The feet can be a very sensitive part of our body sometimes, as it is often prone to many illnesses,
disorders, and conditions. One of the most common skin conditions that occur on the feet is the athlete’s foot. So, what exactly is athlete’s foot? And how can we treat it using home remedies or natural ingredients? We will find out more as we take a look at the details about athlete’s foot, as well as some tips for treating athlete’s foot naturally.
What is Athlete’s Foot?
Athlete’s foot, also known medically as tinea pedis, is a common skin condition that is caused by a fungal infection. The fungi can live on any area of your feet, although they are usually seen more on the skin between the toes, as these areas are often high in moisture. These fungi that infect the feet usually live and grow in areas that are high in moisture, and because the feet get sweaty while inside shoes and socks, the feet create the perfect environment for bacteria to thrive since sweat can create a lot of moisture.
There are numerous causes of athlete’s foot, and the people that get it are not only limited to athletes. A person can get athlete’s foot by going barefoot in public places, especially in areas that are always wet, like public showers and swimming pools. Because athlete’s foot is contagious, you will most likely get it from someone that has it and has walked barefoot in the areas where you also tend to walk barefoot.
Natural Remedies for Athlete’s Foot
Athlete’s foot is a skin condition that can easily be treated through various methods. For this article, we will talk about the natural remedies for athletes’ feet, as using chemical substances can often worsen the skin condition if the person affected by it is allergic to certain chemicals and mixtures. Here are some of the best natural remedies for athlete’s foot.
Coconut Oil
The first natural remedy on this list is coconut oil, which is an oil that is commonly used for cooking and baking but has also been utilized as a beauty product and a natural remedy for various skin conditions. Coconut oil is specifically known for having anti-fungal properties, so it is effective in reducing the fungi living on your feet and causing severe athlete’s foot. In addition, coconut oil can also prevent fungi from infecting the skin of your feet, so they are also effective as protection against fungal infections. [1]
There are refined and virgin coconut oils that you can get on the market, but the virgin coconut oil is arguably the best as a natural remedy for athlete’s foot, as the raw or unrefined coconut contains more nutrients that your skin can absorb to become healthier.
Tea Tree Oil
Another oil that can be used as a natural remedy for athlete’s foot is tea tree oil, which is naturally derived from the leaves of Melaleuca alternifolia, more commonly known as the tea tree. Besides having anti-fungal properties, tea tree oil also has anti-bacterial properties, so it is also effective in preventing other kinds of skin conditions on the feet from occurring.
Whenever tea tree oil is utilized as a topical medication, it should be mixed with carrier oil because it can often be too strong on its own. The tea tree oil should only be about 1/2 or 1/3 of the overall mixture when it is combined with carrier oil. There are coconut oil products in the market that already have tea tree oil, so you can use both coconut oil and tea tree oil at the same time for better effectiveness when it comes to treating and preventing athlete’s foot.
Neem Oil
The third natural oil on the list is neem oil, which is derived from Azadirachta indica, better known by many as the neem tree. Much like coconut oil and tea tree oil, neem oil has anti-fungal properties that can help in treating and preventing athlete’s foot and other fungal skin conditions and diseases.
But, much like tea tree oil, it would be best to mix neem oil with other oils so that its potency can be reduced. Coconut oil is commonly used as a carrier oil for neem oil, but you may also want to try neem oil that is mixed with grapeseed oil, which is great to use for moisturizing and evening the skin tone of your feet.
Sea Salt
Similar to all of the mentioned natural remedies in this article, sea salt has strong anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties. However, the difference is that sea salt isn’t a liquid, and for you to apply it to your feet, you would need to dissolve the sea salt in warm water and then soak your feet in the salt and water mixture for the best results.
Also, you may want to add a little bit of vinegar into the mixture, as the vinegar can help in reducing foot odor while also hydrating your feet to prevent your skin from becoming too dry. So, when you have sea salt at home, give your feet a sea salt bath so that you can treat athlete’s foot and other skin conditions with ease.
These are all the things you need to treat athlete’s foot naturally. If all of these natural remedies aren’t effective even after days or weeks of applying them on your feet, you should go and visit a local dermatologist, who will most likely recommend over-the-counter medications that may be more helpful in curing your athlete’s foot.
In addition to these remedies, there are also other ways to treat an athlete’s foot, which you can learn by reading our Guide to Selecting the Right Foot Care Solutions for You.
Aside from the natural treatments, there are also creams for fungal infections that you can use to treat athlete’s foot, which you can check out in this guide.
In addition to the feet, there are times when some people experience itchiness on different parts of their bodies, and one example of this is jock itch. If you are interested to know more information about this, check out our article about the Best Remedies for Jock Itch.
References
[1] Migala, J. (2022, June 27). 7 Creative Ways to Use Coconut Oil in Your Health and Beauty Regimen. Everyday Health. Retrieved January 20, 2023, from https://www.everydayhealth.com/skin-and-beauty/unexpected-coconut-oil-uses-your-hair-skin-more/