Tinea pedis, commonly known as foot fungus, damp feet, athlete’s foot, or athletes’ foot. By these names, we can see that tinea pedis is more likely to occur in a humid and warm environment, but it is not a skin condition caused by humidity per se, but by a fungal infection of the foot. Tinea pedis is very common and can be accompanied by varying degrees of itching, and manifests itself in a variety of ways, from epidermal maceration and whitening between the crevices of the feet; to blisters on the palms of the feet, which break and ooze after scratching, forming a red vesicular surface; to erythema, papules and flaky desquamation; and to hyperkeratosis, cracking and desquamation of the skin on the palms and heels. It can recur and is not easy to cure completely. Why are some people prone to contracting tinea pedis? This has to do with many internal and external factors. Some people have a genetic susceptibility to the fungus. For example, if two people are exposed to the same fungus in the same environment, one person can contract tinea pedis while the other does not. This may be related to the type of keratin protein the individual inherited, certain components of the skin lipids produced, etc. In addition, fungal infections may be caused when immune function is low. Fungi are ubiquitous in nature, and when exposed to shoes, towels, bath tubs, etc. that are contaminated with fungi, these microorganisms can easily invade the outermost layer of human skin, the stratum corneum, and multiply and grow inside. They like moist, warm, and impermeable environments the most, so in the south, during the hot summer months, especially if you often wear thick, impermeable shoes, you are most likely to develop tinea pedis. Some people think that tinea pedis is a minor problem that hardly affects their daily life except for the itching they feel from time to time, so it doesn’t matter whether they treat it or not. You should give up this wrong idea. If you have tinea pedis, you may feel embarrassed at work or sleep at night because you scratch due to itching; you may develop a bacterial infection that causes local skin redness and pus; or you may have lymphangitis or dermatitis; you may have bleeding and pain due to local skin roughness and cracking; and you may infect other parts of your body, causing ringworm, tinea corporis, ringworm, nail fungus, etc., or you may infect others. Therefore, it is a responsible act to actively treat tinea pedis, both for yourself and others. Tinea pedis can be treated by applying topical medication and combining it with oral antifungal medication in severe cases. Generally, you can choose the appropriate dosage of medication, such as benzoic acid alcohol solution, ketoconazole cream, bifenbazole or terbinafine ointment, under the guidance of a dermatologist and according to the performance of the rash, and do not choose blindly by yourself, otherwise you may aggravate the condition or prolong the treatment course. You need to be a little more persistent when using the medication, whether it is itchy or not, you should insist on applying it as required, with a slightly wider range of medication, and it is better to apply some to the normal skin around the lesions, but the fungus will still survive in the skin, only the growth is inhibited, and when the right environment is encountered, the fungus will multiply again, leading to a recurrence of tinea pedis. There are also some people who do not pay attention to prevention, or who have poor hygiene habits, such as wearing slippers with each other, sharing towels, trying on shoes barefoot at shopping malls, or walking in public bathrooms, etc. Even if tinea pedis was once cured, it can become infected again. Such symptoms are repeated over and over again, causing a great deal of trouble. In fact, in addition to regular medication under the guidance of a doctor, the most important thing to do to reduce the threat of fungus is to take good care of skin hygiene and wash your feet every day, remembering to dry them completely, especially not to leave out the toe crevices, and refuse to be wet. People who are prone to foot sweating can apply some powder or antiperspirant to improve the dampness caused by sweating. After washing the socks, you can use boiling water for 10 minutes or expose them to the sun. Because simple washing with water and soap cannot kill the fungus. Choose breathable shoes. We can often see that many people cover their feet with a pair of thick sneakers even in the hot summer, and these people are more prone to fungal infections than those who wear sandals. So don’t ignore the health of your feet for the sake of beauty or convenience. It is also best to have a few pairs of shoes to change every season, even if a pair of shoes you like again, do not wear them for several days, weeks or even months, especially for people who love sweaty feet, and shoes should be dried frequently. Try to avoid using public slippers, towels, etc. If you have a family member with tinea pedis, be careful to keep your belongings strictly separate from others, and disinfect all items you touch after your tinea pedis has been cured. When you go to the mall to try on shoes, be sure to wear socks, even in summer. In conclusion, with reasonable treatment and protection, we can completely say goodbye to the annoying tinea pedis for good.