The scientific name for athlete's foot is tinea pedis, which is commonly known as athlete's foot because of the humid weather in Hong Kong and the tendency for people to grow tinea pedis on their feet while wearing tight shoes.People who have athlete's foot always feel very itchy, and it is difficult to cure.How to treat athlete's foot?

How to cure athlete's foot

How is athlete's foot caused?
Tinea pedis is a contagious skin disease of the feet caused by a pathogenic fungus.Tinea pedis is widespread throughout the world and is more common in tropical and subtropical regions.The incidence of tinea pedis is also quite high in our country.In humans, there are no sebaceous glands on the soles of the feet and between the toes, thus lacking fatty acids that inhibit the filamentous fungus of the skin, and the physiological defenses are poor, whereas the sweat glands of the skin in these areas are abundant and sweat more, combined with poor air circulation.The local humidity and warmth are conducive to the growth of filamentous fungi.In addition, the plantar area of the skin stratum corneum is thicker, and the keratin in the stratum corneum is a rich nutrient for fungi, which is conducive to the growth of fungi.
During pregnancy, women are susceptible to tinea pedis because of endocrine changes that cause the skin's ability to resist fungal infection to decrease.Obese people are prone to tinea pedis due to dampness between the toes and impregnation with sweat.Trauma to the skin of the foot, which destroys the skin's defenses, is also a factor that triggers tinea pedis.Diabetic patients are also prone to tinea pedis due to lack of insulin leading to disruption of substance metabolism and increased sugar content of the skin leading to decreased resistance.Abuse of antibiotics, long-term use of corticosteroids and immunosuppressants, etc., which dysregulate the normal flora of the skin, also increase the susceptibility to tinea pedis.
The onset of tinea pedis is also related to lifestyle habits.Some people do not pay attention to foot cleanliness and footwear, which provides a good breeding ground for fungi.
How to treat athlete's foot
1. There is erosion between the toes.The oozing person: can not be used externally irritating medicine, it is best to make the wound surface astringent dry before using medicine.You can use 1:8000 potassium permanganate solution wet compress, then apply oil or powder externally, after the skin is dry, switch to terbinafine hydrochloride and other creams or ointments.
2. If the skin keratinization thickening is serious, antifungal drugs are difficult to penetrate and absorb: you can use 10% salicylic acid ointment or compound benzoic acid ointment to soften the keratin first, and then use antifungal drugs.If the skin is obviously dry and cracked, you can soak it in warm water each time to soften the keratin, and then use antifungal medicine.If the skin is obviously dry and cracked, you can apply oil cream locally after soaking in warm water each time, then seal the package with plastic film and wrap a bandage around the outside, remove it after 24 to 48 hours, and then use antifungal medicine.
3. If the foot has small blisters that have not broken: you can soak it in 3% boric acid solution first, and then use antifungal creams such as bifenazole cream.
4. If tinea pedis is combined with bacterial infection, in principle, local anti-bacterial infection should be used first: furacilin solution or 1:2000 safranin solution can be applied wet, and for serious infection, oral antibiotics such as cephalexin capsules can be taken.Erythromycin, etc.
5. systemic treatment: for recalcitrant tinea pedis, oral medication can be given if there is no contraindication.Such as terbinafine .Itraconazole.Fluconazole etc.These oral drugs are effective, but attention should be paid to their possible side effects, and they are contraindicated in people with poor liver function.
6. Be persistent with the medication: Tinea pedis is a chronic infection in which the fungus grows and multiplies in the keratin layer and requires long-term medication to completely remove it.Therefore, after the symptoms of ringworm are relieved, you still need to stick to the medication. The metabolic cycle of the skin is about 28 days, so you must stick to the medication for more than four weeks.It is best to have a fungal examination and culture, which is negative for three consecutive weeks to be considered cured.
7. Do not use medication indiscriminately: The most crucial thing about medication for tinea pedis is that it should be treated in a consistent and regular manner according to the typology.Do not treat it blindly on your own, which often delays and aggravates the condition.
8. The medication should be used according to the specifics of the lesion: tinctures should not be used for broken areas, thickened skin, and fissures should be treated with ointments.
9. When secondary infection occurs in tinea pedis, there is acute local inflammation: it should not be treated as general tinea pedis, and the secondary infection should be dealt with first.If there is redness and swelling, a cold warm compress of boric acid water or furacilin solution can be applied topically locally. If necessary, systemic antibiotics should also be applied and proper rest should be taken as ordered by the doctor.
It is important to note that if you have scratched your feet with athlete's foot, you must wash them immediately, otherwise it is easy to get infected when you touch other places on your body.If you have athlete's foot, you need to maintain personal hygiene, change your socks regularly, and keep your feet clean.