Athlete’s Foot is caused by a fungal infection on the skin of the foot. This fungal infection, also known as tinea pedis, causes peeling, flaking, scaling and itchiness in the general foot region. This is one of the most common skin infections of the feet. It is caused by the fungus Trichophyton and is normally transferred from person to person in moist areas where people usually walk around barefooted such as showers or bathhouses.

Athlete’s Foot can lead to extreme pain if allowed to go untreated. If bad enough, skin can crack, exposing raw skin and secondary infections can set in. Athlete’s foot can even spread to your toenails if left untreated and can cause chronic fungal infections of the toenails. If you have itchy, cracked skin on your feet, you need to call a podiatrist. A foot pain specialist can prescribe pharmaceutical medicines and possibly other more conservative treatments. Call today.