What is athlete’s foot?
Athlete’s foot is a fungal infection that causes a rash on moist areas of your feet.
Athlete's foot is very common because water gets trapped in the warm spaces between your toes
It can spread from person to person in shared bathrooms, showers, and warm wet places
Keeping your feet dry lowers the chance of getting athlete's foot
Doctors treat athlete's foot with antifungal cream
What are the symptoms of athlete’s foot?
Symptoms include:
Itching
Foot rash
There are different kinds of athlete's foot rash:
Cracked, red, peeling skin between your toes
Thickened, scaly skin on the soles of your feet
Rarely, fluid-filled blisters
The cracks in your skin can let germs in and cause a bacterial infection of the skin of your foot (cellulitis Cellulitis Cellulitis is characterized by red, warm areas on the skin. Sometimes blisters form. Cellulitis is a bacterial infection in your skin. Cellulitis is a common skin infection that can spread quickly... read more 
).
How can doctors tell if I have athlete’s foot?
Doctors can usually tell it's athlete's foot by looking at it. To know for sure, doctors may take a tiny scraping of your skin to look at under a microscope.
How do doctors treat athlete’s foot?
Doctors treat athlete's foot with:
Antifungal creams to put on your foot
Rarely, antifungal medicines to take by mouth
Athlete's foot often comes back after treatment. You may need to take medicine for a long time.
How can I prevent athlete’s foot?
To prevent athlete's foot:
Keep your feet dry
Wear shower shoes or sandals at the gym or other public showers
Ways to keep your feet dry include:
Wearing open-toe shoes or shoes that let air circulate
Changing your socks often, especially during warm weather
Drying the spaces between your toes with a towel after bathing
Applying antifungal powders (such as miconazole), gentian violet, or aluminum chloride solution or soaking your feet in Burow solution
Drugs Mentioned In This Article
| Generic Name | Select Brand Names |
|---|---|
miconazole |
Aloe Vesta, Antifungal, AZOLEN TINCTURE, Baza, Cruex, Desenex, Desenex Jock Itch, Fungoid, Lotrimin AF, Lotrimin AF Antifungal Liquid, Lotrimin AF Deodorant, Lotrimin AF Powder, Lotrimin AF Spray, Micaderm , Micatin, Miconazole 7, Micotrin AP, Micro-Guard , Mitrazol, Monistat 1 Day or Night Combination Pack, Monistat 1 Vaginal Ovule Combination Pack, Monistat 1 Vaginal Ovule Combination Pack (Prefilled), Monistat 3, Monistat 3 Vaginal Cream (Prefilled), Monistat 3 Vaginal Cream Combination Pack, Monistat 3 Vaginal Cream Combination Pack (Prefilled), Monistat 3 Vaginal Ovule Combination Pack, Monistat 3 Vaginal Suppositories Combination Pack, Monistat 7, Monistat 7 Vaginal Cream Combination Pack, Monistat-Derm, Mycozyl AP, Neosporin AF, Novana Anti-Fungal, Oravig, Remedy, Soothe & Cool INZO, Ting Antifungal, Triple Paste AF , Vagistat-3, Zeasorb Athlete's Foot, Zeasorb Jock Itch |
gentian violet |
No brand name available |
aluminum chloride |
Drysol, Hypercare, Xerac AC |
