Nearly 50 percent of women in the U.S. suffered from scaling, thickening or dryness on the sides and bottom of their feet during the last 12 months.
Some women are unaware that these symptoms may be associated with a particular form of athlete’s foot called “moccasin,” a fungal infection that is more commonly passed along in places where people typically walk barefoot like pools, saunas and fitness centers.
According to a recent survey conducted by Harris Interactive, 90 percent of U.S. women with these symptoms say they cause emotional discomfort and over half say they cause feelings of shame (55 percent) and embarrassment (59 percent).
Sam Saboura, host of ABC’s “Extreme Makeover,” is taking time out from his focus on facelifts, dental reconstruction, breast implantations and tummy tucks to help women improve their body image and sense of well-being, starting with the soles of their feet.
Partnering with Beverly Hills podiatrist Dr. Carolyn Siegal, Sam will educate women about moccasin-type athlete’s foot, how to recognize the symptoms and its cure. The mission is to help women finally succeed in treating the condition they never suspected they had.
“I meet women every day who go to extreme measures to try and hide the dry, cracking and scaly skin on their feet. They often insist that I change an outfit so they can wear a pump or boot that will hide their feet,” said star stylist Sam Saboura. “It’s upsetting when these women tell me they feel less pretty because of the condition of their feet, especially since once they understand and recognize the symptoms, moccasin-type athlete’s foot can be treated.”
Dr. Siegal points out that the places most women associate with self-improvement and beauty are often places where athlete’s foot fungi thrive. The fungus that causes athlete’s foot tends to live in warm, moist environments, and thrives not only in socks and shoes but also in the foot-soaking baths at nail salons, around swimming pools, on gym floors, in showers, and even in women’s homes, where their spouses or teenage children may spread the fungus.
