Athlete's foot prevention

Overview
The practices given in this section do not only help prevent spread of the fungus, they can also help greatly in managing and curing athlete's foot in an individual by reducing or eliminating re-exposure to the fungus in one's home environment.

The fungi that cause athlete's foot can live on shower floors, wet towels, and footwear. Athlete's foot is caused by a fungus and can spread from person to person from shared contact with showers, towels, etc. Hygiene therefore plays an important role in managing an athlete's foot infection. Since fungi thrive in moist environments, it is very important to keep feet and footwear as dry as possible.

Prevention measures in the home
The fungi that cause athlete's foot live on moist surfaces and can be transmitted from an infected person to members of the same household through secondary contact. By controlling the fungus growth in the household, transmission of the infection can be prevented.

Bathroom hygiene

 * Spray tub and bathroom floor with disinfectant after each use to help prevent reinfection and infection of other household members.

Frequent laundering

 * Wash sheets, towels, socks, underwear, and bedclothes in hot water (at 60 °C / 140 °F) to kill the fungus.
 * Change towels and bed sheets at least once per week.

Avoid sharing

 * Avoid sharing of towels, shoes and socks between household members.
 * Use a separate towel for drying infected skin areas.

Prevention measures in public places

 * Wear shower shoes or sandals in locker rooms, public showers, and public baths.
 * Wash feet, particularly between the toes, with soap and dry thoroughly after bathing or showering.
 * If you have experienced an infection previously, you may want to treat your feet and shoes with over-the-counter drugs.

Personal prevention measures

 * Dry feet well after showering, paying particular attention to the web space between the toes.
 * Try to limit the amount that your feet sweat by wearing open-toed shoes or well-ventilated shoes, such as lightweight mesh running shoes.
 * Wear lightweight cotton socks to help reduce sweat. These must be washed in hot water and/or bleached to avoid reinfection. New light weight, moisture wicking polyester socks, especially those with anti-microbial properties, may be a better choice.
 * Use foot powder to help reduce moisture and friction. Some foot powders also include an anti-fungal ingredient.
 * Wear open-toed shoes or simply light-weight socks without shoes when at home.
 * Keep shoes dry by wearing a different pair each day.
 * Change socks and shoes after exercise.
 * Replace sole inserts in shoes/sneakers on a frequent basis.
 * Replace old sneakers and exercise shoes.
 * To prevent jock itch: When getting dressed, put on socks before underwear.
 * After any physical activity shower with a soap that has both an antibacterial and anti-fungal agent in it.

Reference
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