Got Toe Jam? We’ve Got Solutions!

Folks, it’s time to talk about that jam betwixt your toes. It’s possible that you’ve never given it much thought. Or perhaps it is a persistent problem that you are constantly dealing with. If you’ve got the dreaded toe jam, it might be time to, you know, wash your feet more regularly. Or re-evaluate your footwear choices. If it gets serious enough, it can actually lead to major health problems.

So what is the deal with toe jam?

Technically, toe jam isn’t a formal medical condition. It’s the gunky stuff that you find between the toes that’s a combination of dead skin cells, sweat, sock lint, dirt, and whatnot.

The texture can vary between something like a crumbly coffee cake or something more like a paste. Yeah, gross. For some, toe jam stinks whereas for others it is completely odorless. In terms of color, it ranges from white to brown.

If you wear closed-toe shoes in a hot environment or the footwear is made of material that isn’t breathable, it increases the odds of getting toe jam. If you neglect your feet when bathing — gotta scrub in between those toes, guys — you are also more likely to get it.

Got hyperhidrosis? This is a serious medical condition in which you sweat excessively, and it is also a common culprit that leads to toe jam. Other factors include your life stage. For example, children and teenagers are more inclined to have sweaty feet due to highly active sweat glands.

Want a good case of athlete’s foot?

It goes without saying that bacteria thrives when it’s given a chance to live in an environment of sweat and dead skin found between the toes. It’s warm. It’s moist. It’s dark. And just plain cozy! As a result, catching tinea pedis — commonly known as athlete’s foot — comes more likely.

If you’ve got soggy, white skin between your toes that is irritated and red, you’ve got a problem that needs to be solved. If ignored, you can develop fluid-filled blisters and even bleeding. Although toe jam and athlete’s foot are not one in the same, we’re saying that failing to take care of your toe jam problem can lead to athlete’s foot or even worse.

How serious is toe jam?

We’re not going to overreact here. Toe jam itself is a minor nuisance that can easily be treated by simply practicing good foot hygiene. Athlete’s foot is also not something to freak out about. There are plenty of anti-fungal sprays, including those that are over-the-counter.

On the other hand, there are certain health factors that can make it a potential threat. For instance, people who suffer from diabetes, have limited mobility, or have poor vision that prevent them from seeing toe jam or the subsequent problems that can arise.

In the case of those with diabetes, if they don’t control it by eating a proper diet, getting exercise or using medication, it can result in reduced blood flow and numb feet.

As it relates to athlete’s foot, if the problem isn’t treated, here are some of the possible consequences:

• gangrene (basically, your feet and legs rotting away due to infection)
• bone infection (osteomyelitis)
• amputation of a toe, part of the foot, or even the entire leg.

Having one leg is cool, but we’d prefer if you kept both of them, ladies and gentlemen. So please take care of your toe jam and athlete’s foot so that your health doesn’t become infinitely more complicated.

4. Ways to Prevent Toe Jam

If you want to make sure toe jam or athlete’s foot becomes a more serious problem, take these for suggestions to heart:

1. Every time you bathe or after you swim, carefully scrub between your toes and dry it off. It’s really common to develop athlete’s foot from gym showers, dorm showers or in shared hostel showers, so wearing flip-flops while showering is a really good idea.
2. Simple things like going barefoot around the house can reduce getting toe jam since it allows sweat to evaporate. Shoes made of synthetic material that doesn’t allow your feet to “breath” can also result in toe jam.

3. Spraying your feet with anti-perspirant also does the trick. If you’ve got a clinical condition such as hyperhidrosis, consult a doctor. They might treat it with Botox injections. An antifungal cream such as terbinafine or clotrimazole — neither of which requires a prescription — can help get rid of your athlete’s foot problem.
4. Examine your toes and make sure there are no signs of infection. If you see red streaks along the foot and up the leg or painful toe swelling, it’s time to see a doctor.