| Subject: RE: Dry skin, Athlete's foot? |
Author: Bernie Secoura
Date: 5/13/2005 4:25 pm PDT
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First of all, let me assure you that you did not get athletes feet because you removed your shoes and socks at an airport . . nor would you get it from a motel or shower or anywhere else of which your mother may have warned you. Fungus is not all that infectious, and I can assure you that if it were, every podiatrist would be a big festering patch of cutaneous fungus by now. You likely could not induce a fungus infection if you tried your best, and it just won't occur from anything like the airport episode.
That being said, fungus is very common on the feet, as the shoes and socks provide a dark warm environment as well as a buildup of dead epidermal skin which fungus just loves. Unlike in years past, there are many OTC fungal remedies which are quite good now-a-days. Some are Lotrimin, Tinactin and Lamasil. There are also very good oral anti-fungal meds such as Sporanox and Lamasil but they must be prescribed by a doctor and liver tests should be run prior to and during therapy.
There are also many other conditions which can produce dry, flaky, itchy and sometimes inflamed lesions of the feet and elsewhere. One which you probably have not considered, but which often causes nail deformities and patches or silvery, scales, especially on extensor surfaces such as the top of the toe joints, knees and elbows, is psoriasis. This generally should be treated by a dermatologist.
Other conditions may be resultant from the lack of intracellular moisture, which cause dry skin. (Do not soak. It will make the situation worse.) There are good medications available.
Either a podiatrist or a dermatologist can make your diagnosis for your feet and subsequently treat same, but as some of these conditions are not limited to the feet, a dermatologist may be more appropriate. |
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Lynn |
5/13/2005 8:36 am PDT |
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RE: Dry skin, Athlete's foot? |
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Bernie Secoura |
5/13/2005 4:25 pm PDT |
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