Athlete’s foot received its’ name because it is a fungal infection that largely affects athletes from sharing the same locker rooms. But, it can happen to anyone! Since it is contagious, you can get Athlete’s foot from sharing the same clothes with an infected person or by walking on the same places as an infected person. Accumulated sweat around your feet can also cause athlete’s foot. Since diabetics and those with a weaker immune system are prone to infections they too are prone to athlete’s foot.
Though it isn’t a life threatening infection, it is hard to cure and causes a lot of irritation to the infected person. Since it is highly contagious you should never take it lightly. Ge in touch with your doctor immediately and start the recovery process with your medical practitioner. Since athlete’s foot takes a long time to heal, a few home remedies along with medical treatment will not hurt you.
So here are a few remedies for athlete’s foot:
Most doctors will prescribe medicines and recommend dipping your feet in warm water for a few minutes every morning and evening. The below remedies include a few added natural ingredients that you can add to your warm water dip to speed up the healing process. Since Athlete’s Foot is a fungal infection, we have included natural ways to kill the fungus without any side effects.
Garlic
Garlic is perhaps one of the easiest, hassle free home remedies to Athlete’s Foot. It is readily available and can effectively kill the tinea pedis fungus responsible for athlete’s foot. Crush 3-4 cloves of garlic and mix well in warm water. Dip your feet in it for 30 minutes every morning and evening. Be sure to dry your feet thoroughly before getting ready for the rest of your day.
Plain Yogurt
Plain yogurt is very effective and can speed the process of healing Athlete’s foot. It contains acidophilus bacteria which is very essential to fight against tinea pedis. Remember that curd is not the same as yogurt so, if you use homemade curd it will not have the same effects as yogurt.
Use plain yogurt as a paste and apply it in the infected areas. Leave it on till it dries and wash it off thoroughly.
Apple Cider Vinegar and Crystal Sea Salt
Apple cider vinegar is naturally acidic whereas crystal salt absorbs moisture. Since infection thrives in moist environments these are the perfect ingredients to get rid of it. Mix a cup of apple cider vinegar with 2 tablespoons of crystal sea salt and add it to lukewarm water. Soak your foot in it for 15-20 minutes. This will effectively kill the fungus if you do it regularly. Dry your feet thoroughly with a soft towel before you get ready for the rest of your day.
Green Tea
A research conducted in 2013 in Japan claimed that rinsing your feet with brewed green tea water can ease the itching and soreness from Athlete’s foot. However, if you soak in water, brewed with green tea, you can speed up your healing process. Soak your feet in warm water with green tea for 10 – 15 minutes everyday and dry them thoroughly before you get busy with the rest of your day.
Coconut Oil
Coconut oil has many health benefits largely because of its’ anti-fungal properties. Apply coconut oil to your feet like you would apply lotion and massage thoroughly. You can use a pumice stone to rub against the infected areas after applying the oil. It will brush off the scaly parts of your feet and give you comfort from the itching and the irritation.
For each above treatments you need to make sure your feet are dry before you get up and get busy with other things. If you use a towel to dry your feet, wash it thoroughly to keep it ready for the next use.
Avoiding Athlete’s Foot For the Future
As the saying goes, ‘prevention is better than cure’ you can easily avoid Athlete’s foot if you follow some simple rules. Every time you visit the gym or a public swimming pool, bring your own towel and a clean change of clothes so that you don’t stay in sweaty/wet clothes after you are done with your practice. If you are someone who sweats a lot around your feet you can wear special, sweat absorbent socksto keep the moisture away from your feet.
Do not share towels and creams in locker rooms because anyone can be infected with athlete’s foot. When you take a shower in the locker rooms, try to pick a dry shower as the fungus cannot thrive in dry areas. Sometimes, all the showers are full and you have no other choice but to wait. In that case you can wear slippers to protect your feet.
Anytime you wear sweat absorbent socksfor a workout make sure to wash and dry them thoroughly before the next use. This will prevent germ build-up in your socks and keep your feet safe from Athlete’s foot.
