Athlete's Foot Health Video

Video Transcript

DR. LORETTA CIRALDO: Hi, I am Dr. Loretta Ciraldo, voluntary professor of Dermatology at the University of Miami School of Medicine and a practicing dermatologist for just about 30 years and author of "Six Weeks to Sensational Skin". Now, when it comes to athlete's foot, what you have to remember is that this is the term that we use for a fungal overgrowth of the fungus on our feet, and I want everybody to remember that it is very natural and normal for us to have minimal fungus on our skin, and so all of us have that. But in damper conditions, what happens is that the fungus overgrows and produces a rash, and the rash is associated with scaling of our skin, sometimes redness and inflammation and, unfortunately, also little cracks in our skin through which we can even get bacterial infection. So, besides the fact that it is unpleasant to have athlete's foot, it is also unhealthy, so many of my patients are surprised when I say that the blow-dryer or hairdryer is one of the best tools to remedy athlete's foot, and that comes about naturally because really what we need to do to prevent and sometimes even to undo athlete's foot is to keep the skin of our feet bone dry. So, I m going to ask you, when you come our of the shower, or maybe you get out of the gym and your feet are a little bit damp to please use your blow-dryer. You may have to use you wife's if you do not own one if you are a gentleman. But please use the blow-dryer until you get your skin bone dry and this would be for people who are prone to athlete's foot. Second big tip is look for a Lamisil cream. This was actually the number 1 prescription cream for athlete's foot and it's now through very good news over-the-counter. Using it twice a day for 2 weeks cures most cases.