Athlete’s foot (Alipunga)

You don’t have to be an athlete to suffer from athlete’s foot. This common fungal infection can affect anyone!

Athlete’s foot (tinea pedis or alipunga) is primarily caused by a type of fungi known as dermatophytes 1. This foot fungus thrives in warm and moist environments, such as changing rooms and showers, shoes and socks or sweaty feet 2. Thus, they can feel right at home between your toes, but can also affect the soles and sides of your feet.

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Athlete’s foot symptoms

You might be suffering from athlete’s foot (alipunga) if you experience:

  • An itchy (makati), burning (mahapdi) sensation in your toes and feet
  • Scaly, very dry, cracked or peeling skin
  • Splitting, softening or whitening skin between toes
  • Cracking skin between the toes, on the soles, or on your heels

You can also experience more severe symptoms, such as:

  • Blisters on the skin
  • Inflammation of cracked skin 5
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Understanding athlete's foot

The most important thing you need to know about athlete’s foot is that it’s contagious. You can easily catch the infection through skin-to-skin contact or through direct physical contact with contaminated surfaces6. If left untreated, it is much more likely to return, and the fungus can spread to other areas of your body7, or to your loved ones. Athlete's foot can also lead to bad foot odor.

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Athlete's foot treatment

A topical antifungal medication is the best treatment for athlete's foot. Purchase products that treat this foot infection over the counter at your local pharmacy, or order them online8.

Topical treatments are easy to apply and directly target the fungi that cause athlete's foot. It is important to use Clotrimazole on athlete's foot, as it’s a proven treatment for it7. Canesten offers a range of complete antifungal treatments for various skin diseases that kill the fungi and relieve the symptoms of athlete’s foot.

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Preventing athlete's foot

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When drying your feet, pay special attention to the area between your toes 10.

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Wear clean socks every day. Change them after playing sports, and more frequently on hot days 11.

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Keep your toenails trimmed and clean to prevent spreading the fungal infection.

Facts about athlete's foot

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You may be more at risk of catching athlete’s foot when walking barefoot in public showers, gyms and changing rooms, or if you come into direct physical contact with an infected person 10.

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It’s a common problem: over 70% of the population will experience athlete’s foot during their lifetime.

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When left untreated, athlete's foot can spread to other parts of your body 13. This often occurs through scratching and can cause other fungal infections like jock itch (hadhad) or ringworm (buni)14.

REFERENCES:

  1.  https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/athletes-foot/
  2.  Introduction and Athletics-specific risk factors in: Field, L.A. & Adams B.B., Tinea pedis in athletes, in: International Journal of Dermatology 2008, 47, p.485
  3.  Check if you have athlete's foot, in: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/athletes-foot/
  4. Tinea Pedis, in: Hainer, B.L., Dermatophyte Infections, in: American Family Physician 2003, vol. 67, Number 1
  5.  Ibid.
  6. How you get athlete’s foot, in: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/athletes-foot/
  7. Check if you have athlete's foot, in: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/athletes-foot/
  8. A pharmacist can help with athlete's foot, in: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/athletes-foot/
  9. What to do, in: Tinea Pedis, Tinea Cruris,Tinea Corporis , in: Buttaravoli, P., Minor Emergencies, 2012, Elsevier Saunders, p. 733
  10. How you can help treat and prevent athlete's foot yourself, in: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/athletes-foot/
  11. How you get athlete's foot, in: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/athletes-foot/
  12.  Check if you have athlete's foot, in: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/athletes-foot/
  13.  How you can help treat and prevent athlete's foot yourself, in: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/athletes-foot/

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If symptoms persists, consult your doctor.
ASC Reference No.: B084P050621CS, B085P050621CS, B086P050621CS, B001P070122CS, B003P070122CS, B004P070122CS, B005P070122CS, B082P071822CS, B0060P072123C, B0215P072023C, B0095P072023C, B0061P072123C, B0062P072123C