You Can Be Athletic Without Ruining Your Feet

The word ‘athlete’ may sound cool, but an athlete’s foot is far from being cool. This health condition is caused by a fungus that grows and spreads on the skin of your feet. Since the fungus is contagious, it can also lead to other health conditions such as toenail fungus. Furthermore, the fungus can also spread from person to person if precautions are not taken. While all of this sounds quite scary, an athlete’s foot is curable and can be taken care of without major expenses. The sooner the treatment begins, the easier it is to get rid of it.

There are many potential causes of athlete’s foot, including inappropriate footwear, sharing of footwear and cleaning tools, visiting public places barefoot, improper hygiene, injuries, and more. Some of the major symptoms include itching, burning, dry skin, skin cracking, and discoloration, and thickening of toenails.

Natural Home Remedies For Athlete’s Foot

Try out these reliable home remedies to get rid of the athlete’s foot without a visit to the doctor’s office.

Essential Oils Rub

Essential oils such as tea tree oil, eucalyptus oil, orange oil, peppermint oil, and lavender oil are amazing natural antiseptic agents. They are capable of eliminating fungus and treating athlete’s feet. Put a few drops of your selected essential oil on a cotton ball and gently rub it onto the affected areas. Replace the cotton ball as it gets dirty.

Honey Cover

Honey is delicious, but that’s not all. It is also an efficient anti-fungal agent capable of eliminating fungus and drawing them out of wounds caused by athlete’s foot. Spread a thin layer of honey over the infected areas and let it stay on for around 15 minutes. After that, wrap your feet with gauze while the honey remains on. Leave the gauze on overnight and thoroughly wash with soap in the morning.

Apple Cider Vinegar Bath

When it comes to eliminating fungus naturally, there are few rivals as effective as apple cider vinegar.

Another good thing about it is that it is capable of balancing the pH and preventing further fungus growth.

You can prepare a foot bath by adding a cup of apple cider vinegar to a bucket of water. Soak your feet in this solution for up to 30 minutes then pat dry them.

Foot Creams for Athlete’s Foot

Like the idea of a home remedy, but don’t want to make it? That’s alright. The health and beauty products market is vast, and feet treatments are no exception. Here is what you should look for in a foot cream to effectively treat an athlete’s foot:

Anti-fungal Properties

Athlete’s foot is caused by fungus and this microorganism can be eliminated by ingredients that contain anti-fungal properties.

Some of the top natural anti-fungal agents that you should look for in foot creams include orange oil, tea tree oil, lavender oil, olive oil, peppermint oil, and eucalyptus oil.

Furthermore, almost all of the foot creams for treating an athlete’s foot are made up of one of the following active ingredients: Miconazole, Clotrimazole, Tolnaftate, or Terbinafine.

Soothing Properties

Athlete’s feet can cause severe inflammation of the skin that leads to itchiness and irritation. Soothing properties found in ingredients such as aloe vera and sea kelp can help you deal with that problem. Various vitamin combinations can also be used in order to provide soothing effects.

Moisturizing Properties

Dryness and itchiness are not uncommon when it comes to an athlete’s foot. Moisturizing properties will help you relieve the itchiness and rejuvenate your skin. You will find them in agents such as neem oil, shea butter, aloe vera, tea tree oil, and antioxidants rich in amino acids.

You may have to try various creams before identifying the one that works for you. Always read the labels and instructions carefully. As you are applying the cream on your feet, give them a massage as well to promote blood circulation. Once you’re done, wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water.

Additional Tips on How to Prevent Athlete’s Foot

As always, prevention is the best cure. In fact, there is a lot one can do to prevent an athlete’s foot in the first place. Here are some tips that you should consider implementing in your daily life:

• Keep your feet dry at all times. If you are swimming, make sure to dry your feet once you are done. Don’t miss the areas between the toes!
• When sweating through your feet, make sure to apply anti-fungal powder. This will help you keep your feet dry and fungus-free.
• Change your socks often — not merely daily, but at least twice per day, especially during summer. Furthermore, get yourself socks that absorb sweat so that it doesn’t end up between your toes.
• Avoid wearing shoes when possible. If you have work or activities that require you to wear shoes constantly, then make sure to get breathable ones. Once you’re done wearing your shoes, air them for at least 12 hours before wearing them again. Exposing them to the sun may also help.
• Avoid sharing footwear and nail cleaning tools because you never know if the other person has fungus or not. When in public places such as spas, wear appropriate sandals as you walk around.

Wrap-Up

Athlete’s foot is a nasty and unpleasant condition that you want to get rid of immediately if you have it. While the infection itself may cause pain and aesthetic issues, it is luckily also highly treatable. As always, of course, prevention is best. If you do get infected, there is no need to panic.

There are numerous natural home remedies that are proven to work for an athlete’s foot. What’s even better is that you can DIY and get rid of the issues on your own without visiting a doctor. However, if the symptoms don’t retreat and even worsen, scheduling a checkup will be necessary.