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Foot Fungus

Foot Fungus

When you have a foot fungus, it usually starts with a harmless itch between your toes and the itch eventually gets worse. This is known as Athlete’s foot, which is a very common foot skin infection, caused by fungus. That fungus is called Trichophyton.

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About Foot Fungus

When the feet stay warm, moist, and irritated, this foot fungus can keep infecting the upper layer of the skin. This fungus can occur anywhere on our body (scalp, groin area, hands, feet, nails, arms, legs, and other areas).

Athlete’s foot is also referred as tinea pedis because the ringworm fungus medically known as tinea causes it. Tinea pedis can live on many locations and it is found mostly on floors in gyms, swimming pools, nail salons, and in socks and clothing as well. Foot fungus can also be transferred directly from person to person or through a contact with these objects. It is estimated that up to 70 percent of our population may acquire athlete’s foot at some time during their lives.

To diagnosis the foot fungus, your doctor will carry out a lab test called a KOH in other words potassium hydroxide for microscopic fungal presence. This test is done on small flakes of skin using the microscope. Dermatologists can also carry out this test in their offices usually giving results within minutes. Sometimes a small portion of your skin may be taken to be sent for biopsy to verify the diagnosis.

There two ways of treating athlete’s foot, the first method is to make sure the area affected by the fungus is not suitable for it to survive. You will need to keep the affected area always dry and clean. It is important to use shoes made of leather or materials that let air through. Otherwise, shoes that do not allow air can cause your feet to stay moist, setting up a breeding ground for the fungus. Also, you should use cotton socks because they let air through and absorb water away from your feet.

Medicated powders like miconazole or tolnaftate are excellent way to make sure your feet stay dry. Your doctor may advise you to soak your feet in a solution of aluminum acetate medically referred as Burrow’s solution and Domeboro’s solution. A homemade therapy is to mix white vinegar with water using one part vinegar and four parts water. You can do these ten-minute foot soaks once or twice a day.

The second type of foot fungus treatment is to use antifungal creams and medical washes. There are various medications such as miconazole, clotrimazole, terbinafine sprays, medically termed as Lamisil and various creams. There are also ketoconazole shampoos and creams. Treating athlete’s foot can last up to four weeks and sometimes one week after all foot fungus symptoms are gone.

There are also oral solutions in case your athlete’s foot is more resistant and in an advanced stage. You will need to complete a two to three week course of an oral pill prescription of antifungal medicine such as terbinafine, itraconazole also known as Sporanox, or fluconazole popularly known as Diflucan. Before you take these pills, your doctor may send you to examine your livers to make sure there is no disease affecting them.

If the fungus has reached your toenails, they must be treated immediately to stop re-infection of your feet. Often that is the reason why the athlete’s foot keeps coming back despite applying all the treatments. The nails can be the nest for your athlete’s foot. It is vital to get rid of all the possible fungus at one time including toenail fungus. In order to get rid of the toenail fungus completely the treatment can last up to three to four months and consistent use of oral antifungal drugs.

Always refer to your health-care professional or pharmacist for to find the suitable remedy.

vickiz

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Foot Fungus