If you want to get rid of annoying athlete's foot, you should pay attention to these protective details

The weather is getting hotter, are your soles and toes itchy again? Are you suffering from toe ulcers again?

If so, then you may have a recurrence of athlete's foot.

There are other names for athlete's foot, such as "Hong Kong foot". According to analysis, the term "Hong Kong foot" appeared during World War II, when the British army was fighting in Hong Kong and Singapore. Because the weather in these places was very humid and hot, officers and soldiers wearing long boots contracted foot skin diseases. European doctors had never seen this disease, so they named it "Hong Kong foot" based on the place name.

According to doctors, the standard name for athlete's foot is "tinea pedis", and about 15% of people are deeply troubled.

So how did it come about?

Simply put, athlete's foot is a fungal infection of the feet, usually between the toes and on the soles of the feet.

So, what are fungi? They are a type of tiny organisms that can reproduce and grow in a humid environment. When your feet are in a humid, hot, and airtight environment for a long time, such as wearing airtight shoes, damp socks, sharing slippers with others, or often walking barefoot in public places such as swimming pools and bathhouses, it is easy to be infected with fungi. If the fungi reproduce in large numbers and invade the stratum corneum of the skin, then athlete's foot is not far away from you.

Athlete's foot usually causes itching, blisters, peeling, and even rotten feet. If athlete's foot is not treated in time, it is easy to recur, or even never get better and continue to spread.

Therefore, if you have symptoms of athlete's foot, it is best to go to the hospital for medical treatment in time and choose the correct medication.

However, it must be clear that medication alone is not enough, and protection details must be done well. Only when protection is in place can there be a better chance of getting rid of this annoying athlete's foot.

Today, we will share 5 important protection details to see if you have overlooked any of them.

Detail 1: Choose shoes and socks with good breathability

This is because fungi are easy to breed and multiply in a humid and hot environment. If you wear shoes and socks with strong sealing, your feet will sweat easily and the inside of the shoes will be moist, which will provide a good breeding ground for fungi, aggravating the occurrence and development of athlete's foot. Even if athlete's foot is cured, it is easy to relapse.

Detail 2: Do not walk barefoot in public areas

This is because after being infected with athlete's foot, a large number of fungi will grow on the feet, and these fungi will be scattered in public areas where barefoot people walk, such as public bathrooms, swimming pools, gyms, locker rooms, etc. If you walk barefoot in these areas, it is easy to come into contact with these fungi and cause infection. The correct way is to wear slippers or breathable shoes to protect your feet when walking in public areas to avoid infection.

Detail 3: Keep the shoes you wear daily dry and ventilated

If the shoes are not fully dried, the inside will become damp, providing ideal growth conditions for fungi, thereby increasing the risk of infection. On the contrary, if they can be dried in time and kept dry and ventilated, fungi can be reduced, thereby reducing the risk of recurrence of athlete's foot.

Detail 4: Wash socks with hot water

Washing socks in hot water can effectively reduce fungal infections. This is because fungi have poor adaptability to high temperatures. Hot water can kill most fungi, thereby reducing the growth and spread of fungi inside socks.

Detail 5: Wash your feet every day to keep them clean

Remember to wash your feet every day. You can use warm water and cleansing products (such as soap and shower gel). In addition, do not share slippers, towels and other personal items with your family before and after washing your feet to avoid spreading fungi among family members. Finally, remember to scrub your entire foot after washing your feet, especially between your toes.

The above 5 points are some common methods to reduce the recurrence of athlete's foot. Here is another reminder: if the symptoms of athlete's foot have not improved or continue to worsen, do not blindly use medication for treatment. It is best to see a doctor in time to get better treatment advice and treatment plans.

Author: Tang Jiaoqing, MD, attending physician of dermatology

Reviewer: Professor Li Feng, Department of Dermatology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital

The article is produced by Science Popularization China-Starry Sky Project (Creation and Cultivation). Please indicate the source when reprinting.