Why Do I Keep Getting Athlete's Foot?

About 70% of Americans encounter athlete’s foot at some point in their lives. If you’re lucky, the experience is quick, and you only go through it once. For some, though, athlete’s foot can be awfully stubborn and highly problematic.

As part of the extensive health care services here at LaSante Health Center, our team includes specialists in podiatry care, which covers all issues related to your feet and ankles.

While athlete’s foot may not seem like a major concern, any issue that crops up in your feet can have a surprisingly large impact on your life.

With that in mind, we’re going to focus on athlete’s foot here and how we can get rid of an especially stubborn infection.

Getting to the bottom of athlete’s foot

Medically known as tinea pedis, athlete’s foot is a fungal infection that’s highly contagious. The infection typically creates a rash on your feet that leads to itching, stinging, and/or burning sensations. 

This rash usually develops around and between your toes, but it can also reach the tops of your feet, as well as the soles and heels.

While a rash is the most common sign, athlete’s foot can also lead to blisters or splits like paper cuts under your toes.

In appearance, the rash is typically redder than the surrounding skin, and it can also be scaly and flaky.

Thanks to the itching and burning, athlete’s foot can be very uncomfortable. And due to the potential for open wounds, athlete's foot is a cause for concern if you have a condition like diabetes.

Dealing with athlete’s foot

If you suspect you have athlete's foot, and you’re in good health, you may want to start with an over-the-counter antifungal ointment, spray, or powder. These products are usually effective in clearing the condition.

But if you have a medical problem in which issues in your feet are slow to heal, namely diabetes, it’s important to come see us. You should also come to see us if the over-the-counter products aren’t working and your athlete's foot stubbornly holds on. 

In these instances, our foot health specialists can prescribe stronger antifungal medications and monitor the health of your feet to make sure bigger problems don’t develop. 

Preventing athlete’s foot

As we mentioned, athlete's foot is a contagious fungal infection, so there are some key steps that you can take to prevent exposure.

First, fungus thrives in warm, damp environments, which is how athlete's foot got its name — it favors sweaty socks and damp locker rooms.

To prevent the infection, we recommend:

• Never go barefoot in public showers or locker rooms or around public pools
• Swap out sweaty socks often
• Don’t share socks or towels with others
• Clean your feet with antibacterial soap often
• Make sure your feet are always as dry as possible
• Dry and air your shoes out after each wearing

These preventive steps can go a long way toward keeping athlete’s foot at bay. 

If you’re dealing with athlete's foot and you’d like help, please contact our clinic in Brooklyn, New York, today to schedule an appointment. We serve the Flatbush and East Flatbush, Crown Heights, Park Slope, Little Haiti, Little Caribbean, and Prospect Lefferts Gardens communities.