Starting as a mild skin irritant, a skin infection can certainly grow into a severe problem. This should strike as a hard hitting fact to you in case you tend to ignore taking proper care and treatment for a skin infection and like to wait for it to go away itself.
Your body carries a host of bacteria and fungi. The common bacterial and fungal diseases are generally highly contagious. In certain cases, treating skin infection could give you a hard time. Studies reveal that personal hygiene and skin prevention go hand in hand.
Frequent washing of hands
Go back to your childhood, when you used to return from the playground and the first thing that you were asked to do was to wash your hands before eating anything. In your present busy life you tend to overlook this lesson at times. The primary reason for which frequent washing of hands is stressed upon is that harmful germs and bacteria can find a way inside your body through your dirty hands. Thus, thoroughly wash your hands with a proper antibacterial soap and lukewarm water.
Keep body supplies clean
Take care to ensure the proper cleanliness of your items of regular use such as clothes, towels, razors, comb and hats etc. Before using or putting them on, you should make sure that they are free of any kind of dirt and have been thoroughly washed and are dry. Repeating your dirty socks or undergarments is an invitation for the skin infections.
Avoid sharing your stuff with others
Make sure that your supplies such as clothes and towels are limited to you only. The causing agents of the skin infections can easily be transferred through them. You can never be sure about the skin condition of the other person with whom you just risked sharing you towel. Save this charitable spirit of yours for other occasions. Even when you have to use the common equipment such as gym or sports gear, prefer to wipe them off before and after usage.
Right kind of clothing and footwear
Prefer to wear clothes and footwear which go with the requirements of the present weather. Choose to wear only fresh cotton clothes and inner wear especially during the summers. They should not be very tight fitting as it would make it difficult for sweat to evaporate. Avoid wearing closed and tight shoes during the rainy season. Similarly, wear the right sportswear at the time of your workouts. Put on plastic slippers while moving around in the damp areas such as swimming pool and locker room area. Thoroughly dry your skin after bathing or sweating.
Take care of the open wound or cut
Take proper care and attention in cleaning and covering a cut, or an animal bite. It could be a minor cut but it can support development of a skin infection in the absence of the right treatment.
Follow these preventive measures religiously to keep skin infections at bay.