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Print Athlete's Foot: You Don't Have to Be an Athlete to Get it!
Unpleasant foot odour. It lurks in unventilated shoes, and hot and sweaty gym socks – it's the fungus which causes Athlete's Foot! The combination of a warm, wet environment and bare feet encourages fungus growth and increases your chance of coming into contact with the organism.
You don't have to be an athlete to fall prey to this widespread foot infection (although spending a lot of time in damp locker rooms doesn't help).
Athlete's Foot is a skin condition caused by a fungus; it usually appears between the toes. There are almost 250,000 sweat glands in your feet, and they excrete as much as half a pint of moisture each day. When those perspiring feet are trapped in unventilated shoes, for example during exercising or playing sports, chances are good you may run into trouble – hence the name Athlete's Foot.
Check Your Symptoms
If you have two or more of these symptoms, chances are you have Athlete's Foot. Check which apply.
Red, flaky, itchy skin on the foot.
Scaling, cracking or grayish patches between and/or under toes.
Small blisters on the bottom of your feet.
Take good care of your feet; they get around. The average person takes 8,000 to 10,000 steps a day.
HOW DO I GET RID OF ATHLETE'S FOOT?
Fortunately, prevention and cure are at hand. The most effective way to treat Athlete's Foot is to kill the fungus in the outer layer of the skin. Antifungal creams and aerosol solutions–available at your local drugstore–are the simplest way to do so.
Take good care of your feet; they get around. The average person takes 8,000 to 10,000 steps a day. Ask your pharmacist about the non-prescription antifungal called MICATIN*. It is specially designed to kill the fungus that causes Athlete's Foot; penetrating and killing the fungus where it grows–beneath the surface of your skin.
MICATIN* is simple to apply, available in both an antifungal cream and a new easy-aim aerosol spray powder that directs the medicine where you need it. With a cure rate of up to 95% compared to 80% or even 58% for other over-the-counter medications, it offers fast, effective relief.
Athlete's Foot is just one kind of fungal foot infection. However, if you have two or more of the symptoms mentioned here, check with your doctor or pharmacist. He or she can advise which product is right for you.
Remember to follow label guidelines closely because, while symptoms lessen gradually, it may take up to a month of treatment to completely kill the fungus.
A step in the right direction
Practising good foot hygiene will give you a head start on prevention. Here are a few tips to follow on the road to healthy feet.
Wash your feet daily with soap and water; drying carefully, especially between the toes.
Let the feet air dry for 5 to 10 minutes after you wash them and before you put your socks and shoes on.
Change shoes and socks or hose regularly to keep moisture in check.
Wear cotton socks which absorb moisture.
Choose footwear that's light and airy.
Don't wear the same shoes everyday. Give them a chance to dry out.
from YOUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER, Volume 13, by McNeil Consumer Products Company; used with permission.
