If you’re experiencing redness, cracking, burning, itchiness, dryness and/or flakiness on your feet, you may have athlete’s foot. Athlete’s foot (tinea pedis) is contagious and is commonly spread through gyms, public shower floors, swimming pools, locker rooms, and dormitories. It’s often caused by the same fungus that causes ringworm, called tinea. These symptoms may sound intimidating, but there are many ways to treat them, so don’t fret! Athlete’s foot can be treated with prescription drugs during a consultation with a podiatrist. There are plenty of at-home natural remedies to alleviate the symptoms, or even naturally treat them, in the mean-time. Read below for natural remedies for athlete’s foot!
Combatting Athlete’s Foot
Tinea survives in moist environments, so drying your feet thoroughly after a shower is a good first step. Other ways to keep your feet on the dry side are to change your socks several times a day, and even change your shoes twice a day, to avoid sweat buildup. You could also purchase an anti fungal powder or spray to kill spreading fungus. If you regularly go barefoot in gyms, health clubs, or swimming pools, make sure you always wear slippers.
Soaking
If considering a foot soak, there are a few natural products commonly found in the household that will naturally ail in stripping of fungus. Adding a few tea bags works as a natural astringent to dry out sweaty feet. Also, adding salt, a few drops of mustard oil, or mustard powder helps kill fungus when soaked in a foot bath for around a half hour. Letting plain yogurt, or even a paste made out of baking soda and water, dry on the infected areas and then rinsing it off helps to keep fungus in check with naturally balancing organisms.
Dr. Ian S. Goldbaum is a Podiatric Physician and Surgeon serving patients in Boca Raton, Delray Beach and Boynton Beach.
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16244 S. Military Trail #290, Delray Beach, FL 33445
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8198 Jog Road #100, Boynton Beach, FL 33472
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