Stopping foot fungus in its tracks?

September 1, 2009 5:31 PM

Tonight I used the sauna, steam room, and shower at my gym. I forgot to wear flip flops in all of them, and now I'm a little grossed out and paranoid about getting athlete's foot. Anything I can do to head potentially growing foot fungus off at the pass right away?
posted by amro to Health & Fitness (18 answers total)

Soak your feet in lysol or vinegar for a few minutes? Might not be very good for your skin, though....
posted by kestrel251 at 5:39 PM on September 1, 2009 [1 favorite]

Wash your feet and make sure that they're clean and dry! Fungus likes warm and moist, so try to avoid that.
posted by that girl at 5:40 PM on September 1, 2009

And especially don't forget the spaces in between your toes!
posted by that girl at 5:40 PM on September 1, 2009

Do you have anything for an external yeast infection lying around the medicine chest? If not, I'd get something at a pharmacy.
posted by bonobothegreat at 5:42 PM on September 1, 2009

I never wear flip flops in the gym. I've never got athlete's foot.

Have you totally ruled out a visit to the pharmacy for one of a dozen different kinds of sprays and powders you'll find there for exactly this purpose?
posted by stupidsexyFlanders at 5:45 PM on September 1, 2009 [1 favorite]

lamisil spray/gel
posted by kenliu at 5:57 PM on September 1, 2009

I think you can use the lamisil/tinactin stuff as a preventative measure. Worth a try, a can of the spray is only a couple bucks at the pharmacy.
posted by ish__ at 5:59 PM on September 1, 2009

I use a vinegar/hot water mixture as a foot soak all the time. It prevents the kind of problems you are talking about and makes your feet feel great. Air dry completely.
posted by Rad_Boy at 6:04 PM on September 1, 2009

Boric acid dissolved in water also works great.
posted by Netzapper at 6:14 PM on September 1, 2009

A hot salt water foot bath? Lots of salt.
posted by lottie at 6:15 PM on September 1, 2009

Nthing vinegar. I had a killer case of athlete's foot once that I cured with an apple cider vinegar soak, so it should definitely work as a prophylactic.
posted by PhoBWanKenobi at 6:19 PM on September 1, 2009

I used to have this problem if I even looked at a locker room. Flip flops were pointless. Now, after every visit to the gym, I spray my feet with athletes foot spray (cheap, generic supermarket brand) - regardless of whether or not I have any symptoms. Never had a problem since. Chemicals are teh good.
posted by negatendo at 6:22 PM on September 1, 2009

My husband has had athlete's foot for the entire 13+ years we've lived together. I use a hair dryer to thoroughly dry my feet between and under the toes after a bath or shower and have managed to avoid catching it this entire time. (That's the only thing I do — I don't use anything else (no spray, no foot soaks) or do anything else to avoid it — so I'm pretty sure that's what's behind my feet staying itch-free this long.)
posted by Lexica at 6:49 PM on September 1, 2009

Brew really strong tea, soak in that. Dry off with a hair dryer.
posted by kellyblah at 7:42 PM on September 1, 2009

Tea tree oil, either neat or mixed 1-6 with a carrier oil like jojoba, almond or olive oil. I used it to cure a bad case of athlete's foot.
posted by oneirodynia at 9:25 PM on September 1, 2009

Vinegar is awesome - it cured a really bad case of athlete's foot that I stupidly got by not wearing socks in my sneakers - many dollars of lamisil couldn't replace the value of a few soaks in vinegar diluted by a bit by hot water. If you don't want to go that route, then get some Lamisil cream or spray and proactively dose your feet. If the fungus doesn't get a foothold (ha), then it won't grow. Another great thing is to use a hair dryer to dry your feet after showers or exercise - athlete's foot fungus needs moisture to grow - deprive it of that environment and you're home free.
posted by The Light Fantastic at 1:15 AM on September 2, 2009

no offense, but athlete's foot isn't what you should be concerned about. i've heard this is a good way to get plantar's warts.
posted by lester at 6:28 AM on September 2, 2009

Soak your feet in a strong bleach/water mixture. That should kill pretty much anything.
posted by charlesv at 3:16 PM on September 2, 2009