Our feet put in the work daily, carrying us through our work days and workouts, often without getting the attention they deserve. Even the most diligent moisturizer and SPF appliers among us seem to let our feet fall by the wayside, even though they’re hardworking tools that deserve as much love as the rest of our skin.
When we ignore our feet, problems can sneak up thanks to the particular environment our socks and shoes create that turns them into a breeding ground for microbes. The good news is that many of the most common issues that affect the skin on our feet are preventable and treatable. With expert advice from Advanced Dermatology & Cosmetic Institute and our partnership with Tetra Corporation’s products, you can address foot odors, itchiness, fungi, and more.
Foot Odor
We’ve likely all experienced a case of bromodosis– better known as foot odor– a few times in our lives, but if you feel like you’re dealing with a chronic case of malodors, the source of the stink may be a bit surprising.
Sweat is entirely odorless, but it traps fatty acids and sloughed-off skin cells, making an attractive meal for bacterial species like Propionibacterium acnes and Staphylococcus epidermis. When these microbes feast on your foot sweat, they create foul-smelling compounds like isovaleric and acetic acid.
In some people, this odor persists even after washing, making the experience of taking off your shoes after a long day frustrating and embarrassing.
Prevention:
Preventing foot odor starts with good foot hygiene, so wash your feet daily with soap and water. Once clean, it’s just as important to make sure that they’re completely dry, paying particular attention to the spaces between your toes.
Your footwear options can also make a difference, so choose breathable socks and shoes made with materials that naturally wick away moisture, like cotton. If your feet do become sweaty throughout the day, take a few minutes to swap out your socks at lunchtime.
Treatment:
If foot odor has already set in on your favorite pair of sneakers, you don’t necessarily have to throw them out! Instead, give them a few spritzes of Tetra Corporation’s Clean Sweep Shoe Spray to neutralize the bacteria that cause odor, keeping your shoes—and, by extension, your feet—fresh.
Better yet, a single treatment will continue to provide antimicrobial protection for the next 4-6 months, after which you give your shoes another spray to keep bacteria at bay. Spray directly into shoes until they are odor-free.
Foot Fungus (Athlete’s Foot)
Athlete’s foot, medically known as tinea pedis, is a common and highly contagious fungal infection that affects the skin on the feet. The fungus responsible for athlete’s foot thrives in warm, damp environments, making places like locker rooms, public showers, and even the inside of your shoes particularly alluring to the dermatophyte mold spores behind tinea pedis.
Don’t let the name fool you, either. You don’t have to be a sports superstar to suddenly find yourself dealing with the itching, burning sensation that typically starts between your toes. As the infection progresses, it’s not uncommon to see redness, peeling, and, in severe cases, blistering.
It’s also incredibly contagious, so the most conscientious choice is to keep your feet far away from communal spaces until your athlete’s foot clears up.
Prevention:
Keeping your feet dry and clean is the first line of defense, but it’s perhaps even more important to avoid walking around in public areas where others are doing the same, such as the gym locker room. Instead of leaving your foot’s fate to chance, pack a pair of flip-flops to slip on after your workout.
Treatment
Formula 3® was the first product available to patients using jojoba oil as the vehicle, a Tetra-patented technology. Thanks to their ingenuity, the medicated tolnaftate can’t be separated from the jojoba oil, so both ingredients are easily absorbed through the skin and delivered directly to the infected area. In fact, Formula 3® Antifungal is so effective that it has received the American Podiatric Medical Association’s Seal of Approval.
Interdigital Maceration
Breaking down the term interdigital (between the toes) maceration (soaking until soft), we get the medical word for the foot condition involving the skin’s stratum corneum layer between your toes becoming compromised, making it less resilient and more prone to tearing. Typically, it’s caused by footwear that compresses the toes, or that doesn’t allow moisture to evaporate away from your skin. However, it can also develop as a secondary infection from a severe case of athlete’s foot.
While a seemingly minor inconvenience, remember that your feet are incredibly prone to microbes. These areas of broken skin are like a personalized invitation telling microscopic organisms to come in and make themselves at home. So, left unchecked and untreated, interdigital maceration can lead to more serious skin infections.
Prevention:
Your footwear makes a huge difference, so choose breathable socks and shoes made with materials that naturally wick away moisture, like cotton. If your feet do become sweaty throughout the day, take a few minutes to swap out your socks at lunchtime.
Treatment:
In addition to keeping the skin between your toes dry and aerated, you’ll need to treat the microbial overgrowth and help your skin regain its integrity. For a fast-acting solution, Formula 7® Rapid MicroGel helps your skin regain its integrity with its formulation that includes antifungal and bactericidal drugs, penetration enhancers to improve delivery to the infection, conditioners, and astringents to help dry the area out.
Plantar Warts
If you’ve ever noticed a strange growth in the sole of your foot, it may have been a planter wart caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), as it can enter your skin through the tiniest cracks or abrasions. Over time, the virus causes a small, rough growth on the heels or balls of your feet. What sets them apart from other types of warts is that the constant pressure of standing and walking causes them to grow inward, so it can feel like you’re walking on a pebble when they’re on weight-bearing areas like the heel or ball.
In some cases, plantar warts can form into clusters or have tiny black dots on their surface, which are small, clotted blood vessels called “wart seeds.”
Prevention:
You can get plantar warts from the same sources as athlete’s foot, as it thrives in warm, moist environments. If you have a weakened immune system, you may be much more susceptible to developing the warts because your body is less able to fight off the infection. Just ensure you always wear shoes in communal areas like locker rooms and swimming pools.
Treatment:
Tetra Corp also has a highly effective solution for plantar warts in their GlyCylic® product, the first wart remover formulated with salicylic acid (a beta-hydroxy acid), glycolic acid (an alpha-hydroxyl acid), and immunomodulatory, virucidal, anti-scarring, and antiseptic ingredients that condition the emerging skin and promote healing while minimizing pain and irritation. The formula contains a multi-phase ingredient list that fights back against HPV infections throughout the entire healing process:
- Glycolic acid penetrates the hard, thick skin, covering the outermost layers of a wart.
- Salicylic acid follows the glycolic acid into the wart to achieve deep penetration, causing the skin to swell, soften, and peel off.
- Glycerin traps moisture in your skin and contributes to the penetration and peeling-off of the top layers of the wart. It also moisturizes the emerging skin.
- Ethyl pyruvate minimizes inflammation as wart layers peel away.
- Povidone-iodine offers broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity, is effective for wart healing, prevents resistance, and reduces inflammation.
Take Care of Your Hardworking Feet With Help From ADCI
If you have questions or concerns about skin issues affecting your feet, it’s time to visit with Dr. Elizabeth Briden, Melissa Waterman, PA-C or Denise Barnhardt, PA-C at Advanced Dermatology & Cosmetic Institute. Not only does she have decades of experience in dermatology, but she’s also an authorized prescriber of products from the Tetra Corporation, which are only available through a physician. Reach out and take the first step toward maintaining healthy, comfortable feet.
