Complete Guide to Essential Oils/A to Z of ailments/Athlete's foot
Athlete's foot (also called ringworm of the foot and tinea pedis) is a fungal infection of the foot, especially between the toes. Essential oils that are particularly helpful in treating athlete's foot include tagetes, lavender, geranium and tea tree, for their anti-fungal properties.
![Athlete's foot](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d0/Tinea_pedis_interdigitalis.jpg/150px-Tinea_pedis_interdigitalis.jpg)
- Athlete's Foot
Treatment
editEssential oils can be applied to the feet in the bath, soaking in a foot bath or as a warm compress. They can also be applied using a carrier oil—calendula oil is a good one to use. The feet should be treated every morning and evening. It's also important to make sure that feet are dried thoroughly after washing, to avoid letting them stay moist, and that socks are changed frequently. Allowing the feet to be open to the air helps, although it's also important to avoid infecting other people, so don't walk barefoot in public places.