A College Park Podiatrist Is the Right Person to See for Fungal Infections on Your Feet

The feet are subjected to considerable wear and tear on a daily basis, what with all the walking around that you constantly do.

As such, people can fail to pay attention to the health of their feet as they rush about with their business and routines — that is, until they begin experiencing painful or itching sensations that indicate that something is wrong.

Fungal infections affect thousands of people every day. In particular, there are two common kinds that you need to watch out for:

Athlete’s foot or tinea pedis affects the skin on your feet. It can happen just once or it may be chronic, meaning it keeps coming back. The signs and symptoms that indicate that you have athlete’s foot include:

• Itchy feet
• Small blisters on the feet (they usually appear in between the toes)
• Red or white skin, or some soft scaling
• A bad odor coming from the feet
• In some cases, the same signs can be observed on the hands at the same time that they are on the feet (this is called an Id reaction)

Fungal infections on the toenails, on the other hand, are called onychomycosis and are caused by mold, yeast or fungus. When the nails on your feet become injured and a separation between the nail and the cuticle takes place, this infection can set in.

Fungus (such as the common one called Tricophyton) thrives in damp and warm conditions, so if your feet are often moist, there is a greater chance of becoming infected. The people most at risk of getting this kind of infection are those with sweaty feet, those who frequent public showers and pools, and individuals with diabetes mellitus.

What can you do?

According to a trusted College Park podiatrist, the best first step to take would be to pay them a visit so that your skin scrapings or toenail clippings can be gathered and examined under a microscope for a proper diagnosis.

Once identified as a fungal infection, your condition will then be treated accordingly. Your podiatrist can prescribe a topical or oral antifungal medication to help eliminate the fungus. There is also the option of undergoing technologically advanced treatments for infected toenails.

Aside from these, there are things that you can do to avoid getting a fungal infection again in the future:

• Make sure your feet are always dry. If your feet are prone to sweating, make it a habit to change socks twice a day, and choose socks that are made of natural fibers (like cotton) so that your feet can breathe.
• Replace old shoes and use a shoe sterilizer on the ones you currently use to prevent becoming infected again. If you can wear sandals or thongs instead of shoes when you go out, go ahead.
• You can use an anti-perspirant foot spray to reduce the moisture on your feet.
• If you often visit public showers and pools, always use sandals or thongs rather than going barefoot.
• Always dry the areas between your toes thoroughly after bathing or swimming.

After bathing at home, spray your shower area with a 10% bleach solution; this can lessen the chances of your family members getting infected with fungus themselves.

So What’s Your Next Step…

If you need a Podiatrist convenient to College Park Maryland, give us a call today at 301-937-5666 or you can click here to schedule your appointment online.

Don’t wait until it’s too late, early detection is key to getting back to your normal activities, pain free, as quickly as possible.

Call today to guarantee yourself a convenient appointment time, as our schedule fills ups very quickly.