Athletes foot infections are a fungal infections of the skin on the feet that causes severe itching and dry flaky skin to occur. There are two types of athletes foot infections. One that involves the skin on the entire sole of the foot, and the other which involves the web spaces between the toes. The condition occurs more commonly when the foot is exposed moist environments such as from sweating in your shoes or if your socks become wet from environmental conditions. Fungus tends to grow in warm, dark, and moist environments and our socks and shoes can often created this ideal situation.

Fungus infections of the foot will often present with dry, flaking, and itchy skin with small red pimples or pustules than can sometimes appear. It will occur in what is referred to as a moccasin like distribution involving the sole of the foot. As previously mentioned, the condition can sometimes only effect the skin between the toes where one will see what is described as white and macerated tissue in the web spaces. This can often by overlooked and not noticed as initially it is not symptomatic. It is frequently caused by not drying well between the toes after bathing or showering. If this type of athletes foot infection is left untreated it can lead to a secondary bacterial infection from bacteria entering the cracks in the skin. This can become a medical emergency if one develops cellulitis or skin infection from the bacteria and may require hospitalization.

It is important to treat athletes foot infections when they occur as to avoid leading to more serious chronic infections which are difficult to manage. Prevention is often the best treatment by controlling the warm, dark moist environments that lead to the infection. When the dry and itching skin is present, it is crucial to see a podiatrist to begin a prescription antifungal to fix the problem.