What is Tinea?
Tinea is caused by a fungus that affect the hair, skin or nails. It may be called Athlete’s Foot or Tinea Pedis when the feet are infected. This is a common form of infection which thrives in warm humid areas, such as shoes, socks or between toes.
Infection is more likely to occur if you:
- go barefoot at public swimming pools or showers
- share shoes, socks or towels with people already infected.
Tinea and your feet
Tinea may affect the feet in several ways:
- Little blisters, which are often itchy, may appear on the bottom of the foot
- The skin between the toes may be red, soggy or itchy
- Hard, dry, callous-looking skin on the bottom and sides of the feet may occur
- The nails may become thick, discoloured, cracked and brittle
Tinea may be prevented by:
- Wearing thongs around swimming pools and in communal showers
- Taking care not to allow small cracks to occur in your skin
- Wearing leather shoes and cotton socks to allow the skin to breathe
- Washing and drying feet carefully each day
For more information, call us on 03 9735 1273
