Athlete's+Foot+Justin+Chiu


 * Athlete’s Foot **

Athlete's foot (also known as ringworm of the foot and tinea pedis), is the infection of fungus in the genus //Trichophyton// on the bottom of the feet.




 * Signs and Symptoms **

Symptoms of athlete's foot include dry skin, itching, burning, and redness of the feet. The symptoms often first appear between the toes, where the infection usually starts. Blistering, peeling, cracking of the affected area occur. On some conditions the affected skin can appear white and wet on the surface. The infection can be spread to another area of the body, such as the toenails and groin.


 * Transmission: **

People usually get Athlete’s foot by walking bare foot in wet and moist areas such as swimming pools and public showers. People with this disease leave the fungi on the floor after they walk bare foot, thus letting other people get infected. You can also get infected by touching the toes or feet of a person who has it. If you wear socks that you or other people have worn before and tight shoes, you will also probably get Athlete’s foot. In rarer conditions, you may also get infected by sharing towels or footwear of the infected person. If you touch something that has the fungi on it, you can spread athlete’s foot to other people-even if you don't get the infection yourself.


 * Prevention: **

You can prevent Athletes foot by: · Wear slippers or at sandals when in areas such as swimming pools and public showers. · Use a towel to dry foot after swimming or shower. · Use your own towel if possible. · Personal hygiene is very important, so always cleaning and washing would help. · Wear footwear that is not that tight, which allows your foot to breath. · Change socks for at least two times a day.




 * Treatment: **

There is a lot of medical treatment for athlete’s foot, but research state that personal hygiene can cure athlete's foot even without medication in 30-40% of most cases. Although medication enhances a higher chance of curing athlete’s foot, personal hygiene is seen to be more important.

Consulting a doctor such as a dermatologist (say: dur-muh-tal-uh-jist), a skin doctor, or podiatrist (say: puh-dye-uh-trist), a foot doctor, is the first thing to do. The doctor may swab or scrape off a skin sample to test for fungus or for bacteria, but usually he or she can just figure out the sickness by looking at it. Common medical treatments for athlete’s foot are powder or cream that is applied on the area being infected. It kills the bacteria and fungi living in that area and thus preventing them to grow again. For more serious conditions, the doctor may prescribe oral treatment to patients. Yet it is extremely efficient, there are serious side effects that can dangerously affect the health of a person.

Healthwise, Incorporated. (2008, July 02). //Athlete's foot - topic overview//. Retrieved from http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/tc/athletes-foot-topic-overview
 * Reference: **

Alai, NA. (2010). Athlete's Foot. //Medicine net//. Retrieved (2010, August 29) from http://www.medicinenet.com/athletes_foot/article.htm

wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. (2010). Athlete's foot. //Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia//. Retrieved (2010, August 29) from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athlete%27s_foot

Hyde, PH. (2008). Athlete's foot. //Kid's health//. Retrieved (2010, August 29) from http://kidshealth.org/kid/health_problems/skin/athletes_foot.html#

by: Justin Chiu 9.3