Athlete’s Foot Causes:

There is always that question on how a person acquires this fungal infection. What are the common causes of athlete’s foot? Here is a list of answers that would give you clarity:

• Poor hygiene. Wearing dirty socks over and over again would likely yield to the growth of the athlete’s-foot-causing fungi.
  Poor hygiene wherein an individual does not properly clean his feet when taking a bath and not cleaning in between the toes and soles of the feet is one of the main culprits of athlete’s foot.
• Prolonged wearing of socks. This causes the feet to sweat; and if not air-dried, it would likely result to the growth of fungi. Fungi love to thrive and to live in a dark, musty, and damp places. What better location than your feet?
• When an individual walks around barefoot in moist environments such as bath houses, shower rooms, and locker rooms.
• Athlete’s foot is highly contagious and if an individual would share footwear with an individual who has already the skin condition, he would likely share the same fate as the other.
• Communal use of bath towels. When some spa and sauna and other bath houses are not careful in their use of the towels for their customers, there is a high risk that the fungi can be transmitted through unclean towels.

Tinea Pedis Causes

Dermatophytes group of fungi causes athletes’ foot fungal infection and more often it affects people who sweat out a lot. Most common places where these fungi affect are outer layers of skin, nails and scalp. Tinea pedis spreads through either direct contact with the affected person or indirect contact which can be due to use of contaminated clothing, bed sheets or by wearing plastic shoes. Transmission can also take place through animal to human contact for e.g. pet’s fur.