How do you treat fungal infections of the foot? These treatment guidelines are used to help you make choices regarding care.
Fungal infections of the foot are cause primarily by two fungal organisms known as trichophyton mentagrophytes and trichophyton rubrum.
- Trichophyton mentagrophytes - causes classic athlete's foot. Symptoms include bubbles, blisters, redness of the skin and intense itching.
- Trichophyton rubrum - causes non-athlete's foot fungal infections of the foot. Symptoms of t. rubrum infections include dry skin, mild itching and slight redness of the sole of the foot in a moccasin distribution.
The primary contributing factor to fungal infections of the foot are shoes. Shoes create a unique and somewhat hostile environment for skin and nail. Life within the shoe is hot, wet and dark. Each of these conditions are significant contributing factors to the growth of fungus on the skin of the foot. Remember, fungus (t. mentagrophytes and t. rubrum) are plants. Water the plants and you’re sure to promote fungal growth.
Daily treatment recommendations for fungal infections of the foot
1. Rotate shoes - allow 24 hours between use of shoes to insure that shoes are cool and dry with use.
2. Dry the foot - use a foot drying solution like Onox (https://www.myfootshop.com/onox-foot-drying-solution-1) or OTC underarm antiperspirant to dry the feet every day.
3. Use sock - socks help to wick away moisture, keeping the feet dry.
4. Apply antifungal - management of fungal infections of the foot requires an ongoing treatment plan that includes application of a topical over-the-counter antifungal like Antifungal Healing Foot Cream (https://www.myfootshop.com/antifungal-healing-foot-cream).
Skin and nail are very susceptible to fungal infections. When enclosed in a shoe, the chances for fungal infections significantly increase. Try to keep your feet open to the air, cool and dry. Additional resources for treatment of fungal infections of the skin and nail include -
Treatment Guide - patient guidelines for treatment of toenail fungus (https://www.myfootshop.com/toe-nail-fungus-treatment-recommendations)
Athlete's foot (https://www.myfootshop.com/athletes-foot)
Onychomycosis (https://www.myfootshop.com/onychomycosis)
Toe Nail Fungus - Causes and contributing factors (https://www.myfootshop.com/toe-nail-fungus-causes-and-contributing-factors)
This article was written by Jeffrey Oster, DPM. Dr. Oster is a board certified podiatrist and medical advisor to Myfootshop.com. This article was most recently updated on 1/20/2021.