Athlete’s foot or tinea pedis is one of the most common human diseases. It is a contagious fungal infection that, as the name suggests, occurs on the feet. The risk of athlete’s foot disease increases when the skin is already somewhat softened by water, sweat or other fluids. Athletes and people who do not rub the spaces between their toes dry after swimming, showering or exercising are particularly susceptible to athlete’s foot or often get this fungal disease.
What is athlete’s foot?
Athlete’s foot is a fungal infection of the feet caused by filamentous fungi. These fungi also affect the horny substance of the toenails. Athlete’s foot can occur in association with nail fungus. Although athlete’s foot is a very unpleasant disease, it is basically completely harmless. The contagious fungal infection is accompanied by initially reddened, later weeping and finally itchy skin, which peels off and smells quite unpleasant. As the disease progresses, the skin in the affected areas may also tear, causing pain depending on the degree of the laceration. In most cases, athlete’s foot is located between the toes, but it can also affect the soles of the feet, the tips of the toes and, in individual cases, the edges of the soles of the feet. In general, people with intact skin and an intact immune system will not develop athlete’s foot even if the athlete’s foot is transmitted. On one’s own body, athlete’s foot can only spread if pre-damaged skin or a reduced immune defense create the appropriate conditions for it.
Causes
Athlete’s foot is an infection with fungi that is contagious and transmitted from person to person. Since every person repeatedly loses tiny flakes of skin and distributes them unintentionally, skin particles of an infected person can thereby get onto the skin of apparently healthy people and then infect them. Skin material infected with athlete’s foot can in principle be found in all places where people walk without shoes. For example, the risk of infection with athlete’s foot is generally very high in swimming pools, saunas, shower cubicles or public washrooms and showers. There is also a risk of athlete’s foot infection in hotels where the rooms are carpeted. Even here, barefoot walkers can contract athlete’s foot if the carpet has not been thoroughly cleaned or disinfected. Minor foot injuries or cracks on the skin are also ideal points of attack for an infection with athlete’s foot. Another cause of athlete’s foot is permanent moisture on the feet, i.e. foot sweat. Therefore, people who frequently wear sneakers are also particularly at risk. Other risk groups are people in whose family athlete’s foot has already occurred frequently, who suffer from circulatory disorders of the legs or who have a weakened immune system from the outset.
Symptoms, complaints and signs
A typical symptom of athlete’s foot is severe itching in the spaces between the toes. There, the skin reddens and forms skin flakes. The edge of the infected skin area becomes slightly darker. Furthermore, small blisters or pustules appear on this edge. The fluid-filled blisters often coalesce to form larger blisters. After their bursting, there is constant oozing. Movements cause pain in the affected areas. Moisture softens the skin, forming cracks that increase the risk of bacterial infection. The skin appears whitish and peels off. The more advanced the infection, the larger the dead skin flakes become. Another form of athlete’s foot affects the cornea of the soles of the feet. Here, dry skin leads to additional hornification and scaling. Since symptoms rarely occur here, this form of athlete’s foot is often not recognized as a fungal infection. However, painful cracks in the cornea may occur. As a rule, an infestation with athlete’s foot is harmless and heals quickly after appropriate treatment. However, there are also complicated courses with spreading of the infection to the toenails. A nail fungus infection is much more difficult to treat and can lead to the detachment of the nail.
Course
Athlete’s foot first manifests itself in reddened skin that weeps and itches. An unpleasant odor is also a frequent accompanying symptom of athlete’s foot infections. In the later course of the disease, cracks can form on the affected areas of the skin and cause pain.Inflammation of the skin areas can, but does not have to occur. Often it remains with weeping and foul-smelling skin areas between the toes, which are sometimes still accompanied by small blisters. In extreme cases, athlete’s foot can also spread to other areas of the body that are also exposed to increased moisture, such as the groin or armpits. Typical complaints of athlete’s foot are, in addition to the itching and burning of the feet, the already mentioned moist and softened skin areas, which are called maceration.
Complications
Although athlete’s foot is generally considered harmless, complications are still possible from time to time. This is especially the case if the fungal infection is not treated. Thus, there is a risk that the fungus spreads to the toenails and causes a nail fungus infection. The fungal infection in turn affects the skin. Germs such as viruses and bacteria are thus given the opportunity to penetrate deeper into the skin layers, where they cause further damage. An additional problem is that athlete’s foot can spread from the affected foot to other parts of the body, which is possible in principle in any part of the body. Even scratching the itchy foot with the fingers can be enough to cause the fungus to spread. Thus, there is a risk that the infectious parts of the fungus stick under the fingernail. They then spread to the face via the fingers. Other conceivable ways of spreading are towels or bathroom mats contaminated by the athlete’s foot. If the patient also dries other parts of the body, such as the trunk or ears, with the used towel, the fungi can reach the affected areas. One of the most common complications of athlete’s foot is the so-called superinfection. Because the skin is pre-damaged by athlete’s foot, this poses the risk of bacteria such as A streptococci infecting the affected areas, causing a painful skin inflammation such as erysipelas.
When should you go to the doctor?
When the typical symptoms of athlete’s foot infection are noticed, a doctor should be consulted. People suffering from itchy spots or redness in the area of the feet are best to talk to their family doctor. In particular, whitish discoloration between the toes is a typical sign of a skin fungus. If the above symptoms occur after visiting a sauna or swimming pool, it is best to consult a medical professional. Also people who do a lot of sports or are professionally confronted with unfavorable hygienic conditions should seek medical advice if they suspect athlete’s foot. A visit to the doctor is recommended at the latest when severe pain and other complications develop. Medical clarification is necessary for reasons of infection risk alone. Although athlete’s foot can usually be treated with home remedies and preparations from the drugstore, the disease should be diagnosed at least once. Patients who have been suffering from athlete’s foot for a long time, which cannot be treated by the usual means, are best to visit a specialist clinic or the dermatologist.
Treatment and therapy
If there is still no inflammation in athlete’s foot or if it has already subsided, the use of an antifungal agent for application (antimycotic) is useful. In this case, the fungicide must be applied for at least two to three weeks, even when the symptoms have subsided and patients have the impression that the athlete’s foot has disappeared. If the inflammation caused by the athlete’s foot is very severe, the feet should be cleaned in a disinfecting solution of potassium permanganate. Brushing the affected areas with a lotion containing zinc oxide, talc, glycerin and water, which has a drying and cooling effect, is also an effective remedy. Disinfectants should not be used if athlete’s foot has already appeared, otherwise contact dermatitis can occur very easily.
Prevention
Dry feet are the best means of preventing athlete’s foot. After bathing, feet should always be dried well, especially between the toes. In addition, only socks and stockings made of natural materials should be worn. You can definitely go barefoot, just be sure to avoid carpeted floors or bathroom mats in hotels.
Aftercare
Athlete’s foot can be very persistent, especially in diabetics. In this respect, both preventive and aftercare measures must be adhered to. Careful aftercare is at the same time precaution.One could almost speak of a widespread disease that spreads preferentially through a moist environment. Favourable for athlete’s foot are medical compression socks and functional socks with a synthetic content. In addition, sports shoes with a membrane should not be worn during the aftercare period, as this also requires the wearing of synthetic socks. Otherwise, the functions of the membrane will not be fully utilized. Possible aftercare measures following a foot or nail fungus include careful foot care. The feet should be washed and creamed only briefly at a time, but daily if possible. Damp areas between the toes should be avoided. Since athlete’s foot with its mycelia also proliferates under the skin, care should be taken to avoid new infestations elsewhere. Worn stockings should be disinfected after athlete’s foot treatment. The same applies to any towels used during treatment. Fungal spores have a long survival time. They can be trapped in carpets and shoes and provide for reinfection. Therefore, during the aftercare period, it is wise to disinfect all shoes worn during fungal treatment. The immune system should be supported if necessary. Shoes that fit too tightly should be avoided in the future. They favor athlete’s foot colonization.
What you can do yourself
In everyday life, various measures can be taken to protect against athlete’s foot. Protective clothing should always be worn on the feet in public bathrooms or under the showers. In areas where many people move barefoot and there is moisture on the floor, protection of the feet is necessary to avoid infection with the germs. Bathing slippers or open-toed sandals, which are made of rubber-like materials and are therefore water repellent, have proven effective. In addition to protective clothing, keep your own feet dry after showering or bathing. Those who tend to perspire heavily on their feet should also use skin care products. Powder or powder-like products can be applied to provide adequate protection against moisture. In addition, attention should be paid to cracks or damage to the skin on the feet. Since germs enter the organism through the open wounds, they must be adequately protected from the intruders. Plasters, bandages or protective stockings should be used for this purpose. The damaged regions should also be kept away from public baths or showers until they have healed. Since athlete’s foot is highly contagious, additional precautions must be taken to prevent other people from becoming infected. This requires wearing protective stockings in private or public baths.
