Are you wondering how to get rid of athlete’s foot? Have you tried lifestyle changes and various athlete's foot products with little to no success?
Though the athlete's foot fungus, tinea pedis, can be stubborn to treat, it’s simple enough to cure athlete’s foot once you know what steps to take. Following proper foot hygiene and prevention tips that we have discussed in this post is a good start. If you have yet to read it, we recommend that you take a moment to do so.
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.
As we have discussed in previous posts, walking around barefoot on communal surfaces such as public showers, spas, and locker rooms puts you at greater risk for contracting athlete's foot. Sharing items such as shoes, socks, towels, or nail clippers is also a recipe for disaster. But is it possible for you to give yourself athlete's foot? You may be surprised that it is!
Reinfection can be caused when, during or after athlete's foot treatment, you come into contact with items or surfaces that you contaminated with the foot fungus prior to treatment. How can this be avoided? Here are some steps that you can take once you start treatment:
• Make sure to wash all of your towels, socks, and sheets in hot water, and dry them completely on a high heat.
• Disinfect your shoes. Many lightweight netted sneakers and canvas shoes can be washed in the washing machine. Always allow shoes to fully air-dry, but never use a dryer as they can damage your shoes. Disinfectant spray made for footwear should be used for heavy shoes and boots, but be sure to read the label on any disinfectant spray to make sure it is formulated to work on the materials inside footwear - and always follow label directions.
• Wash all hard floors, bathtubs, showers, and sinks with disinfectant (check product labels to ensure that you are choosing a product that is safe and effective for your floor).
• Vacuum rugs and steam clean them, using a carpet cleaner and a steam vacuum if you have one.
• Use a fabric sanitizer on your furniture and mattress (make sure to follow product instructions to avoid damage to your soft furnishings).
You should continue to clean sheets and towels more frequently than usual for a week or so after treatment. Once athlete's foot treatment is completed, it is important that you maintain proper foot hygiene habits to avoid the accumulation of foot fungus. Antifungal products continue to work against the fungus after the initial product treatment is complete. Take a look at our post on the topic if you need a refresher.
It is understandable if you have reached a point of desperation while trying various athlete's foot treatments. Though fortunately getting rid of the fungal infection is possible!
While it is important to maintain proper hygiene habits as previously mentioned, you should also make sure that you are using the right athlete's foot products. While there are many online sources that claim to know how to cure athlete's foot at home fast, many of these alternative treatments do not effectively treat foot fungus, and instead of helping, they may actually worsen your infection.
In order to cure athlete's foot, it is important that you are using the right product for the job, take a look at this post for more on this topic.
However, if you have already incorporated foot hygiene into your routine and have been using an over-the-counter treatment according to package instructions with no success, it is time to get in touch with a healthcare professional. This is particularly true if you are diabetic or your symptoms started suddenly with no apparent cause.
Maintaining proper foot hygiene generally involves some major changes to your routine. Though it is understandable that changing certain day-to-day habits can seem overwhelming or even impossible, you may be surprised to learn how easily you can begin to add them to your day.
Here are some easy ways that you can start treating your feet better now:
• Buy some new socks. Having at least a one to two week supply of clean socks ensures that you won't ever have to wear a pair twice. Be sure to keep your favorite pairs of shoes in mind when picking out your socks so you know that you will wear them.
• Are you always touching your feet? This habit can be a difficult one to break, but remaining mindful of when you tend to touch your feet can help. If you must touch your feet, be sure to wash your hands afterwards.
• Buy a few cheap pairs of shoes. Though we may not all be able to afford a collection of fancy shoes, having some cheap alternates on hand will give you a chance to clean and disinfect your favorite pairs.
While it can be difficult to change bad habits and incorporate new ones, freeing yourself from athlete’s foot is worth the extra effort. Using the tips above and being mindful of what works best for you are some of the best ways to prevent athlete’s foot from coming back.
Take care!