Are you a sports enthusiast running many kilometers in a single day? Do you think running tracks are made just for you? Does that pair of sneakers under your bed feel almost like a soul mate to you? If your answer is yes, you are most invited to read this article further because - although this sounds a little dismaying - you might just develop foot sores, or even worse – the athlete’s foot.
Having Athlete’s Foot does not mean you have feet like Usain Bolt’s, if you’re thinking so. In any way, it does not imply anything good. It is a foot disease, medically called ‘tinea pedis’, characterized by itchy rashes mainly caused by fungal infection more frequent in teenaged boys and young men. It is an irksome, scratchy, and burning infection. Murky and damp places like the insides of those favorite pair of sneakers lying under your bed are the ‘safe havens’ for fungi, however, the fungi grow quicker on some bodies than other bodies and just because you’re a workout maven, doesn’t mean you’ll get athlete’s foot for sure. Relax. Although, extremely communicable and, if rendered uncured, can lead to horrible-looking foot skin cracks. You can chuck out or even prevent athlete's foot from ever happening with these 5 foot care tips by Insignia that follow.
Keep Your Feet Dry and Hygienic
If you wish to avoid getting Athlete’s Foot, Insignia suggests to keep your feet dry and hygienic at all times. After you've finished exercising, wash your feet, dry them up, and wear on a new socks pair. The region between your toes should be dry. Wear well-aerated footwear to heal athlete's foot faster.
Don’t Use Shared Towels
Athlete's foot can spread via direct skin contact. Towels can harbor fungi, so avoid sharing them and rinse them after each usage. Also, be cautious while touching towels since some persons might develop ‘two-foot-one-hand syndrome,’ which can spread to the hands after affecting your feet.
Use an Ultraviolet Shoe Sterilizer
The feet perspire exactly like your body. Dark, wet footwear are ideal for fungal disease germs to thrive. Too close-fitting shoes create wet circumstances in which dermatophyte fungus thrives. To rid footwear of germs, Insignia recommends to utilize a UV light shoe sterilizer, and switching between shoe pairs to allow each one to air dry up after each use.
Sea salt baths
Because sea salt has powerful antimicrobial qualities, Insignia holds it as an excellent natural prevention or remedy for athlete's foot. Some therapeutic methods involve combining sea salt with vinegar, or dissolving a few tablespoons in warm water for a foot bath. Immerse your feet in warm water for a minimum of twenty minutes, and properly dry them up when done.
Over-the-counter treatments
Athlete's foot can be treated with a variety of over-the-counter (OTC) medications in the form of powders, sprays, lotions, or oils. Many medicines can be applied topically to the afflicted region and used for at minimum one week further after symptoms have resolved to avoid the disease from recurring.