Swimmers' eczema: contagious athlete's foot

1. Actually, swimmers' eczema is not really eczema, but a fungal infection. This athlete's foot is often referred to as this because many swimmers suffer from the condition. The fungus is common in a warm, humid environment. Such as in swimming pools, saunas and sports facilities.

2. Actually, swimmers' eczema is not really eczema, but a fungal infection. This athlete's foot is often called that, because many swimmers suffer from the condition. The fungus is common in a warm, humid environment. Such as in swimming pools, saunas and sports facilities.

1. Fungi can grow in the skin, nails or hair. Athlete's foot (tinea pedis) is mainly found on the warm moist skin between the toes. The infection is usually caused by Trichophyton or Epidermophyton. In English, athlete's foot is also sometimes called 'athlete's foot'. Athlete's foot is common, at least 10 percent of the population suffers from it. Twenty percent of adult men seem to have it themselves.

How to recognize swimmers' eczema?

1. An infection usually starts between your fourth and fifth toe. Redness, gray-white skin flakes and itching are common symptoms. Bacteria can grow in the moist flakes, resulting in an unpleasant odor. The place where the fungus starts is moist and white in color. There may be a gap or loose sheets. You need to treat swimmers' eczema. If you don't, the fungus can spread all over your foot. This often results in red scaly patches on the edge of the foot or the sole of the foot. Sometimes with blisters and pimples. The callus on your foot can also thicken and crack.

2. An infection usually starts between your fourth and fifth toe. Redness, gray-white skin flakes and itching are common symptoms. Bacteria can grow in the moist flakes, resulting in an unpleasant odor. The place where the fungus starts is moist and white in color. There may be a gap or loose sheets. You have to treat swimmers' eczema. If you don't, the fungus can spread all over your foot. This often results in red scaly patches on the edge of the foot or on the sole of the foot. Sometimes with blisters and pimples. The callus on your foot can also thicken and crack.

How does athlete's foot develop?

1. Fungi are everywhere, but especially the floors of swimming pools, showers and gyms are places where you can easily get infected. The fungus must first penetrate and expand the skin and fortunately the skin is often able to protect itself. Sometimes, however, the skin's protective mechanism works less well, for example: if the skin is irritated or damaged if the skin is softened by moisture or heat if the skin is washed with soap The elderly, people with a reduced resistance or people with diabetes mellitus are more susceptible to fungal infections. If the fungal spores have infected the skin, you will not always immediately get complaints.

Risk factors

1. Athlete's foot feed on the outermost layer of the epidermis, the horny layer. They reproduce by means of spores that can grow back into fungi under favorable conditions. Risk factors for this are: sweaty feet summer months tropical climate wet public bathing and washing facilities (swimming pool, sauna, gym, changing rooms, etc.)

An infection happens quickly

1. The fungus is transmitted via the dander of people who are already infected: the fungus is in these flakes. If they come off, they end up on the floor of a swimming pool or shower, for example, and the mold can infect you. You can also get athlete's foot on your own bathroom floor. Especially if you have a housemate who already has the condition. Contact with fungi is difficult to avoid completely. It is also by no means always possible to find out where you contracted the fungal infection.

Treating swimmers' eczema

1. Most athlete's foot are superficial and harmless. The diagnosis is usually made with the naked eye, but the dander can also be examined under the miscrocope. You can treat the fungus with an anti-fungal cream, ointment or powder. Many of these products are available from pharmacies or chemists without a prescription. You usually have to apply them thinly to and around (2 centimeters) the area twice a day. The fungus may have spread further than you can see. An anti-fungal agent has an effect after two to four weeks on average. Pimples and blisters often take a little longer to recover, the same applies to the thick skin on the soles of the feet. It is important to keep using the cream or ointment until the skin has healed. Doesn't the infection get better? Then contact your doctor.

2. Most athlete's foot are superficial and harmless. The diagnosis is usually made with the naked eye, but the dander can also be examined under the miscrocope. You can treat the fungus with an anti-fungal cream, ointment or powder. Many of these products are available without a prescription from pharmacies or chemists. You usually have to apply them thinly to and around (2 centimeters) the area twice a day. The fungus may have expanded further than you can see. An antifungal agent has an effect on average after two to four weeks. Pimples and blisters often take a little longer to recover, the same applies to the thick skin on the soles of the feet. It is important to keep using the cream or ointment until the skin has healed. Doesn't the infection get better? Then contact your doctor.

Anti-fungal pills

1. Antifungal pills - such as itraconazole and terbinafine - are sometimes prescribed for athlete's foot that is deep in the skin. These are heavy drugs with quite a few side effects. For example, you should not take these medicines if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, it can make the contraceptive pill less reliable and it actually enhances the effect of some other medicines. Athlete's foot can easily come back. It is therefore important to keep following the tips below. You can treat a recurring fungal infection in the same way.

Athlete's foot

1. Prevention is better than cure. The following tips can help you stop the growth of fungi and prevent new fungal infections: Preferably wash your feet without soap. If you do use soap, rinse your feet well afterwards. After washing, dry your feet well, even between your toes. You can also use talcum powder between the toes. Keep your feet dry. Put on clean cotton or wool socks every day Wear well-ventilated shoes that are not too narrow. Opt for sandals, linen or leather shoes and try to avoid wearing closed rubber or plastic shoes. Let your shoes dry well after exercising. Wear flip-flops in areas where many people walk barefoot. Especially in damp areas, such as swimming pools. If you have the mold, it is recommended that you wash your socks at a higher temperature. When you walk barefoot in your shoes, your shoes should also be disinfected. This can be done with special powder. A