Athlete's Foot... or Not?

by Aimee Amodio | More from this Blogger

26 Mar 2009 02:27 PM

Athlete's foot is caused by a fungus that likes warm, moist territory -- like the conditions found in a lot of shoes. But not all itchy, red, rashy feet are suffering from athlete's foot. There are other conditions that may look or feel like the real thing... but aren't.

• Eczema can cause an identical rash on both feet. If your case of athlete's foot looks exactly the same on your left and right feet, it may be eczema instead.
• Allergies can also cause an identical rash on both feet. You may be allergic to something in your shoes or socks! (Have you changed laundry detergents lately? Purchase new shoes?)
• A rash that's just on the tops of your toes may be contact dermatitis instead of athlete's foot. Real athlete's foot will be above, below, and between your toes!
• If your feet are red, swollen, sore, and blistered, you may have an allergic reaction on your hands -- not athlete's foot. (Athlete's foot generally doesn't leave you with blisters, though there is a rare variant that does come with blisters on the instep.)
• In general, children who have not reached puberty are not likely to develop athlete's foot. So if your wee one is suffering, athlete's foot is probably not the cause.

Want to confirm that case of athlete's foot? Check between your toes... especially between your fourth toe and your pinkie toe. If the toe web there is infected, then you probably have athlete's foot. If the webbing there is not infected, then something else is to blame.

No matter what your foot problem is, it's not a bad idea to dry your shoes carefully between outings. Moist shoes encourage fungal growth! Swap shoes so you aren't wearing the same pair every day. Use a blow dryer to air out the insides of your shoes. You can also use a spray disinfectant on your shoes (especially the insides) to kill off any bacteria or fungus spores.

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Aimee is a fiction writer... dog lover... music lover...

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