Athlete's foot
Athlete's foot or (tinea pedis) is the most common form of tinea infection in developed countries: up to one in five people, mostly adults between the age of 20 - 50, may be infected in the UK at any given time. Although 60 per cent of sufferers are men, women are more likely to seek treatment. Athlete's foot is a dermatophyte infection with trichophyton rubrum and tricophyton interdigitale being the species most likely to cause it.
There are three different forms of athlete's foot:
- Interdigital athlete's foot which usually appears between the toes (4th and 5th)
- When the interdigital infection spreads to the sides and soles the feet this is called plantar or moccasin athlete's foot.
- Vesicular athlete's foot is a rare type of tinea pedis where small blister-like vesicles develop over the instep of the foot.
Hot, humid weather and occlusive footwear like trainers or boots are seen as triggers of athlete's foot. The infection is picked up when we come into direct contact with fungal spores. These live in discarded skin from the feet of other athlete's foot sufferers which can be picked up when walking around barefoot. The fungus can then establish itself, grow and penetrate deeper into the skin. Common places to pick up an infection are communal changing areas and swimming pools, or through sharing towels. Direct contact (i.e. skin to skin) can also cause athlete's foot.
Symptoms include:
- Itchy toes and feet
- Flaky peeling and/ or cracked skin
- Burning sensation and odour
- Inflamed, sore and red skin
The main complication with an athlete's foot infection is that it can spread to other parts of the foot, such as the toenail. Around 20 to 30 per cent of people with athlete's foot will also have a fungal nail infection, which can then re-infect the skin.
Another potential concern is a secondary bacterial infection of the skin. Itching can cause openings to appear in the skin, leaving it vulnerable to further infection causing inflammation and yellow discharge. Refer these customers to the pharmacist for further advice.
Myth busting:
- You have to play sports to catch athlete's foot. Although athlete's foot is common in people who play lots of sports, the reason they catch it is because they spend more time in humid communal changing rooms and wear trainers.
- Only people who don't wash properly get athlete's foot. Fungi don't discriminate between clean and dirty feet.
