My friend told me she went to a meditation retreat and that the guy next to her had athlete’s foot fungal rash. In certain contexts, people can really see your feet. Tinea pedis, or athlete’s foot is also contagious and the symptoms include skin flaking, itchiness and scaling. The fungus can also go to other parts of the body such as your legs or the groin region. People can pick this up in the locker room and spread it to family members.

To get relief from athlete’s foot you need to first of all remember to use a different towel when you dry your feet off after showering than the rest of your body. Don’t forget to be careful around both the toes and the sections under the toe nails. Wait to let them dry . You can use over the counter medications initially to test if they work. There are prescription creams you can get from your family doctor that contain miconazole or clotrimazole which are agents to control and eliminate the fungus.

Some people have found that soaking their feet in mouthwash or in diluted boric acid has killed the fungus. This is only anecdotal and not studied medically however. Others have found that swimming pools helped due to the cholorine content. Alternative treatment include a mixture of olive oil with some garlic cloves and tea tree oil. Garlic and tea tree oil are known to be anti-fungal agents. This is applied overnight and covered with cotton socks. Grapefruit seed extract also is written about by herbalists for killing fungus.

Whether you use a natural approach or traditional, remember that when we sweat the problem can worsen and it’s good to get out of sweaty socks and sneakers as soon as possible. Always use cotton instead of nylon or spandex materials. Air out your feet and keep them dry whenever you can. Some people will put powders that contain miconazole directly into their running shoes or sneakers. Don’t share towels or other items at the gym. You can also sleep with your feet uncovered if you tend to sweat at night to prevent moisture from perspiration excaberating the problem.

Also you may have one form of tinea and not another. I get tinea versicolor on my back which is a fungus but have never gotten athlete’s foot issues. There are a number of itchy skin rashes with similar appearances so analyze things closely.