How Is Athlete's Foot Treated?

PhotoAlto/Odilon Dimier / Getty Images

Medically reviewed by Adam H. Kaplan, DPM

Athlete’s foot, also known as tinea pedis, is a contagious skin infection caused by fungus. The condition usually causes inflamed, itchy, and scaly skin between your toes. It can also affect the bottom of your feet. Athlete’s foot is a common condition that spreads when your skin comes into contact with fungi that thrive in damp, warm environments like locker rooms and swimming pools.

Practitioners like dermatologists (skin specialists), podiatrists (foot specialists), and general practitioners can treat tinea pedis. It’s easily treatable with over-the-counter medications, but it tends to come back often. Topical antifungals (applied to the skin) are the treatment of choice, but you might also be prescribed oral antifungals (taken by mouth). Reducing moisture in the area is a key prevention strategy.

Medications

Fungal infections are typically the cause of athlete’s foot, so healthcare providers often recommend OTC topical antifungal medications. They might also recommend treating athlete’s foot with oral antifungal drugs.

Tinea pedis is a condition you can easily treat at home, but it tends to return. These reoccurrences are usually due to stopping medications too soon—for example, because you haven’t seen an immediate response or because the infection seems partially cured.

Topical Antifungals

Topical antifungal medications can be in powder form or come as creams and are usually applied to the infected area once to twice a day for 1-6 weeks. The required course of treatment depends on how severe the infection is, the type of medication used, and how the infection responds to the treatment approach.

A wide variety of topical medications can treat athlete’s foot, but antifungals known as imidazoles are common choices. These include:

• Lotrimin (clotrimazole)
• Spectrazole (econazole)
• Nizoral (ketoconazole)
• Monistat (miconazole)
• Exelderm (sulconazole)
• Trosyd or Gyno-Trosyd (tioconazole)

It’s important to continue taking these medications for about 1-2 weeks after the infection has cleared to prevent it from returning.

Topical antifungal medications are usually well tolerated, and most side effects are uncommon. Some people taking topical antifungal may experience increased itching or stinging where the medication is applied.

Systemic Antifungals

You may need to take oral antifungals (by mouth), also known as systemic antifungal therapy. These antifungals might be required if the infection doesn’t go away after about 2-4 weeks, if it reoccurs often, or if the infection is severe. Healthcare providers may also prescribe a combination of both topical and oral antifungal therapy to treat certain infections.

Oral antifungal medications include:

• Diflucan (fluconazole)
• Grifulvin V or Gris-PEG (griseofulvin)
• Sporonax (itraconazole)
• Lamisil (terbinafine)

Oral antifungal treatments can range from 1-8 weeks. They tend to have side effects like headaches, nausea, and pruritus (itching).

Therapies

Topical and oral antifungals are typically the method of choice when treating athlete’s foot. However, the fungal infection can sometimes spread onto nearby toenails and cause a nail infection known as onychomycosis. For this reason, healthcare providers might try a combination of topical and oral antifungals. They may also therapies in addition to antifungals, such as:

• Non-thermal plasma: This procedure is relatively new and uses a cold laser to create an environment that kills the fungal cell wall.
• Laser poration: This procedure uses a special femtosecond-pulsed laser that pulses to create pores in the nails. The pores allow topical antifungal medications to get further into the infection, increasing their effectiveness.
• Photodynamic therapy (PDT): This type of therapy leads to fungal cell death due to interactions between a photosensitizer (gel substance), a particular light source, and oxygen. The photosensitizer absorbs energy under the light source, reacts to oxygen molecules, and attacks the fungal cell wall.

Onychomycosis treatment can cause liver damage. If you’re treated for onychomycosis, you’ll likely get a liver function test before you begin as well as periodic liver tests after that to ensure there’s no damage.

Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Many plants have medicinal properties that have been used to treat athlete’s foot, including:

• Red onion extract
• Tasmanian glue gum extract
• Lavender and lemon grass essential oils

Other home remedies include tea tree oil and herbal foot baths. More research is needed to determine if these natural remedies are effective.

Lifestyle

You can prevent athlete’s foot or recurring infections by incorporating particular habits into your routine. Athlete’s foot is contagious, and fungi that cause the infection prefer warm and moist environments. Foot care and hygiene recommendations include the following:

• Choose shoes carefully: Wear shoes that are not tight on your skin, preferably sandals or other shoes that allow your skin to breathe. Opt for natural materials like cotton and leather.
• Opt for cotton socks: Try socks made of cotton. Wash socks in hot water to kill the fungi.
• Wash thoroughly: Wash your feet with soap and water twice daily. Dry your feet adequately, including between your toes. 
• Boil clothing: Boil affected clothing (e.g., socks) for several minutes. Dryers don’t get hot enough to kill fungi.
• Avoid going barefoot: Avoid walking barefoot, especially in public places. Use shower shoes if needed.
• Try drying powders: Use antifungal or drying powders to prevent getting athlete’s foot from places where it’s common, such as public showers or gym locker rooms.
• Use wool padding: Keep the area between your toes dry using lamb’s wool padding. You can purchase them at pharmacies.

You can also prevent the spread of athlete’s foot by encouraging other people in your house to follow the same practices.

Living With and Managing Athlete’s Foot

Athlete’s foot, or tinea pedis, is a common fungal infection that affects about 3-15% of people during their lifetime. Risk factors include physical activities like running and swimming, allergies, and circulation problems in your legs. You’re also more likely to get it if it runs in your family. The risk of infection is particularly high in individuals with hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating).

Athlete’s foot responds well to self-care and lifestyle changes, and it doesn’t usually cause severe complications. However, it won’t go away on its own, and it can spread to other body areas like toenails if left untreated. Taking preventative measures is helpful for people prone to getting the infection.

A Quick Review

Athlete’s foot is a contagious fungal infection that responds well to antifungals applied directly to the disease site. Oral antifungals might be used if you don’t respond well to topical medications.

Athlete’s foot is common and tends to recur often. You can prevent it by practicing particular foot care and hygiene habits including wearing breathable socks and shoes, using drying powders, and preventing your barefoot from coming into contact with fungi-friendly surfaces like showers and locker room floors.

Read the original article on Health.com.