Athlete’s Foot
More than half the population will develop athlete’s foot, a fungal infection on the skin of the feet, sometime in their lifetime. Also known as tinea pedis, it causes itching, burning or scaling of the skin, especially between the toes or on the sole of the foot. It affects men more than women, and it becomes more common with older age. Excessive moisture and lack of airflow around the feet increase risk of infection with the fungus. To decrease your chances of contracting athlete’s foot, avoid walking barefoot in public locker rooms and showers and keep feet clean, dry, and in shoes that allow the feet to get air.
![athletes-foot[1]](https://www.oasisfootankle.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/athletes-foot1.jpg)
Diagnosis
Your podiatrist will diagnose athlete’s foot after conducting a physical examination of your feet. In some cases, a skin scraping is obtained to look for fungus under a microscope, or a culture is taken to grow and identify it.
![athletes-foot-2[1]](https://www.oasisfootankle.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/athletes-foot-21.jpg)
Treatment
Usually, applying an anti-fungal cream or ointment to the affected area for 2 to 4 weeks will resolve the problem. Depending on the severity of the case, medication will be available by prescription or over-the-counter. In certain cases, oral medications will be prescribed.
Without Treatment
Although uncommon, athlete’s foot can lead to cellulitis, a more serious bacterial skin infection of the foot that can spread up the leg.
Most Insurance(s) Accepted at Both Our Phoenix and Scottsdale Podiatry Centers.
Call us today at (602) 993-2700!