Know More About Athletes Foot
October 23, 2008
Athlete’s foot is also known as tinea pedis, and is one of the more common fungal skin infections. It is usually contracted in a public environment, and grows fast, as usually people wear closed footwear for long periods of time. Although it is curable, it can take a long time to eradicate it permanently.
The fungus that causes athletes foot thrives in areas of common use such as gymnasiums, locker rooms and shower rooms. Often, this fungus may lie in wait in a warm puddle, waiting to catch the next ride on an unsuspecting victim. Once on the skin, it grows quickly, usually limiting itself to the outer areas of the skin.
The symptoms of fungal skin infection include itching, redness, cracked, scaling skin and blisters. The common area of attack for this fungus is between the toes and the rest of the feet, but if not taken care of in due course of time, it can spread to other parts of the body such as the hands and in some cases, even the groin area. In more severe cases, the toenails give off a thickened, yellowish appearance. The best thing to do when one contracts this skin infection would be to take precautions to keep it from growing and spreading, using foot treatment.