Essential Oils for Athlete’s Foot
Athlete’s foot. Why me?
Another common foot condition that runners face is caused by fungal infection.
As a runner taking best care of our feet should be our priority. Because minor injuries can derail your progress, it’s important to avoid them. For example, a few things to consider are avoiding blisters and athlete’s foot.
In this article, we discuss athlete’s foot, its symptoms, natural treatment using essential oils and how to prevent athlete’s foot.
How to Treat Athlete’s Foot Naturally with Essential Oils
Athlete’s foot is an infectious fungal ailment that affects the player’s skin and can have devastating results. It’s common in feet but can also affect hands and toenails.
It usually begins between the toes and commonly occurs in people who have had their feet sweat while wearing tight-fitting shoes.
Athlete’s foot occurs when the tinea fungus – also known as “Athlete’s Foot” – grows and infects your feet.
The infection is easily spread by touch, direct contact with an infected person or by touching surfaces that have come into contact with the fungus.
The fungus is most commonly found in warm, moist environments such as showers or locker rooms. It’s sometimes found around a swimming pool or on the ground near one.
Who is at risk for an athlete’s foot?
You are at risk of athlete’s foot, if you
- visit public places barefoot, especially locker rooms, showers, and swimming pools
- share socks, shoes, or towels with someone who has an infection.
- wear tight, closed-toed shoes
- keep your feet wet for long periods of time
- have sweaty feet or minor skin or nail injuries on your foot
Symptoms of Athlete’s Foot
The most common symptoms of athlete’s foot are::
- Peeling or cracked skin between the toes
- Burning or stinging
- Blisters
- Itchiness, especially after taking off shoes and socks.
- Inflamed skin that might appear reddish, purple, or gray
- Dry, scaly skin on the bottom of the foot that extends up the side of the foot
Natural Treatment Options with Essential Oils
In most cases, treating an athlete’s foot with over-the-counter or prescription antifungal medicines is recommended.
If you’re interested in natural remedies as your first-response option, then you should also consider the benefits of essential oils.
Essential oils are highly concentrated aromatic liquids extracted from flowers, leaves, resins and fruits. They contain hundreds of different chemical compounds that give each one a unique scent.
Essential oils are used for a range of reasons, from getting your laundry to smell nice to repelling insects. They can also help with different problems, such as stress and difficulty sleeping.
Using essential oils to completely eradicate an athlete’s foot is possible with a couple natural remedies. Here, we take a look at the most effective options available.
Tea Tree Essential Oil
Tea tree essential oil is sourced from the leaves of the tea tree and is known for its antimicrobial, anti-fungal, antiviral, antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties. Tea tree oil is not just for Athlete’s Foot. It can also be used to heal many various illnesses, like acne and dandruff.
Lemon Essential Oil
Lemon essential oil is made from the peel of the lemon, and is known for its anti-fungal and antimicrobial properties. It also smells refreshing, invigorating, and has strong antioxidant properties.
Lavender Essential Oil
Lavender essential oil is made from the flora and herb of a plant which can be used against fungus, as well as being potent in its ability to heal wounds and help relax tense skin.
Peppermint Essential Oil
Peppermint essential oil is distilled from the leaves, stems, and flowers of the peppermint plant. It’s been shown to have antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, and antiviral properties and can be used to soothe inflamed skin.
Thyme Essential Oil
Thyme essential oil is a good choice to heal pain. Known for its antibacterial, anti fungal and anti microbial properties, thyme essential oil shows great improvement in treating infection.
Clove Essential Oil
Right from the ancient times, clove is popularly known as a natural painkiller. The powerful anti viral properties in clove essential oil make it favorable to kill the virus and reduce the infection before time. This essential oil also possesses antibacterial properties that help to kill bacteria.
Oregano Essential Oil
A common cooking ingredient mostly found in Italian food, Oregano oil is extracted from the herb that not only tastes good but also has therapeutic value. As an anti-fungal agent, it kills off fungi which on human skin can lead to infection. Moreover, oregano oil may be useful in fighting fungal infections and as an effective natural antibiotic.
How to Use Essential Oils to Treat Athlete’s Foot
Cotton Balls Essential Oil Recipe:
To get rid of the athlete’s foot which just started between the toes, try putting a few drops of peppermint or tea tree oil on cotton balls and place them between the toes.
Here is the recipe.
Add 2-3 drops of tea tree oil in a teaspoon of carrier oil.
You can choose carrier oils like coconut oil, olive oil, or almond oil when applying it directly to your skin.
Coconut oil is good for athletes’ feet as it also has anti fungal and antibacterial properties.
DIY Essential Oil Blend for Foot Soak:
Fill a large bowl with hot or warm water.
Add any of the given blends below to the water.
Soak your feet for at least 15 minutes at least once a day.
Blend 1:
Add the following ingredients to create your own healing foot bath:
- 5 drops tea tree essential oil
- 5 drops oregano essential oil
- 5 drops clove essential oil
- 5 drops peppermint essential oil
- ½-1 cup apple cider vinegar
Blend 2:
Add the following ingredients to create your own healing foot bath:
- 8 drops of tea tree essential oil
- 5 drops of lavender essential oil
- 2 drops of peppermint essential oil
- ½-1 cup apple cider vinegar
DIY Foot Massage Oil Blend:
Add the following ingredients to create your own foot massage oil:
- 6 drops of tea tree essential oil
- 4 drops of lavender essential oil
- 2 drops of lemon essential oil
- 40 ml carrier oil (almond oil)
Place mixture in a dark glass bottle to maintain its integrity. Apply it daily on the feet for healthy luscious skin.
Tips to Minimise Your Risk of Getting Athlete’s Foot
These are some preventive methods to stop athlete’s foot:
- Make sure you wash your feet with soap and water and dry them thoroughly every day, especially between the toes.
- To avoid unwanted germs, it is recommended that you don’t share socks, shoes, or towels with others.
- Use flip flops in public showers, around public swimming pools, and other public places.
- Change your socks when you start to notice sweat on your feet.
- Wear breathable socks, such as cotton or wool, which can soak up moisture and prevent fungal infections from growing.
- Wear shoes made of breathable materials.
- Alternate wearing two pairs of shoes, one on every other day. This will give your shoes some time to dry out between uses and prevent fungus from forming.
- To disinfect shoes, use a disinfectant wipe that is known to kill the fungus Aspergillus
- Air out your feet when you are at home. You can do this by taking off your shoes or going barefoot.
- Creating a routine of putting anti fungal or medicated powder (Tinactin, Gold Bond, Lotrimin AF, Zeasorb, others) on your feet every day may help keep fungus at bay.
- Wash socks, bedding and towels in water that’s 140°F (60°C) or higher.
Dealing with Athlete’s Foot can be painful, itchy, and embarrassing. Treating it quickly and easily with essential oils is the best way to deal with it, but not every treatment will work for everyone. Talk to your doctor about what might work for you.
This article is not intended to diagnose or provide medical advice. If you have any doubts about your foot health, we recommend consulting a health professional
