Have you ever had itchy feelings in between your toes or on other parts of your feet? Was there a drying or cracking of your skin in the area of the itchiness?
Guess what? That's athlete's foot.
According to a report on WebMD, athlete's foot is a rash on the skin of the foot. It is the most common fungal skin infection. There are three main types of athlete's foot, according to Healthwise. Each type affects different parts of the foot and may look different.
Athlete's foot is caused by a fungus that grows on or in the top layer of skin. Fungi (plural of fungus) grow best in warm, wet places, such as the area between the toes.
Athlete's foot spreads easily. You can get it by touching the toes or feet of a person who has it. But most often, people get it by walking barefoot on contaminated surfaces near swimming pools or in locker rooms. The fungi then grow in your shoes, especially if your shoes are so tight that air cannot move around your feet, reports WebMD.
If you touch something that has fungi on it, you can spread athlete's foot to other people-even if you don't get the infection yourself. Some people are more likely than others to get athlete's foot. Experts don't know why this is. After you have had athlete's foot, you are more likely to get it again.
Athlete's foot can make your feet and the skin between your toes burn and itch. The skin may peel and crack. Your symptoms can depend on the type of athlete's foot you have.Here are the different types, according to Healthwise:
- Toe web infection usually occurs between the fourth and fifth toes. The skin becomes scaly, peels, and cracks. Some people also may have an infection with bacteria. This can make the skin break down even more.
- Moccasin type infection may start with a little soreness on your foot. Then the skin on the bottom or heel of your foot can become thick and crack. In bad cases, the toenails get infected and can thicken, crumble, and even fall out. Fungal infection in toenails needs separate treatment.
- Vesicular type infection usually begins with a sudden outbreak of fluid-filled blisters under the skin. The blisters are usually on the bottom of the foot. But they can appear anywhere on your foot. You also can get a bacterial infection with this type of athlete's foot.
- There are different topical remedies to help clear up the athlete's foot but it is most important to keep your feet in a dry, cool environment as much as possible and to wear waterproof slippers when you are walking around places like locker rooms, locker room showers, and pools.