Hair Dryer Helps Against Athlete’s Foot

Q. During my military career I discovered a way to avoid getting athlete’s foot. I tried most of the products on the market, but it always came back.
I thought about getting my feet very dry after showering and started using a hair dryer (about 30 seconds on the toes of each foot). I’ve been doing this for about 40 years and have not had a problem with athlete’s foot since.
A. Athlete’s foot is caused by a fungal infection. These organisms love moist warm skin, so using the hair dryer to remove moisture from between the toes makes sense.
Readers tell us that soaking feet in a solution of white vinegar (one part vinegar to two parts of water) can be helpful by making the skin inhospitable to fungus. Adding some old-fashioned amber Listerine to the mixture may also assist in clearing up an infection.