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Pierre Schlienger (chiropodist)
Do you know what athlete’s foot is? This fungal infection is more easily transmitted in the summer. Discover a podiatrist’s advice to avoid falling victim to it!
Despite its name, athlete’s foot doesn’t only affect athletes. You could also be a victim, especially if you don’t follow these few hygiene rules mentioned by podiatrist Pierre Schlienger. Discover his advice to avoid this fungal infection that is so common in summer.
Athlete’s foot, an infection linked to heat and humidity
Athlete’s foot is a fungal infection that develops between the toes. “This fungus always begins by appearing on the fourth intermetatarsal space, which corresponds to the space between the penultimate and last toes of the foot. Furthermore, it can spread and colonize all of the toes… or even the entire foot.” the podiatrist explains to us.
How does this happen? “Usually, this infection is linked to toes that are too tight, victims of humidity and heat”. This fungus is called “athlete’s foot” because it is often found in athletes. Indeed, with feet that tend to swell during exercise, they are generally too tight and are therefore more prone to infections. In addition, changing your shoes too little (especially sports shoes!) facilitates the proliferation of bacteria.
“In terms of symptoms, we find flaking (dead skin), redness, itching and irritation, but also pain in the most advanced cases” Pierre Schlienger tells us. Not very pleasant when you’re out walking!
The right actions to take, especially in summer!
As the podiatrist reminds us, “Mushrooms like closed and humid spaces, because they give them the opportunity to proliferate easily”. In summer, we generally sweat more, which can play a major role in the proliferation of this bacteria. In addition, “Being barefoot in certain places such as the swimming pool, changing rooms and shared showers also promotes infections” specifies our expert.
To avoid this, Pierre Schlienger advises you to “change your shoes every day, dry your feet properly after each swim, wear flip-flops or sandals in the pool or in common wet areas, wash your feet every day, and choose materials such as fine leather and cotton, avoiding synthetics!”
On vacation, it can also be useful to take “talcum powder to apply to your feet to limit excessive perspiration, anti-perspiration balls to place in your shoes or even essential oils like tea tree to purify your feet”advises the expert.
With these methods, you have every chance of avoiding fungal infections this summer! Be careful, however, athlete’s foot is not the only infection that spreads more easily in the summer! Also watch out for warts and complications related to ingrown toenails, which also like heat and humidity!
Slideshow: Foot health: stop bad habits!