Photo: Bixentro
Athletes Foot is the common name for fungal infections of the foot. This is nothing to be embarrassed about. At some point in their life,most people will have a fungal infection somewhere on their body.
Before you start treating your athlete’s foot, just make sure you have athlete’s foot. It’s often been confused with eczema, psoriasis, dry skin, normal and thick nails – just to name a few!
Treatment
Treatment depends on where you have your infection:
1. Nail infection – A fungal nail infection will make the nail look various shades of yellow and appear crumbly. Apply an antifungal cream or ointment daily. Cover the whole of the infection and possibly include the skin over the nail bed area. Apply daily until the nail looks normal.
Modern antifungal creams and ointments actively destroy the fungus and the nail will look normal in a few weeks. Old fashioned ointments prevent the fungus from reproducing and so these have to be applied daily until the fungus grows out. This may take a year, depending on where on the nail the infection is and how quickly your nails grow.
However, you should start to see signs of improvement after a few weeks. Nail infections are not difficult to treat, just time consuming. Remember the golden rule – you have to get the cream or ointment from the tube and onto the nail for it to work!
2. Between the toes – If you have a fungal infection between the toes this can be quite painful and may bleed. The skin will usually appear moist. The toes may itch. In this case you want to dry the area up by applying an anti-fungal treatment in the form of a powder or spray. Again, apply daily.
Once the area is starting to heal apply surgical spirits between the toes. If you use a cotton wool bud, dip it into the surgical spirits and apply to both sides of adjacent toes and then throw the cotton wool bud away. This will help to dry the area between your toes and – once clear of infection – the surgical spirits can be used to help prevent re-infection.
So, in winter apply surgical spirits twice a week and in the heat of a summer, apply twice a day.
3. On the bottom of the foot – The skin in these fungal infections may itch, appear dry or have lots of very small blisters, so you need to apply a cream or ointment with an antifungal ingredient. Again, you may need to apply for several weeks.
Points to Remember:
- The infection may return if you do not remove the cause
- Treatment is not difficult, just time-consuming.
- Treatment does not work if you do not apply to skin-it is not sufficient just to buy the product
- The cream, ointment or powder has to be in contact with the skin on a daily basis for effective treatment
- Use powder or spray between the toes
- Use cream or ointment everywhere else on the foot
If you are unsure of treatment, make an appointment to see a Chiropodist or Podiatrist.
Have a look here if you are not sure how to make an appointment. Or if you’re in Leicester and would like an appointment with me, just give me a call or send me an email.
Kirby Muxloe Podiatry 2023 Ltd 