Athlete’s foot is an infection of the skin of the feet. It is caused by one of several funguses that grow best in moisture. The mildest cases cause itching, scaling, and cracking between the toes, particularly between the fourth and fifth toes. Athlete’s foot may spread to the sole of the feet as small blisters and scaling. In severe cases it may spread to the ankles and legs. It may invade and deform the toenails. Scratching may cause additional (secondary) infections. The condition is most common during adolescence, but it may occur at any age—even occasionally in infants.
Signs and symptoms
The scaling and cracking appearance of the feet and the itching that accompanies it are symptoms that may indicate athlete’s foot.
Home care
Apply fungicidal ointment once or twice a day (half strength for delicate skin). Or you may use ointments containing undercylenic acid or tolnaftate (available without a prescription). To decrease sweating of the feet, avoid rubber-soled or plastic-soled shoes. Use cotton socks to absorb moisture. White socks may be best since some dyes can irritate the skin.
Caution: Many “incurable” cases of athlete’s foot are not athlete’s foot itself but contact dermatitis caused by the treatment. Contact dermatitis is a skin rash or inflammation caused by some irritating substance. In some people, the ointments used to treat athlete’s foot may cause such irritation; the athlete’s foot fungus is actually cleared up, but the skin remains irritated. If treatment for athlete’s foot does not relieve the symptoms, check with your doctor to determine if the skin irritation is contact dermatitis.
Precautions
• Continue treatment until the skin is completely clear; funguses not completely treated flare up again.
• If improvement is not prompt and lasting, see your doctor; you may have a skin condition that is not athlete’s foot. Many athlete’s foot medications can cause contact dermatitis in some people.
Medical treatment
Diagnosis is confirmed by scraping the skin and then culturing the fungus or identifying the fungus under a microscope. Your doctor may prescribe other fungicidal ointments or lotions or a fungicide taken by mouth. If a secondary infection has developed, your doctor may prescribe oral antibiotics and soaking in a solution of potassium permanganate or aluminum sulphate and calcium acetate.
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