Athlete's foot

Athlete's foot is a very common condition, which affects many people at some point during their lives. It is caused by a fungal infection, which affects the skin on your feet. The infection is normally mild and is easy to treat. Athlete's foot usually affects the skin in between your toes, causing it to be red, flaky and itchy.

The medical name for athlete's foot is tinea pedis. Anyone can develop the condition, although men and teenagers tend to be most commonly affected.

If treated, an athlete's foot infection will normally only last for a few weeks. However, if left untreated, this skin condition can last for several months or even years.

Although not all cases of athlete's foot can be prevented, practising good foot hygiene can greatly help to reduce the risk of you developing a fungal infection. For more information on foot hygiene see the 'prevention' section.

In this section

Preventing athlete's foot

The best way to prevent athlete's foot is to follow good foot hygiene. Some simple steps that you can follow to keep your feet clean and hygienic are outlined below.

Wash your feet daily, particularly in between your toes
Reduce your foot perspiration by using talcum powder on your feet
Avoid tight-fitting footwear, particularly during the summer
Wash your towels and bedding frequently
Do not put on socks, tights or stockings before your feet are completely dry
Where possible, wear flip-flops, or plastic sandals in communal changing rooms or shower areas
Change your socks, stockings, or tights, on a regular basis.

Do I need to keep my child off school?

The Department of Health do not recommend that children with athlete's foot should be kept off school.

Instead, you should take precautions to ensure that your child does not walk barefoot while at school - for example, during physical education classes - as this will help stop the infection spreading. It is also advisable to let their teacher know, so they can make sure that your child is wearing the appropriate footwear.

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