Many people suffer from lesser known skin diseases that they write off as infections and ignore until they become serious. In the transitional seasons when it rains and the winds are cold, our feet are usually either sweaty or drenched in rain, making their skin more vulnerable to toxic elements, allergic materials and most commonly harmful micro-organisms, like fungi.
One of the most common and ignored skin conditions that can develop at this time is athlete’s foot — caused by a group of fungi called dermatophytes. The uppermost layer of the skin, the stratum corneum, consists of a protein called keratin. The dermatophytes break through the stratum corneum and use keratin as its source of nutrients and invade the skin layer.
This occurs commonly in athletes, gym-goers, sportspersons and lay persons who do not frequently wash their feet and are in the habit of allowing them to dry off naturally whenever they are wet.
During the early stages of the condition, the webbed skin between the toes can swell up, redden, become scaly and cause intense itchiness. As it progresses, there is further swelling, laceration or small blebs in between the toes. Along with itching, there can be thickening and scaling of the skin on the soles.
It is advisable to consult a dermatologist for the appropriate treatment whenever you see symptoms like these. In some cases, you may need to take oral medications and topical medications to beat the athlete’s foot.
To prevent it, make sure you take off your shoes and socks while at work and allow your feet to breathe. After working out or returning from a walk, you can use a scrub made prepared almonds, honey, olive oil and orange juice to wash your feet off the toxic elements.
— The author is a dermatologist and laser surgeon.
