Treatment of athlete’s foot – what does it look like? Homemade ways

Proven content

Athlete’s foot is a very contagious disease. The current lifestyle, the use of public places where many people often affected by this disease pass through (swimming pools, saunas, gyms, beauty salons), is conducive to the spread of fungal infections. It is estimated that every fifth person in Poland has this problem or will have it in the future. Feet infected with mycosis burn, itch, hurt, sweat excessively and smell unpleasant. And although fungal infections are not a direct threat to life, they make everyday functioning uncomfortable.

Mycosis of the feet – the most common causes

Tinea pedis is caused by an infection with dermatophyte fungi. Infection can occur through direct contact with an infected person or indirectly through contact with contaminated objects. Fungi relatively often attack the feet because they find exceptionally favorable conditions for development on them. They have food in the form of epidermis, and tight-fitting footwear provides adequate warmth and humidity.

Depending on the clinical form of the disease, skin lesions may take a different form. Most often, reddened spots appear in areas infected with fungi. There are bubbles filled with serous fluid, which peel off when ruptured. The epidermis may become keratinized or macerated. The changes in the skin are accompanied by itching, burning and an unpleasant smell.

Home remedies for athlete’s foot

Treatment of athlete’s foot in the initial stage, when the skin changes are minor, can be done with home remedies. Tea tree oil has an effective fungicidal and bactericidal effect. The infected area should be lubricated with oil 2-3 times a day. Tea oil should not be used by pregnant women and children.

Rosemary is also helpful in fighting fungal infections. The oils contained in it inhibit the development of fungi. In addition, moistening the feet with an infusion made of rosemary soothes itching. Aloe and livebear are also fungicidal and bactericidal. Feet should be soaked in an infusion made of aloe vera or live bait for 10 minutes.

Treatment of mycosis of the feet with pharmacy preparations

Treatment of athlete’s foot can be performed topically, using over-the-counter medications. Preparations with active fungicidal, fungistatic and bactericidal substances are available in the form of ointments, creams, sprays or lotions. Undecylenic acid or zinc undecylenate contained in ointments destroys fungi, and petroleum jelly greases the exfoliating epidermis. Gels intended for the treatment of mycosis are very well absorbed into the skin.

The infected areas are most often placed in a closed dressing. It is also worth using the 2-in-1 solution and purchase a kit that will include not only a mycosis treatment agent, but also a shoe disinfectant, thanks to which we will avoid reinfection.

The effectiveness of treatment depends not only on the strict adherence to the instructions on the packaging, but above all on the active substances contained in the preparations. The following active substances are used to fight fungal infections:

1. Undecylic acid – has a fungicidal effect against various species of fungi.
2. Terbinafine hydrochloride – has a fungicidal and fungistatic effect against yeasts. It works quickly, so treatment takes less time than with other active substances.
3. Ethyl alcohol – has fungicidal and bactericidal properties.
4. Flutrimazole – inhibits the growth of yeast fungi. The flutrimazole treatment lasts about 4 weeks.
5. Urea – an auxiliary component with exfoliating properties.
6. Miconazole nitrate – it is a mild cream that can also be used in antifungal prophylaxis. The treatment lasts from 2 to 6 weeks.
7. Panthenol – an auxiliary ingredient with soothing and healing properties.
8. Allantoin – an auxiliary ingredient with soothing, healing and regenerating properties.
9. Ketoconazole – This substance fights many types of fungi. The treatment lasts from 4 to 6 weeks.
10. Boric acid – has fungicidal and bactericidal properties.
11. Clotrimazole – fights various types of fungi, yeasts and molds. Clotrimazole in combination with hexamidine dizothionin fights not only fungal infections, but also pathogenic bacteria, e.g. staphylococcus.

Treatment of a severe form of athlete’s foot

If pharmacy measures do not bring results, treatment of athlete’s foot should be carried out under the supervision of a physician. Correct diagnosis allows you to exclude other skin diseases, the picture of which is similar to fungal infections. In cases that are difficult to cure, when the fungus is well established, the doctor may order a mycological examination.

The treatment consists in scraping or scraping the scraps from the infected area with a special cutter. If treatment was administered early, treatment should be discontinued for two weeks prior to sampling. The collected sample is cultured in the laboratory for 4 weeks under sterile conditions. After this period, the laboratory prepares an antibiogram, i.e. a list of drugs to which a given type of fungus is resistant.

Treatment of tinea pedis in very difficult cases, when local treatment did not bring results, may be systemic. The active substances used in general treatment are: griseofulvin, terbinafine, itraconazole, fluconazole. The success of treatment for fungal infections largely depends on the patient himself. Accurate compliance with the doctor’s recommendations and regularity are the basis of effective treatment.

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Diet and treatment of mycosis

Treatment of tinea pedis as well as mycoses of other areas should be supported by a proper diet. Food for mushrooms is sugars and carbohydrates. During the period when we fight mycosis, we limit the consumption of sugar to a minimum. We give up sweets and sweeten tea and coffee.

In this case, we recommend the Azeol AF dietary supplement for fungal infections available on Medonet Market at an attractive price.

We completely eliminate white bread and pasta from our diet. We also limit the consumption of dark bread. We avoid fruits that contain large amounts of sugar and carbohydrates. When treating mycosis, we avoid smoking and drinking alcoholic beverages.