Athlete’s foot is an annoyance to anyone who has it or suffered through it. Though a common foot fungus, it is quite contagious and can be transmitted via locker room floors, swimming pools, gym change rooms and other warm and wet areas. It is estimated that about 70% of the population is infected by this condition at some point in their lives. Though anyone is vulnerable to the condition, athletes, especially swimmers and sprinters, are the most infected group. This article will elaborate on how anti-fungal essential oils have the potential to heal athlete’s foot.

Athlete’s foot – An overview: Athlete’s foot is otherwise called Tinea Pedis. Caused by a fungus, the skin condition occurs to people constantly exposed to damp and warm environments. The fungus thrives only in dark, wet and warm places like in the saunas, gym, worn out gym clothes etc. Athlete’s foot can infect a person without any major signs. Meaning, an individual will not be aware of the infection until the symptoms appear. Symptoms of athlete’s foot are: itching and burning of the skin; skin ruptures; redness or white color skin; crackled, peeled and blistered skin. The fungus occurs in the feet, mostly in between the toes or on the soles of the feet.

Essential oil cure for athlete’s foot: The first basic step toward treating athlete’s foot is to maintain proper hygiene. The next step is to kill the fungus through topical creams or oral antibiotics.  You can also use natural therapies to cure the skin condition and aromatherapy is just one of them. Essential oils or plant extracts have the potential to completely eliminate the fungus and heal the infection. This is because essential oils are absorbed easily and quickly into the body. They also respond and react well, thanks to their anti-fungal and skin-healing properties. Research has now revealed that essential oils can be used to treat all kinds of skin infections from acne to psoriasis and athlete’s foot.

Anti-fungal oil blends for athlete’s foot: Most of the essential oils are effective skin-healers, but only a handful have strong anti-fungal properties. You need to choose oils of therapeutic grade quality and mix them on a 50:50 ratio with base oils or vegetable oils. Better to use extra virgin Olive oil or Jojoba oil. Once mixed, you can apply the blend directly on to your foot fungus and see the healing happen. Some of the best anti-fungal oils you can use are: Tea Tree, Lemongrass, Niaouli, Oregano, Lavender, Peppermint, Clove and Mountain Savory. Some possible base oils other than Olive and Jojoba are Sesame seed, Wheat gram, Grapeseed and Avocado oils.

Foot powder with essential oils: If you are not comfortable with an oily blend, you can mix essential oils to make a foot powder and apply on to your fungal infection. To make a foot powder, mix 25 drops of Tea Tree oil, 8 drops of Olive oil and 8 drops of Peppermint oil with ¼ cup of cornstarch in a plastic bag. Once the oils blend completely with the starch, take the powder out of the plastic bag and apply on the infected area.