Athlete's Foot, known as tinea pedis, is a very common fungal infection that grows on human skin but especially the feet. It mostly affects men of all ages as well as young people and appears in the area between the toes, on the soles of the feet as well as in the fingernails and toenails. This infection, once it takes hold, grows and multiplies particularly in a dark, moist and warm environment. Athlete's foot is very contagious and may easily be picked up when walking barefoot in public places. Up to 70% of the population will have athlete's foot at some time during their lives. Our skin is constantly being shed and this dead skin drops off in small pieces all the time. If such skin contains the athlete's foot fungus, then it can be picked up on the bare feet of others and they in turn can become infected. The infection can be spread to other areas of the body, such as the armpits, knees, elbows and the groin. It is usually called by a different name once it spreads (such as "jock itch" or tinea cruris for an infection of the skin of the groin). Some of the signs and symptoms of athlete's foot are: - Burning sensation on the feet and/or itching. - Bumps on the feet. - Cracked, blistered or peeling areas often between the toes and especially the two smaller toes where the rash starts to peel and crack. - Redness and scaling on the soles of the feet. - Skin between the toes may look "cheesy" and have an unpleasant odor. - A rash that spreads to the instep. - Blisters and sometimes there are single, small patches of extremely itchy blisters. - Raw skin from scratching. The condition is called athlete's foot for the very reason that it is mostly athletes who contract the condition. And athletes frequent gyms, swimming pools, locker rooms and showers. Take a few precautions to minimize the risk of either passing on the infection to others or catching the infection yourself in the first place: - If you have athlete's foot, then treat the condition as early as possible and a natural healing product made from essential oils can be very helpful. And try not scratch when the itching starts. - Don't share towels, wash cloths, socks or footwear with anyone including members of your own family. - Wear thongs or other footwear in locker rooms or other public places. - Gyms have a lot of equipment used by many so there is often excessive sweat and moisture on these amenities. Make sure you use the disinfectant provided. A new possible source of infections to the feet is the use of shared exercise and yoga mats. So be aware of this and invest in your own personal mat. - Keep the shower and bathroom floors in your own home well disinfected. Amoils offers all natural treatments for common conditions and ailments using essential oils. Visit our