk coming into contact with athlete’s foot-causing fungal organisms.

Your chances of suffering from a painful athlete’s foot infection also increase due to:
Weakened immune system
History of athlete’s foot
Open foot sores

No matter what’s causing your case of athlete’s foot or how mild your symptoms may seem, you have plenty of options for relief.

Which athlete’s foot treatment is most effective?
Athlete’s foot can be stubborn to treat so, at Premier Foot & Ankle, your dedicated podiatrist performs a comprehensive clinical exam and may gather skin scrapings to have evaluated at the lab. This helps confirm which type of fungal organism is causing your infection.

Depending on the outcome of your exam and any essential lab testing, your athlete’s foot treatment may include:
Topical or oral anti-fungal medications
Bacterial or steroidal topical agents
Specialized foot powders

Your dedicated podiatrist at Premier Foot & Ankle even counsels you on how to care for your feet and specific measures you can take to minimize your future risk of athlete’s foot.

For example, keeping your feet clean and dry, wearing shower shoes in communal areas, and allowing your shoes to air out overnight can all lower your chances of ongoing athlete’s foot issues, and help your current infection resolve quickly.

Before your athlete’s foot progresses any further, schedule an exam to get started on treatment.
With the help of the dedicated practitioners at Premier Foot & Ankle, you can get started on effective athlete’s foot treatments in Dallas, Plano, Allen, Mesquite, Celina, McKinney, Sherman and Frisco, Texas. Book your athlete’s foot examination today.