Don’t let fungus play with your feet
Dermatophytes are fungi that live in the dead outer layer of the skin. This outer layer of the skin becomes keratinized: the cells slowly dry out and die off. This keratinization, or hardening, of the skin is normal. In this way, the skin forms a protective barrier against the outside world.
The outer layer of the skin contains keratin, a protein that makes the skin tough and water-repellent. Fungi colonize these keratinous tissues and survive by drawing nutrients from the keratin. During this process, inflammation can occur as the skin reacts to the waste products produced. This skin infection can lead to tinea pedis, commonly known as athlete’s foot or swimmer’s eczema.
Break the vicious cycle
If you have athlete’s foot or swimmer’s eczema—a fungal skin infection—you can be treated with antifungal medications. If these antifungal medications are used for too long or incorrectly, fungal infections are more likely to recur. Because of these and other risk factors, the medical community is searching for alternative treatments based on natural defense mechanisms.
The most common fungus that causes athlete’s foot in humans is Trichophyton rubrum. The fungus is highly contagious and can be spread through direct contact with the skin or hair of an infected host. The fungus also spreads easily through indirect contact with contaminated clothing or surfaces.
In order to survive and grow, the fungus needs warmth and moisture. Therefore, there is an increased risk of infection when the skin is exposed to warm, moist environments. Athletes are more likely to develop athlete’s foot due to prolonged wear of closed shoes where heat and moisture build up. Tinea pedis is also known as swimmer’s eczema. The damp environment of a swimming pool is also a risk factor. Furthermore, dermatophytes are highly resistant to chlorine in swimming pools.
Have you ever had athlete’s foot? If so, you’re also more likely to become infected. The infection is also more common in adults than in children, in men than in women, and in people with diabetes or a weakened immune system. If you suffer from excessive sweating, you’re more susceptible to the infection.
FNG – Athlete’s Foot
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