Athlete’s foot is a frustrating, uncomfortable, and potentially embarrassing fungal infection. Often associated with a deep itch on the bottom and sides of feet and between the toes, other symptoms include peeling or flaky red skin. Common and contagious, it’s simple to prevent athlete’s foot if you know a few of our tips and tricks.
When it comes to athlete’s foot, prevention is always better than having to cure. In order to avoid chronic athlete’s foot recurrences, make sure that you are taking the necessary precautions to avoid having the fungal infection come back.
While we know athlete’s foot can be a stubborn and annoying foot infection, it’s actually surprisingly easy to prevent.
If you have yet to read our full post about how to prevent athlete's foot, we recommend that you take a few minutes to review it. As mentioned in this post, maintaining proper foot hygiene is an essential part of athlete's foot prevention.
Incorporating new habits and leaving bad ones behind can be challenging for anyone, which is why we put together a list of helpful tips that will make it easier to incorporate your foot care routine into your daily life.
When aiming to prevent athlete's foot it is vital that feet are not damp for long periods of time, since wet feet are a major cause of athlete's foot.
• Dry Shoes: If you do happen to get your footwear damp from exercise or simply a rainy day, make sure to dry them thoroughly before wearing them again.
• Use waterproof boots when heading out into wet weather so your feet don’t end up getting wet in the first place. Let's face it, nothing is worse than soggy sneakers — though athlete's foot fungus would definitely enjoy them.
• Take the proper steps to avoid sweaty feet. Sweaty feet can lead to athlete's foot and smelly feet, but getting them under control is easy by following our sweaty feet tips.
Wearing good quality footwear that is the correct size for your feet is not only more comfortable, but will also ensure proper air flow — reducing your risk of athlete's foot. Feet that are trapped in tight shoes will only encourage a build-up of sweat, making conditions ripe for growth of foot fungus and infection.
• Try before you buy: make sure that any shoes that you buy fit your feet properly with room to breathe. If you’re unsure of your shoe size, try asking for a measurement next time you’re in the shoe store, that way you can be sure that you are purchasing the right size.
• The best shoes are clean shoes: If you find that your shoes are dirty, it’s a good idea to give them a wash. Lightweight sneakers and canvas shoes can generally be washed in the cold setting of your washing machine, while special products can be used to clean heavier shoes, boots and formal footwear. Remember never use a tumble dryer to dry your shoes!
• Have an extra pair on hand: Make sure that you have at least one other pair of shoes that you can wear day-to-day so that you will be able to alternate when cleaning your favorite pair.
We have touched upon foot care and hygiene in our past posts, though it is important to acknowledge its importance when trying to prevent athlete's foot. Here are some tips that can help you to incorporate these new habits:
• Wear clean socks and distract yourself to avoid touching your bare feet. For many people, touching your bare feet can become an unconscious habit while watching TV or relaxing. If you can relate, take a moment to think about when you have the urge to touch your feet, and try to distract yourself during these times.
• Plan an extra 5 minutes into your showering routine so that you have time to dry your feet thoroughly before putting on socks and shoes. Throwing a pair of socks on damp feet in your rush to get out of the door in the morning is not going to do you any favors when avoiding athlete's foot.
• Add foot powder to make it a round 10 minutes. With only 5 more minutes of your day, you can add another layer of protection against athlete's foot by applying foot powder. SilkaⓇ Odor Defense Powder is good for daily maintenance against odor and wetness, while SilkaⓇ Antifungal Powder has added defence against foot fungus.
• Looking for a mess-free solution? SilkaⓇ Liquid Powder is applied as a cream and dries almost instantly as a powder to keep feet dry and fresh.
With only a few minor changes to your day, you can considerably improve your foot health and help prevent athlete’s foot by keeping your feet in top condition. Sticking to a good foot care routine will leave your feet feeling fresh, odor-free, and able to take on anything.
Take Care!