Now that you’ve resolved all of your symptoms and completed the full course of treatment, it is important to know how to prevent another Athlete’s Foot infection. In this month’s first blog we learned that workout facilities, pools, locker rooms and other moist environments are very common places to pick up Athlete’s Foot. But is it reasonable to quit going to all of these places in order to avoid another fungal infection? Of course not!
A much more reasonable way to decrease the likelihood of another case of Athlete’s Foot is to wear shoes when you are in these environments. Having no direct contact between your skin and the floor will significantly decrease your risk of picking up an infection. A great way to do this is to keep a pair of shoes (preferably water-resistant) in your gym bag. This way you can wear them when walking from the locker room to the pool and vice versa.
The fungus responsible for Athlete’s Foot thrives in a moist environment. Therefore, allowing the skin on your feet to ‘breath’ can help prevent infection as well. Simply taking you shoes and socks off for a few minutes, disinfecting old shoes with antifungal powder and avoiding soaking your feet at nail salons will decrease the chances of infection. Wearing polyester-cotton blend socks – 75%poly/25% cotton – is another great preventative measure since wick the moisture from your feet, creating an inviting environment for the fungus to grow.
With all of this information you should now feel comfortable recognizing an Athlete’s Foot infection as well as preventing one. And, as always, Dr. Jay Larson is always available to answer your questions and treat your foot concerns! Please call our office and make an appointment with Sole Foot and Ankle Specialists in Glendale, Arizona.