Athletes Foot and Vinegar
Do you walk barefoot in public pools or change rooms? If so, athletes foot may be in your future.
This well known fungal infection results in itchy skin, flaking and scaling of the skin on your foot and can be treated using various products available at your local drug store.
Not an athlete you say?
That doesn’t matter. The name reflects that the fungus is usually contracted in swimming pools and public showers or change rooms were the floor is warm and damp. This condition, as you probably know, is ideal as a fungus breading ground.
You may even find that your favorite pair of sneakers may give you athletes foot or toe nail fungus if they are not kept dry.
How Do You Get Rid of It?
This condition is very common so of course there are lots of products available in your local drugs store but before you lay out a lot of cash it is best to look for cheap home remedies that you may have in your kitchen pantry.
My recommendation of course is Vinegar.
The malic acid content of vinegar makes it very effective at killing the fungus and you probably have some in your kitchen cabinet.
As a bonus, vinegar will also alleviate the itching caused by the fungus.
Any vinegar will do but I recommend apple cider vinegar which includes
“The Mother”
because of the additional healing nutrients present. You can tell when “the mother” is present in your vinegar because it will be cloudy and brown in color.
Your mixture should be at a ratio of about 1 part vinegar to 2 parts warm water. Pour it into a small basin and soak your feet for about 20 minutes or so. If your skin is sensitive and you experience some stinging you can increase the amount of water you use but then you should probably also increase the time.
Repeat the process twice a day increasing the vinegar content as your condition improves. After each treatment ensure that you dry your feet well before putting your socks back on.
For small children or in cases where your condition is mild you can try using a wet cloth to apply the solution.
Bedtime is the best time for this.
To avoid re-infecting your feet you should soak your footwear in a mixture of 1 part vinegar to 5 parts water for 5 - 10 minutes then wash as usual.
How Do You Avoid Athletes Foot?
Warm moisture is your enemy when it comes to fungus related skin conditions. If you live in a southern area where this condition is prevalent you may want to take extra care of your feet.
There are a few things you can do to avoid this condition:
- wash your feet daily and dry them well each time
- change your socks after a work out or when they get damp
- wear sandals or socks around the pool or in public areas
- apply talcum powder to your feet if you tend to sweat in your shoes
- Keep your shoes dry
If you have had this problem you need to be extra vigilant because it may return.
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