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Tinea Pedis

DEFINITION

Tinea pedis is the medical term for athlete’s foot, a fungal infection on the foot. Athlete’s foot causes a tremendous amount of itching as well as burning or stinging. The fungi that infect the foot in athlete’s foot are from a mold-like group called “dermatophytes” which have projections the stick down into the top layers of skin. The skin responds to the irritation by producing more cells which lead to thickening and cracking of the skin in the infected area. Fungus likes to grow in the moister areas between the toes, but can grow in other areas of the foot including the sides and sole. Fungus grows best in hot, moist areas so wet socks or wearing shoes in humid environments help promote the growth of these fungi. Plastic shoes are an especially good environment for fungi to grow. Athlete’s foot is contagious and can spread several ways: from person to person through skin contact, from an object to a person (fungus can be shed in skin cells on to many different surfaces including shower floors and bed sheets), and from an animal to a person. Risk factors for athlete’s foot include being male, wearing tight footwear, wearing damp socks, sharing common areas with someone who has athlete’s foot, spending time in communal showers or locker rooms, and having a weakened immune system. Athlete’s foot is not generally dangerous on its own, but broken areas of skin are more prone to infection by bacteria which can have more serious consequences. A person can also have an allergic reaction to the fungal infection, called an id reaction, which causes blisters on the fingers, toes and hands.

SYMPTOMS
Itching of the feet, burning of the feet, stinging of the feet, flaky skin, scaly skin, blisters of the skin, dryness of the feet, cracking skin on the feet, thick or yellow toenails

DIAGNOSIS
Your doctor will first perform a history and physical exam. Most often, the diagnosis of athlete’s foot is made by examining the foot and trying appropriate treatment. Your doctor may gently take scrapings of the skin to look at under a microscope, which can show fungus. Your doctor may choose to send this material to the lab to put in a culture to see if it grows. Your doctor may recommend that you see a dermatologist if the cause of your symptoms is not clear or treatment s not helping to cure the problem.

TREATMENT
Many treatment options exist for athlete’s foot. Over the counter antifungal creams or sprays are generally tried first. Stronger prescription-strength topical medications including lotions, powders, sprays and ointments are generally tried next. Types of topical prescription include: terbinafine (Lamisil), clotrimazole (Lotrimin), and miconazole (Monistat-Derm). If those medications don’t work, your doctor may recommend medications taken by mouth including itraconazole (Spranox), fluconazole (Diflucan), or terbinafine (Lamisil). Your doctor will discuss the side effects of these medications with you. If you have a secondary bacterial infection, your doctor will also likely recommend an antibiotic. To prevent future episodes of athlete’s foot, you should keep your feet clean and dry and avoid contact with areas where other people with athlete’s foot may have been, especially by wearing some sort of footwear in communal showers and locker rooms. You should discuss your treatment options with your doctor.

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