Athlete’s foot is also known as tinea pedis and is a foot infection caused by a fungus of microscopic dimensions. The favorite place of the fungus is the warm places, such is the case of stockings, shoes and on the floors of swimming pools and public showers. The simple contact is enough for contacting the athlete’s foot. The name of the infection suggests the part of the body the fungus affects. Some blisters or pimples appear on the surface of the foot.

The athlete’s foot is more likely to be developed by men ad it appears especially in the case of intense daily activities, especially sports. Respecting the proper hygiene during the day is very important, but also the exposure to the risk factors – public showers and swimming pools. More risks of developing not only the athlete’s foot, but many other illnesses and diseases, are implied in the case the immune system has some problems or disorders.

The most common symptoms of the athlete’s foot is itching between the toes and itching of the foot. In the case it is not discovered in time, the athlete’s foot may develop and grow while the center of the infection is more inflamed and may be sensitive if being touched. Discomfort is another common symptom of the athlete’s foot and the peeling of the skin. The color of the center of the infections and of the edges may change due to the development of the tinea pedis: the edges may become whiter and the center of the infection slightly colored.

There is another type of athlete’s foot – ulcerative athlete’s foot – characterized by severe peeling of the skin, severe cracks of the skin and the possibility of developing other types of infections. Unfortunately, the infection of this stage may bring contamination to other parts of the body, especially palms, leading to other unpleasant consequences. In the case tinea pedis is transmitted through scratching to the palms, it is called tinea manuus.

The third type of the athlete’s foot is also known as the “moccasin foot”. The area of the foot that is affected appears as a moccasin, the skin becomes white and scaly, developing other associated problems and susceptibility of getting other types of bacteria. There is another type of tinea pedis, which is characterized by some inflammations, less peeling of the skin and severe itching. This type of the athlete’s foot is called inflammatory.

The athlete’s foot is detected by a simple examination or with the help of the ultraviolet light. There is another method that may be helpful in diagnosing tinea pedis and this is the case of the microscopic observation of the skin samples from the affected areas by the fungus.

Unfortunately, the treatment of this infection is difficult and may last years with no spectacular changes of the skin quality. In the cases when the tinea pedis is discovered in the ulcerative stage, treatment is even more difficult. If there are some periods with no continuous treatment, the athlete’s foot may appear again. The most efficient treatment is the one applied immediately after observing the first signs of the activity of the fungus. There are many available drugs that may fight with the infection, but their effectiveness depends on the period the fungus had to establish in the skin of the feet. In the cases when the fungus did not have enough time for installing the antifungal drugs do their job in 4 to 6 weeks. In the case of a systemic infection stronger drugs may be recommended, although they have side effects, which may be the cause of other type of discomfort: nausea, headaches and even numbness.