If you have an athlete s foot and you visit a dermatologist or a podiatrist, he or she will advise you to treat the skin condition promptly to avoid further complications. The treatment for mild case of athlete s foot is quite simple. All you have to do is to apply an anti-fungi powder or cream the doctor has prescribed. Experts say that since athlete s foot is divided into three types that include chronic interdigital athlete s foot, chronic scaly athlete s foot or the moccasin type and the acute vesicular athlete s foot, symptoms may vary. People who suffer from chronic interdigital athlete s foot experience heavy scaling, fissures, and maceration usually in the 4th and 5th toe webs while the moccasin type is characterized by the presence of dry, silvery, and very fine scaly skin on the sole. When inside public shower rooms and locker rooms, make sure that you are wearing sandals to protect your feet. Going barefoot will only make your feet vulnerable to fungus that may be lounging in the surrounding areas. Fungi just love warm and wet floors so make sure that you do not give them the opportunity to latch on to your feet when you step on them. Avoid spending most of your time in these areas if you do not need to but if you really have to then request from caretakers of these places to maintain the cleanliness. Cleanliness is indeed next to godliness. Spread of fungus or any disease for that matter can be stopped with just cleanliness as the answer. Athlete's foot is a fungus infection brought about by a fungus known as dermatophytes, which attack dead skin layers. They thrive in damp and dark environments. That is why they usually infect the feet. People who frequently wear shoes are more prone to getting athlete's foot. So do people who frequent going to damp and warm areas such as common showers, locker rooms and swimming pools. This is because it can easily be acquired by direct contact with the things or person who has been infected with the fungi. Aside from having direct contact to the person or the object that has been infected, athlete s foot can also be transmitted through contact with pets that carry it the fungus on their furs.