Are you in a never-ending cycle of athlete’s foot and wondering why the infection keeps recurring?
This common fungal infection affects up to 15% of people — both athletes and non-athletes alike — and it can be stubborn once it takes hold.
To help you eliminate athlete’s foot, our team at Neuhaus Foot and Ankle put together some best practices when it comes to prevention and management. Let’s take a look.
If you have stubborn athlete's foot that isn’t responding well to over-the-counter medications, schedule an appointment so we can prescribe more aggressive antifungal medications. The longer the fungal infection digs in, the more challenging it can be to eradicate, so don’t delay.
As important is finishing your medications. Just because you see an improvement or your skin clears entirely, it doesn't mean you should cut the prescribed length of your treatment short. Just because the visible signs of the infection are gone, it doesn't mean you’re in the clear.
If you frequent places like locker rooms, hotels, and public swimming pools, it’s essential to create a barrier between your feet and the floor where these fungi like to lurk. So, bring along some slides or flip-flops to wear in public areas.
If you like to save yourself a little laundry duty and reuse socks, please don’t. That’s especially true if you’re dealing with athlete's foot. Fungus can thrive in sweaty socks and shoes, so it’s important that you clean and dry anything that comes into contact with your feet.
Athlete’s foot is contagious. You can protect yourself and others from recurrent athlete’s foot by not sharing socks, footwear, or towels that might be harboring the fungus.
If you have athlete’s foot, it’s essential to wash and dry your feet every day. Continue this practice after your athlete’s foot resolves to prevent reinfection. In fact, this is a great practice to carry forward, regardless of whether you have a fungal infection.
It’s also important to understand your risks for athlete's foot (as well as toenail fungus) so that you can take extra precautions.
For example, the 38.4 million Americans who have diabetes and the 1.5 million people who are diagnosed each year are more susceptible to athlete's foot. Also, people who are immunocompromised or have poor circulation in their lower legs are also vulnerable to more stubborn and recurrent bouts of athlete’s foot.
Furthermore, older adults often have weaker immune systems, which can make small problems like athlete’s foot more challenging to treat.
So, if you’re at risk for athlete’s foot, it’s important to follow the above recommendations with vigilance.
If you’d like our help with stubborn and recurrent athlete’s foot, please don’t hesitate to contact one of our 18 locations in Tennessee to schedule an appointment.
