Fungi or athlete's foot

It is an infection of the feet caused by a fungus called tinea pedis that belongs to the dermatophyte family and that likes to live in the outer layers of the skin. These are microorganisms of plant origin that are found in the environment in which we live. When they come into contact with the skin, they give rise to infections called mycoses. Heat and humidity are the most favorable environments for their growth, therefore, the areas of the body where they develop best are the interdigital spaces of the feet, the folds of the groin and, less frequently, the armpits.

Predisposing factors

Athlete's foot can develop from fungi already present on the feet or from pathogenic fungi from other people. They are risk factors:

• Excessive foot sweat
• Chafing or sores on the feet
• Use of closed shoes or socks that do not perspire
• Wear the same shoes or socks for a long time
• Jobs with many hours standing or walking
• Works in wet places
• Sportsmen, runners, athletes...
• Organic alterations or diseases: Diabetes, Poor blood circulation, Immunodeficiency, medications or infections.

As a summary, we can say that the basic predisposing factors for the occurrence of an athlete's foot They are heat, humidity and friction.

This alteration has its peak period during the summer months, which is when there is a greater risk of contagion due to heat, sweating, going barefoot, approaching places of risk such as swimming pools or public showers...

What symptoms do they produce?

Although it is not a serious disease, it produces a series of clear and annoying symptoms that must be diagnosed as soon as possible to prevent its spread:

• redness
• Itching or burning sensation
• Itching, especially between the interdigital spaces
• Small blisters between the fingers or on the sole
• Cracking or peeling of the skin in the affected areas
• The alterations usually begin between the 4th and 5th fingers and can extend to the rest of the toes and the nails.
• In the most advanced stages of fungal infection, the nails can become infected, causing a thickening of a yellowish appearance. The number of affected nails depends on the degree of spread of the mycosis

How to prevent them?

• Do not walk barefoot in swimming pools, saunas, showers, gyms and public areas, where we are in direct contact with moisture or on carpets and rugs at home or in hotels.
• Wash your feet every day and dry them with cotton or disposable cellulose towels.
• It is advisable to change your socks and shoes daily, being these breathable and made of natural materials.
• Keep feet dry. avoid sweat
• Do not share towels or dresses
• Combat hyperhidrosis by applying a suitable treatment to control sweat.
• The application of antifungals prescribed by our center.

How to diagnose it?

To determine the diagnosis of athlete's foot, a series of tests must be performed:

• Complete medical history
• Visual examination of the affected area in search of characteristic hyphae of the fungus
• Definitive diagnosis is made by culture of skin scrapings from the affected area. It usually takes about three weeks to get the result

Treatment goals

1. Eliminate fungi
2. Eliminate accompanying bacteria
3. remove moisture
4. Eliminate hassles
5. All with minimal side effects

The best treatment for athlete's foot is prevention.

Treatment should be directed at controlling the fungal infection and treating any secondary bacterial infection with oral antibiotics. For this, we will prescribe topical antifungal medications. In very advanced mycoses, it is necessary to reinforce the treatment with oral antifungals.

The use of sandals is recommended so that the feet are more ventilated, which will help us break the chain of transmission and its spread.

To help combat hyperhidrosis, our centers prepare an aqueous solution (master formula) with which spectacular results are obtained.