View Full Version : What do you do to prevent Athletes Foot ?
johnnybgood
07-17-2010, 22:32
For anyone who has done a thru or section hike has welcomed the opportunity to shower after countless days of smelling of hiker funk.
With so many hikers taking showers at hostels and other popular shower facilities in trail towns , do you even think about Athletes Foot ?
Do you wear socks while showering or do you wear something like shower slippers, lightweight and easy to fold up , and taking up almost no space ?
Appalachian Tater
07-18-2010, 08:30
$0.99 flip flops work very well as camp shoes and in the (sometimes very nasty) showers you encounter along the trail. Reinforce the hole that the straps go through with duct tape on the underside when you first buy them. Very lightweight and should last an entire thru-hike.
I also use baby butt wipes with added rubbing alcohol to freshen up every night while hiking, including between my toes. I occasionally get a mild case of athlete's foot just from wearing cotton socks and leather shoes even though I clean my bathtub with bleach because the fungus that causes it is normally found on the feet anyway.
Drops of diluted bleach will kill the fungus and it works for me. Apparently this is common in some countries but I don't read about it being accepted medical treatment here.
Something else I do is if I am taking a break while hiking and removing my shoes or if I am at the beach is to expose the area between my toes to sunlight.
I am also switching over to wearing only wool socks as my old ones wear out.
http://www.fcusd.k12.ca.us/SMSWeb/Teacher%20Pages/Palmrose/0910/1st%20tri/gracie/EVA-flip-flops.jpg
garlic08
07-18-2010, 08:54
I carry a small (12 gram) tube of antifungal cream in my first aid kit. Works for jock itch and some chaffing as well. I've shared it more than I've used it.
Old Grouse
07-18-2010, 10:14
Sadly, the time-honored "cure" of peeing on your foot has been debunked.
twosticks
07-20-2010, 09:31
I use a foot cream with tea tree oil in it. Wonderful stuff. Works on the mid regions as well.
Raul Perez
07-20-2010, 09:37
I'm highly prone to athletes foot. I get it usually if my shoes get drenched in rain or get soaked in a puddle. The only way I've been able to battle it is immediate diagnosis and attack it with 2 treatments a day with anti-fungal cream. For me there seems to be a 3 day span from diagnosis to relief of the symptoms. Day 2 being the absolute worst pain.
I wonder if walking a little each day in on a trail of spruce or pine or fir might help prevent or cure athletes foot or alot of other ailments. I like the dryness and also some stickiness from the resins in the pitch or tar or gum. I'm guessing there are some natural antifungals in there, and other good stuff.
johnnybgood
07-20-2010, 19:55
I'm highly prone to athletes foot. I get it usually if my shoes get drenched in rain or get soaked in a puddle. The only way I've been able to battle it is immediate diagnosis and attack it with 2 treatments a day with anti-fungal cream. For me there seems to be a 3 day span from diagnosis to relief of the symptoms. Day 2 being the absolute worst pain.
Exactly what I'm talking about. What's the saying " an ounce of prevention goes a long way" .
I wonder if walking a little each day in on a trail of spruce or pine or fir might help prevent or cure athletes foot or alot of other ailments. I like the dryness and also some stickiness from the resins in the pitch or tar or gum. I'm guessing there are some natural antifungals in there, and other good stuff. You might be on to something there JAK .
Carrying a small bottle of isopropyl alcohol and wiping between your toes and the bottom of your feet should dry them out well after washing (which should be done as often as possible on a long hike). Antifungal powders may prevent the onset as well, and don't weigh much.
Shower slippers sound like a decent idea, too.
I use a foot cream with tea tree oil in it. Wonderful stuff. Works on the mid regions as well.
Does it work? I will have a try. Thank you.
Ray Jardine says all you need to do to eliminate athletes foot is to air your feet out in the sun. I'm not so sure, but it is a good idea for feet to get some air.
Appalachian Tater
08-26-2010, 05:56
Ray Jardine says all you need to do to eliminate athletes foot is to air your feet out in the sun. I'm not so sure, but it is a good idea for feet to get some air.
Yes, sunlight (ultraviolet light) kills the fungus.
IronGutsTommy
08-28-2010, 00:28
shower shoes are a must. crocs work great for both camp and shower, and knock offs cost 10 bucks or less, and weigh virtually nothing. They also work greatas stream crossers in shallow slow moving conditions.. socks in the shower? let the fungus begin
johnnybgood
08-28-2010, 10:12
.. socks in the shower? let the fungus begin
Yeah duh , i dunno what i was thinking. :eek:
I air out my shoes, socks, and feet at every chance I get especially at night in camp. I'll also throw in a tiny bottle of tea tree oil and a few Q-tips in my bounce box. Tea tree oil works well as an antiseptic. In Australian they use it for everything from washing clothes to disinfecting the kitchen floor. I think it smells good too. Although the 100 % tea tree oil is pricey it goes a long way and really isn't much pricier than many anti-fungal creams. I also use it on cuts, scrapes, shaving bumps, etc. It works well keeping my skin clear.
Wear shower shoes at the AT hostels too!
Oh yeah, tea tree oil, when applied liberally topically to the tops of toenails, can be used to treat toenail fungus(under the toenails), which can be hard to get rid of. Use it in place of costlier oral anti-fungal toenail medication without the possible liver complications or costs. You can also use something like a Vicks Vapor Rub lathered on your toenails to do the same thing.
johnnybgood
08-28-2010, 15:57
Although the 100 % tea tree oil is pricey it goes a long way and really isn't much pricier than many anti-fungal creams. I also use it on cuts, scrapes, shaving bumps, etc. It works well keeping my skin clear.
Wear shower shoes at the AT hostels too!
Thanks Dogwood . Where can I find tea tree oil ?
In the vitamin section of most pharmacies. Even some stores like Dollar General may carry it.
IronGutsTommy
08-28-2010, 21:37
yeah tea tree oil is some amazing stuff. my uncle lives in the us virgin islands and they swear by the stuff down there too
Jonnycat
08-30-2010, 20:52
Foot powder
at home, my doc told me to alternate dress shoes every day, using cedar shoe trees. New aired out socks also. And then I use a spray on anti-fungal stuff. Zero athletes foot problem then.
Trailbender
09-07-2010, 19:18
I use foot powder on my feet at night. In the shower, I would piss on my feet, especially between the toes. It sounds crazy, but it is sterile and antifungicidal. This was specifically mentioned to me in the Army, and I told everyone in my unit to do it. No one got athlete's foot.
Trailbender
09-07-2010, 19:19
Sadly, the time-honored "cure" of peeing on your foot has been debunked.
Nope. The Army still teaches it.