Athlete’s foot does not only affect athletes and can affect anyone; you should learn more about them to help you manage this case. But should you treat an athlete’s foot? Or can you ignore it, especially in the early stages of infection when the symptoms are mild? Is it dangerous and you have to follow some advice?

Athlete’s foot should be treated, but why? We will find out the answer in this article.

Why should you treat athlete’s foot?

Athlete’s foot does not heal on its own, and you must treat athlete’s foot without delay for several reasons, like:

1.     You may transmit the infection

Athlete’s foot is a contagious fungal infection. It can be transmitted between people by coming into contact with an infected person or by touching contaminated surfaces such as towels, floors, and shoes. If you live with someone, you should be careful and avoid walking barefoot or sharing towels, socks, or even shoes.

2.     The appearance of the feet

Athlete’s foot often appears in the form of white spots between the toes, which affects the shape of your feet and you may be ashamed of it. Of course, in the hot weather here in the UAE, closed shoes are not the best option and open shoes and sandals are the first choice when leaving the house. Though the look of the feet makes closed shoes the perfect solution, the feet sweat with the high temperature and the closed conditions that the feet are exposed to as long as wearing closed shoes helps the growth of fungi and exacerbates the problem!

The infection will also prevent you from going to swimming pools and the gym.

3.     The infection may spread

The danger is not only in transmitting the infection to your loved ones, but it may surprise you by appearing in new places. Left untreated, athlete’s foot can spread to other areas of your body, such as:

• Nails. Fungal nail infections can be more difficult to treat because they are often more resistant to many treatments.
• Hands. This happens when you scratch your affected feet or use the same towel to dry your affected feet and hands.
• Thigh: The same fungus that causes athlete’s foot can infect the groin. It’s a condition called jock itch.

All of these reasons make it necessary to treat athlete’s foot as soon as the first symptoms appear. You can consult a pharmacist about appropriate over-the-counter medications or consult a podiatrist at Health and Style Medical Center for assurance or if the situation gets out of control.