Athlete’s foot, Tinea pedis, Dermatophyte, Fungal infection, Allylamines, Azole antifungals, Griseofulvin, Terbinafine.
Root Cause of Disease
An athlete’s foot occurs when the tinea fungus grows on the feet. You can catch the fungus through direct contact with an infected person, or by touching surfaces contaminated with the fungus. The fungus thrives in warm, moist environments. It’s commonly found in showers, on locker room floors, and around swimming pools.
Symptoms
Here are many possible symptoms of athlete’s foot, which include:
- Itching, stinging, and burning between your toes or on soles of your feet
- Blisters on your feet that itch
- Cracking and peeling skin on your feet, most commonly between your toes and on your soles
- Dry skin on your soles or sides of your feet
- Raw skin on your feet
- Discolored, thick, and crumbly toenails
- Toenails that pull away from the nail bed
Types of athlete’s foot:
- Toe web infection: A toe web infection is the most common type of athlete’s foot. It typically affects the skin between your fourth toe (ring toe) and fifth toe (pinkie toe). Your skin may change color, crack, peel or flake.
- Moccasin-type infection: A moccasin-type infection affects the bottoms of your feet, your heels and the edges of your feet. Your feet may be sore for a few days. Then, the skin on the bottom of your feet thickens and cracks. In rare cases, your toenails may get infected. They can thicken, break into small pieces and fall out.
- Vesicular-type infection: A vesicular-type infection typically affects the bottom of your feet, but it may appear anywhere on them. A vesicular-type infection features bumps or fluid-filled blisters (vesicles).
- Ulcerative infection: An ulcerative infection is the rarest type of athlete’s foot. Open sores (ulcers) often appear between your toes. Open sores may also appear on the bottom of your feet.
Causes
The athlete foot fungus, Trichophyton, is a dermatophyte, related to other fungi that cause infections in human skin, hair, and nails.
These fungi exist harmlessly on human skin. As long as the skin is dry and clean, their reproduction is limited. However, under damp and warm conditions, they multiply rapidly. Thick, tight shoes are more likely to trigger athlete’s foot because they squeeze the toes together, creating ideal conditions for the fungus to thrive. If socks are damp and the feet are warm, there is a greater risk of developing athlete’s foot.
Athlete’s foot can be spread through direct and indirect contact:
- Direct, skin-to-skin contact, as may occur when an uninfected person touches the infected area of somebody with athlete’s foot
- Indirect contact, in which the fungi can infect people via contaminated surfaces, clothing, socks, shoes, bed sheets, and towels
Athlete’s foot commonly spreads around swimming pools and communal showers – these places are generally humid and warm.
Home Remedies to treat Athlete’s Foot
Remedy – 1: Tea Tree Oil
Materials: Tea Tree Oil
Touted for their strong antibacterial, antiseptic and anti-fungal properties, the essential oil obtained from tea tree leaves has been treating skin infections since ancient times. The presence of tannic acid in the oil not only gets rid of bacteria and germs but also acts as an astringent and helps dry out sweaty feet to prevent the growth and spreading of the infection.
Tea Tree Oil comes from the leaves of the tea tree, commonly found in Australia. It is known to have antibacterial and antifungal properties. The tea tree oil also cured the infection in 64 percent of the people who used it, while just 31 percent of those who used a placebo were cured.
Procedure:
Mix a few drops of tea tree oil combined with a carrier oil such as olive or coconut oil and apply it on the affected area 2-4 times a day to thwart off the infection.
Product link: Tea Tree Oil
Remedy – 2: Garlic
Materials: Garlic
Garlic has a long history of medicinal use, and several studies have found garlic to be effective against some fungi and bacteria.
A review in the Avicenna Journal of Medicine states that garlic can kill a variety of germs. Some evidence for garlic includes:
- A study in the Journal of Applied Microbiology, which states that fresh garlic extract can kill or stop the growth of Candida, a common fungus that infects humans.
- A report in the Ulster Medical Journal found that garlic has effective antifungal properties.
- A study in Mycoses, which looked at a compound found in garlic known as ajoene. The compound cured athlete’s foot in every person who used it. Ajoene was made into a 0.4 percent cream and applied directly to the area.
A garlic foot soak using fresh garlic cloves is one way for people to try this remedy at home.
Procedure:
Crush three to four garlic cloves and stir them into a basin of warm water. Soak your feet for 30 minutes, twice a day for up to a week.
Product link: Garlic
Remedy – 3: Baking soda
Materials: Baking Soda
Baking soda is an item most people have readily available. It may also be an effective way to cure athlete’s foot. A study in Mycopathologia found that sodium bicarbonate, also known as baking soda, does have antifungal abilities when used on the skin.
Procedure:
To make your foot soak, mix about a half cup of baking soda in a large bucket or basin of warm water. Soak your feet for 15 to 20 minutes, twice a day. When done, dry the feet thoroughly but do not rinse.
Product link: Baking Soda
Remedy – 4: Onion juice
Materials: Onions
The sulfur and quercetin components in onion juice are considered to be very strong antioxidant agents that are effective in helping the neutralization of free radicals. In addition to this, these components are effective in protecting the body cells’ membrane protection. Other components like cepaene and vinyl dithiins are important in acting like antimicrobials. This sets it to be an important fungal cure.
Procedure:
- Grind onions and then obtain the juice using the cheesecloth.
- After this, you should wash and dry your feet.
- After this, the juice extract should be applied to the affected area and left for thirty minutes.
- This will ensure a complete cure for the athlete’s foot.
Other Remedies
Sea Salt
Imbued with potent anti-fungal and anti-inflammatory properties, the sea salt granules provide an effective remedy for athlete’s foot. It also holds high significance in healing cuts and sores by reducing inflammation and prevents smelly feet. Soak your feet in a tub containing warm water infused with sea salt for 5-10 minutes to assist healing and prevent the spreading of the infection.
Yogurt
Yogurt, which is generally obtained due to the Lactobacillus bacteria, turns out to be a hero in shielding the foot from the athlete’s infection. The good bacteria in fresh yogurt not only kills the fungus but also soothes the dry, irritated inflamed skin. Apply the fresh yogurt directly on to the affected part to get quick relief.
Green Tea
Green tea bestowed with beneficial bioactive compounds offers potent antifungal characteristics that provide respite to athlete’s foot. Steep about 4-5 green tea bags, allow it to cool down and then soak the feet for 10 minutes and then let your feet dry.
Grapefruit Extract
The extract is obtained from the seed of this fruit; it is also contained in the peel as well as the pulps. The existence of microbial components in this fruit makes it a strong treatment for diseases as well as viruses that are considered infectious. The operational use requires you to prepare a full-strength extract of the fruit then apply it to the area affected by the condition and maintain the practice daily. This should be at a maximum of three times on a daily basis.
Myrrh oil
This is quite distinct from other products because it has numerous properties, this includes, anti-inflammatory, anti-infectious, antiviral, astringent, antioxidant as well as antiviral [4]. These properties help it to be an effective cure for such conditions as athletes’ feet. Its usage is very simple you are only required to rub it on the area which is affected and maintain the practice three times a day. The effect it has is that it is able to remove the pain itching and this has a healing effect eventually.
Preventions
There are several things you can do to help prevent athlete’s foot infections:
- Wash your feet with soap and water every day and dry them thoroughly, especially between the toes.
- Wash socks, bedding and towels in water that’s 140°F (60°C) or higher. Combining washing socks and application of OTC antifungal recommendations should treat most cases of athlete’s foot. You can disinfect your shoes by using disinfectant wipes (like Clorox wipes) or sprays.
- Put antifungal powder on your feet every day.
- Don’t share socks, shoes, or towels with others.
- Wear sandals in public showers, around public swimming pools, and in other public places.
- Wear socks made out of breathable fibers, such as cotton or wool, or made out of synthetic fibers that wick moisture away from your skin.
When to see a doctor?
- If you have a rash on your foot that doesn’t improve within two weeks of beginning self-treatment with an over-the-counter antifungal product, see your doctor.
- If you have diabetes, see your doctor if you suspect that you have athlete’s foot. Also see your doctor if you have signs of an infection — swelling of the affected area, pus, fever.
