Health & Fitness

How to Treat Fungal Foot Infections?

May 20, 2022

Our feet are the most exposed part of our body. They are exposed to all sorts of pathogens and irritants that may infect the skin of our feet. Our bare feet are exposed to ultraviolet rays of sunlight. No matter how you keep your feet clean or protect them from the sunlight by wearing socks, you are still exposed to many different irritants at home. If your immune system is low then you are most likely to catch fungal infections pretty easily but nothing to worry about. Most fungal infections are mild and can be treated at home. Timely treatment is a must otherwise some infections may land you in the hospital. 

Prevention

Simply, keep your feet dry all the time. Keep washing your feet daily with antibacterial soaps and pat them dry. Wear clean socks daily to prevent such infections. Maintain foot hygiene as well. 

Common fungal foot infections

Fungus mostly attacks damp and soft tissues of our skin like the skin between the toes. Let us look at some of the most common fungal foot infections:

  • Athlete’s foot

Fungus loves moist and damp places. Sweaty socks, saunas, spas, contaminated towels, and gyms are their favorite places to attack. If this pathogen infects your feet then it may cause itchiness and flakiness between your toes. Your skin may start scraping from the worst affected areas. You can easily treat this condition at home by applying a generous amount of over-the-counter antifungal cream to the infected area. You can get cheaper medication online by logging onto the website of PricePro Pharmacy. 

  • Toenail fungus

The symptoms of this type of fungal infection include discoloration on the infected area, flaky nails, and cracked nails. People with a weak immune system are most likely to catch this fungal infection easily. A KOH test is done to diagnose this condition. Topical creams are unable to penetrate the nail tissue so it is difficult to treat with just over-the-counter medications. Doctors mostly advise oral antifungal medications to treat cramped nails. 

Bacterial foot infections

Just like fungus, some bacteria are also harmful to our skin. Even though bacterial infections are less common they may become serious if left untreated. The worst symptoms of bacterial infections include redness, soreness, and yellow or green pus between the toes. 

Some common bacterial foot infections are as follows:

  • Erythrasma

This infection is most common in people with diabetes or obesity. It mostly grows in the folds of our skin like armpits, between the toes, under the breasts, or in the groin. Oral antibiotics or topical creams can treat this condition. Regular applications of topical creams are strictly advised to prevent the spread of this bacteria to other parts of the body. 

  • Foot abscess

Some bacterial foot infections may form a pattern around the toes and cause pus. An open wound acts as the host of this pathogen. They may look similar to boils but are much more painful. Your healthcare provider may treat this condition by draining the abscess (pus) from the infected areas or prescribing oral medicines or topical creams to apply to the infected areas. Painkillers are also prescribed to reduce pain.

How to Treat Fungal Foot Infections? was last modified: by

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