The fungus lives off the dead skin cells in your foot and it will be just a matter of time until the symptoms of the infection becomes evident. With the infection slowly developing, the skin surrounding your foot becomes dry and scaly. Inflammation and blisters may also develop gradually during the course of the infection. Since Athlete s Foot start out with rashes or skin redness it is but normal to have a dermatologists check the irregularities in skin condition and usually the dermatologists are able to identify Athlete s Foot and suggest cures for the existing condition. Dermatologists can say if you have Athlete s Foot but if you want a feet specialist then check out your directory for the best podiatrist you can find in your area. 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. The acute vesicular, on the other hand, shows abrupt onset of painful blisters that can spread to different areas of the body such as arms, chest, and sides of the fingers. What Does Athletes Foot Look Like There are other conditions that mimic Athlete s Foot that we should be aware about like that of simple disturbances in the body s sweat mechanism, reaction to certain components of the shoes like dyes or adhesives with weird chemical combinations, eczema and psoriasis. Medical experts say that white cotton socks or those made from natural fibers are the most ideal for those who suffer from athlete s foot. Aside from wearing cotton socks, make sure that you avoid wearing tight or non-porous shoes whenever possible. Wearing open-toe sandals or shoes can also help in keeping the feet well-ventilated and dry. 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. Diagnosis of athlete s foot usually depends on the appearance of the foot to know its status and what exactly caused it.