Foot Doctor’s Secrets to Preventing Traveler’s Foot Infection

Athlete's foot is a fungus that is easily transmitted among unwary travelers. By following some simple advice, you can make sure you don't contaminate your feet in your hotel room or the barefoot extravaganza known as the airport secturity checkpoint.

Athlete’s foot is the most common fungal infection of the feet. Every day, podiatrists see people with feet that are burning, itching and peeling. Although many different species of fungus and yeast can cause the problem, the ways that you as a traveler can prevent it are simple and effective.

The fungus that cause athlete’s foot thrives in places that are dark, warm and moist. Shoes are the perfect habitat for fungus. Unfortunately for business travelers and vacationers, there are many places in airports, hotels and vacation spots that are covered in fungus just waiting to infect your feet.

Whenever living foot fungus or fungal spores (which are basically seeds for fungus waiting to sprout) stick to bare skin or enter through tiny little openings in the skin, it can take hold and start to grow. The fungus will suck moisture out of the skin as it grows.

This causes peeling and itching of the skin as the fungus does damage and causes delamination or peeling away of the skin’s outer layers. Frequently the infection starts in the moist area between the toes of on the bottom of the foot.

Foot doctors often describe a “moccasin distribution” pattern with athlete’s foot infections. This means that the areas of the feet that turn red and start peeling are usually those that would be in contact with moccasins. The tops of the feet and ankle don’t usually become involved.

Fortunately for you, the most effective prevention measures are also very easy... don’t step in the fungus! When you are traveling, you just have to know where not to step.

The first place you want to protect from fungus is your own shoes. The shoes need to be a safe haven for your feet. If you get foot fungus growing in your shoes, sooner or later you will get some type of foot fungal infection like athlete’s foot or fungal toenails.

Whenever you are on a trip, your feet are going to sweat a lot. A hurried stressful pace in airport terminals, trying to make that connection while toting a laptop and carry-on bag will make you (and your feet) sweat like crazy.

Since fungus needs moisture to live, you want to do anything you can to reduce the moisture in your shoes. A good place to begin is with well ventilated shoes that breathe while you are on your trip. Shoes that have breathable mesh uppers made of nylon, mesh, or cotton breathe fairly well and let the moisture escape. Leather, plastic and rubber tend to hold the fungus in your shoes encouraging fungus to grow.

Make sure you rotate your shoes during your trip. Have at least two pairs of shoes so you can wear them on alternate days. This will allow them enough time to fully dry out before you wear them again.

If you are very active or if your feet sweat a lot, try changing your socks half way through the day. This has to be one of the most effective ways to prevent the buildup of moisture that can cause foot fungus. Wear synthetic socks and avoid cotton to keep moisture away from your feet. There are also newer socks available that have copper fibers woven into them. Copper filaments woven into the sock material decrease the growth of germs like fungus and bacteria.

Because even the most relaxing vacations involve lots of walking through airports, hotels and site-seeing, choose comfortable walking shoes for your trip. Sandals may seem like a good idea, but any areas of abrasion or blisters from sandal straps can be just the opening the fungus is looking for to get into the skin and cause an infection.

Make sure you avoid the fungus hotspots. The airport security line is a fungus dreamland. All day and night, sweaty feet emerge from their shoes and shuffle along the carpet. Everyone steps and stands in this continual stream of perspiring feet and shedding foot fungus. As you trudge through the line, your sweaty socks pick up fungal spores. Then you put your feet back in your shoes that act as incubators to start your own little foot fungus farm.

Unfortunately most airport security checkpoints now require that every pair of shoes goes through the xray machine. But this doesn’t mean you can’t protect your feet. A cost-effective method is to wear an old pair of socks that are past their prime when you head to catch your flight. Carry a clean pair in your pocket. You can then take your shoes off, send them through the xray machine and walk through security in the worn socks. After you get through the checkpoint, take off the old socks and put on the clean ones before you put your shoes back on. Throw the old socks away. Now you can start your vacation fungus-free!

The next place to avoid is the hotel carpet and bathroom. You never know how clean those places are, regardless of how expensive the hotel is. Just because it costs as much as a hospital room, doesn’t mean it is just as clean. If you wear socks in the hotel room, just don’t put your shoes on until you change socks.

Make sure you also step on the terry cloth mat when you step out of the shower. If possible, get a clean mat with clean towels every day. If you relax in the steamroom or sauna, you just have to wear some flip flops. Trapping warmth and wetness in a dark place is the very best way to make fungus happy. Fungus can also grow on the tile around the pool and hot tub, but the chlorine in the water actually helps keep it from being as big of a problem.

If your trip takes you to someplace where you can head to the beach, make sure you wear sandals to protect your feet. Don’t forget that any tiny little cuts or abrasions are the best way for fungus to get in and start an athlete’s foot infection.

Now that you understand the basics about foot fungus and where it tends to thrive, you can easily side-step it. Between the airlines and security, travel has enough aggravation. You certainly don’t need anything else getting under your skin.