Fungal Skin Infections

If the skin between your toes gets moist, feels like it’s burning, and starts to flake, or your feet are itching like crazy, this is usually a sign of a fungal skin infection (aka Athlete’s Foot).  
Athlete’s foot — also called tinea pedis — is a common fungal infection that affects the skin on the feet and is highly contagious. Thus, it can also spread to the hands and toenails. For obvious reasons, it’s called Athlete’s Foot because it’s commonly found in athletes. Using antifungal creams is an effective way to stop the fungus from spreading, relieve symptoms, and clear it up. 
Treatment for fungal infections for your feet usually involves OTC creams, gels, powders, or sprays that you can find at your local pharmacy or grocery store. 
Learn how to get rid of fungus between the toes as well as on the bottom and top of your feet using over the counter medication, alternative methods, and home remedies.  
  
What Causes Athlete’s Foot? 
Athlete’s foot occurs when the tinea fungus grows between the toes and on the feet. You can catch Athlete’s Foot via direct contact with an infected person, or by coming into contact with surfaces already contaminated by the fungus. It thrives in warm and moist environments that are commonly found around swimming pools, in showers, and on locker room floors. 
Fungal skin infections aren’t serious, but they can be persistent and hard to cure.  
  
What Are the Symptoms of Athlete’s Foot? 
The most common of symptoms of athlete’s foot include: 
Itching, burning, and stinging between your toes or on soles of your feet 
Itchy blisters on your feet  
Cracked and peeling skin between your toes and on the soles of your feet 
Irritated raw skin on the bottom of your feet and between your toes 
Discoloured, crumbly, and thick toenails 
  
Treatments for Fungal Skin Infections on the Feet 
Athlete’s foot is easily treated with over-the-counter (OTC) topical antifungal medications. In addition to anti-fungal ointments and powders, there are many OTC fungal infection creams for feet that treat Athlete’s foot. The best cream for fungal infections on your foot are Terbinafine and Clotrimazole antifungal cream.  
  
What is the best cream for fungus on the feet? 
Miconazole (Desenex) 
Terbinafine (Lamisil AT) 
Clotrimazole (Lotrimin AF) 
Butenafine (Lotrimin Ultra) 
Tolnaftate (Tinactin) 
  
Prescription Medications 
If OTC medications don’t help your fungal skin infection, your doctor may recommend oral or topical prescription-strength antifungal medications.  
 
Anti-Fungal prescription medications include: 
Topical creams and ointment - Clotrimazole or Ciconazole 
Oral antifungal medications such as Terbinafine (Lamisil), Fluconazole (Diflucan), or Itraconazole (Sporanox). 
Topical steroid creams or ointments to reduce painful inflammation 
  
Athlete’s Foot is a form of ringworm even though its symptoms look a bit different. But both are itchy rashes that can spread easily. It can even spread to other parts of your body and face. Like athlete’s foot, you can use an antifungal cream for your face and body to treat the rash. 
  
Alternative Therapy and Home remedies 
These are common doctor recommended home remedies and alternative treatments for Athlete’s Foot skin infection: 
Hydrogen peroxide or Rubbing Alcohol 
Tea tree oil 
Neem oil 
Rubbing alcohol 
Sea salt baths 
Soak feet in diluted vinegar 
Talcum powder 
Vicks VapoRub 
Keep your feet dry and clean 
  
Check out the Pearl Chemist Group online pharmacy for the best treatments of fungal skin infections on your feet. Athlete’s Foot can be managed with a variety of over-the-counter products for relief of itchy and burning skin.