PooleScheetz589

There are plenty of easy and effective ways to successfully treat athlete's foot. The earlier the treatment regimen, the better it will be for the patient since results will also be faster and several complications can be avoided. Athlete's foot plagues millions of individuals around the world so knowing the right approaches as well as learning healthy habits can greatly help alleviate it.

Healthy Practices

Primarily, good hygiene is very important in order for people to get rid of athlete's foot and prevent it from recurring anytime in the future. Foot hygiene should be practiced regularly to maintain wellness and stop microorganisms from growing and spreading. Make it a habit to keep your feet dry at all times especially the areas between the toes and the soles.

Do a towel rub down after bathing, showering or swimming. Do not put your socks and shoes on if your feet still retains some moisture since it can become conducive for fungal and bacterial growth. Trim and clean toenails at least once a week or so to keep germs from proliferating underneath. Keep your feet away from possibly infected items like bathroom floors, pools and gym locker rooms. Always wear rubber slippers when moving around in these areas. Also avoid borrowing possibly contaminated things like towels, shoes and socks.

If you're an active individual, it's always a good idea to invest in comfortable and well-ventilated shoes. You may want to change socks after every few hours or activity or so to keep sweat from accumulating. Natural cotton or wool socks are ideal since these can absorb sweat effectively. Take your shoes off and allow your feet to air out every several hours to keep them dry and cool. Also launder towels and wash your shoes regularly with a detergent and chlorine then put them under the sun to dry for a few hours to eliminate remaining microorganisms. Terbinafine Spray

The Medications

There are so many over-the-counter drugs, creams, ointments and powders that you can buy to treat athlete's foot. These will work best together with good foot hygiene practices as mentioned above. Topical anti-fungal agents are very useful and come in the form of sprays, gels, creams, ointments and powders. 2% miconazole nitrate, Terbinafine which comes in the brand name Lamisil and 1% Tolnaftate are some of the popular choices. There are also prescription anti-fungal medications such as ketoconazole, itraconazole, nystatin, clotrimazole and sertaconazole. However, a number of studies suggest that Allylamines like Naftifine, Terbinafine and Butenafine are more effective in treating infections compared to azoles like ketaconazole, itraconazole and miconazole.

Upon using these agents, expect some positive results within the first 2 weeks but symptoms may not fully disappear until another 4 weeks or so. Treatment duration will vary depending on the stage and type of fungus. Anti-itch creams are not really recommended by doctors since these are known to reduce the effects of anti-fungal drugs and also tend to exacerbate the fungi by retaining moisture in the skin.

Gels are thought to act more quickly than creams since these can penetrate the skin better. As for yeast infections, fluconazole may be indicated. Application may be once or twice a day depending on the drug so make sure you follow instructions carefully. Yeast infections are more severe in terms of symptoms and should be carefully watched out for to avoid further bacterial contamination.