Athlete’s Foot – Treatment Overview
How you alleviate athlete’s foot (tinea pedis) depends upon its type and intensity. A lot of cases of athlete’s foot can be relieved in the house using an antifungal medication to kill the fungus or slow its growth.
What really works for athlete’s foot?
Nonprescription antifungals usually are utilized first. These include clotrimazole (Lotrimin), miconazole (Micatin), terbinafine (Lamisil), and tolnaftate (Tinactin). Nonprescription antifungals are used to the skin (topical medicines).
Prescription antifungals may be attempted if nonprescription medications are not successful or if you have a severe infection. Some of these medicines are topical antifungals, which are put directly on the skin. Examples consist of butenafine (Mentax), clotrimazole, and naftifine (Naftin). Prescription antifungals can likewise be taken as a pill, which are called oral antifungals. Examples of oral antifungals include fluconazole (Diflucan), itraconazole (Sporanox), and terbinafine (Lamisil).
For severe athlete’s foot that does not enhance, your doctor might recommend oral antifungal medication (tablets). Oral antifungal tablets are utilized just for severe cases, since they are costly and require periodic screening for harmful side effects. Athlete’s foot can return even after antifungal tablet treatment.
Even if your symptoms improve or stop quickly after you begin utilizing antifungal medication, it is very important that you complete the full course of medication. This increases the chance that athlete’s foot will not return. Reinfection is common, and athlete’s foot has to be completely alleviated each time symptoms develop.
Toe web infections
Toe web (interdigital) infections occur between the toes, especially between the fourth and 5th toes. This is the most typical kind of athlete’s foot infection.
- Treat moderate to moderate toe web infections by keeping your feet clean and dry and utilizing nonprescription antifungal creams or lotions.
- If a severe infection develops, your doctor may recommend a mix of topical antifungal creams plus either oral or topical antibiotic medicines.
Moccasin-type infections
Moccasin-type athlete’s foot causes scaly, thickened skin on the sole and heel of the foot. Typically the toe nails become infected (onychomycosis). A moccasin-type infection is tough to relieve, because the skin on the sole of the foot is extremely thick.
Nonprescription medications may not permeate the thick skin of the sole well enough to treat moccasin-type athlete’s foot. In this case, a prescription topical antifungal medicine that permeates the sole, such as ketoconazole, might be used.
Prescription oral antifungal medications are often needed to treat moccasin-type athlete’s foot.
Vesicular infections & Athlete’s Foot
Vesicular infections, or blisters, normally appear on the foot instep but can likewise develop in between the toes, on the sole of the foot, on the top of the foot, or on the heel. This kind of fungal infection might be accompanied by a bacterial infection. This is the least typical kind of infection.
Treatment of vesicular infections may be done at your doctor’s office or in your home.
- Your doctor may remove the tops of the blisters and soak your foot until the blister area is dried.
- You can dry out the blisters in your home by soaking your foot in nonprescription Burow’s solution a number of times a day for 3 or more days until the blister area is dried. After the area is dried out, use a topical antifungal cream as directed. You can likewise apply compresses utilizing Burow’s solution.
- If you likewise have a bacterial infection, you will most likely require an oral antibiotic.
- If you have a severe infection, your doctor might prescribe corticosteroid tablets. After improvement, corticosteroid pills are slowly stopped, and antifungal creams and/or tablets are used until the infection is gone.
Even when alleviated, athlete’s foot often returns. This is most likely to happen if:
- You don’t take precautionary procedures and are once more exposed to the fungi that cause athlete’s foot.
- You don’t use antifungal medicine for the specified length of time and the fungis are not entirely eliminated.
- The fungis are not totally killed after the complete course of medication.
You can prevent athlete’s foot by:
- Keeping your feet clean and dry.
- Dry between your toes after swimming or bathing.
- Wear shoes or sandals that enable your feet to breathe.
- When inside your home, wear socks without shoes.
- Use socks to soak up sweat. Modification your socks twice a day.
- Usage talcum or antifungal powder on your feet.
- Permit your shoes to air for at least 24 hours before you use them again.
- Wearing shower sandals in public swimming pools and showers.
What to think of
You may select not to relieve athlete’s foot if your symptoms do not trouble you and you have no health problems that enhance your possibility of severe foot infection, such as diabetes. But unattended athlete’s foot that causes skin blisters or fractures can result in severe bacterial infection. Also, if you don’t treat athlete’s foot, you can spread it to other people.
Severe infections that appear unexpectedly (intense) usually respond well to treatment. Lasting (chronic) infections can be harder to cure.
Toenail infections (onychomycosis) that can develop with athlete’s foot tend to be more difficult to treat than fungal skin infections.
