Foot Fungus Treatment

The Complete Foot Fungus Treatment Guide: Learn what to do if your feet are dry scaly and itchy! Follow our complete, medically backed home guide!

This video will tell you everything that you need to know about foot fungus!

What Is Athlete’s Foot Fungus?

• It is a fungus infection of the skin of the foot.
• It can cause flaking, itchy and swelling of the foot.
• It is most commonly caused by a subgroup of fungus called Trichophyton Rubrum.
• It involves the outermost layer of the skin called the stratum corneum.

Who Is At Risk For Infection?

• 15% of the USA population is estimated to have foot fungus.
• Fungus reproduces through spores, which are very difficult to eradicate & they grow when conditions are ripe!
• Fungus thrives in moist areas such as showers or pools.
• It requires a warm moist environment to grow such as socks or inside a shoe.
• Some people have a genetic variation that decreases their body’s ability to eradicate the fungus.
• People with toenail fungus are more susceptible to foot fungus.

Symptoms of Foot Fungus:

• **If constant dry skin in the foot: assume foot fungus!**
• **If toenail fungus: assume you have, or have had foot fungus!**
• Usually persistent dry skin means foot fungus!
• Scaling, flaking and itching.
• Pain, swelling and inflammation.
• Blisters and cracking of the skin may occur.
• Usually in the sole of the foot and not on top of the foot.
• Can be in between the toes in the web-spaces.

Home Diagnosis of Foot Fungus:

Foot fungus is the most common cause of dry feet in the world! If your feet are dry, just assume that you have foot fungus and treat it. If it does not start getting better after a couple days or weeks, then start looking for other causes!

• **If constant dry skin in the foot: assume foot fungus!**
• **If toenail fungus: assume you have, or have had foot fungus!**
• The only way to know for sure is to visit your podiatrist for a skin sample.
• A podiatrist can use 4 tests: KOH smear, PAS, cultures & PCR genetic testing.

Is Foot Fungus Contagious?

Yes it is!

• But some people are resistant.
• It is a autosomal dominant gene that can be passed down in the family.
• Other people are genetically susceptible and will catch it very easily.
• For example a father and his son’s can have it, but the mother will never catch it because she has different genetics.

-If you share shocks the other person may catch it. -If you store your underwear with your socks, you may have a groin fungus infection called tinea cruris (Jock Itch).

Toenail Fungus Can Re-infect Your Skin!

When treating your foot fungus, you should treat your toenail fungus as well!

Foot fungus can lead to toenail fungus.

• But toenail fungus can also lead to foot fungus.
• People who treat their foot fungus but continue to have toenail fungus will just re-infect themselves.

Jump To Toenail Fungus Treatment Guide!

Three Types Of Foot Fungus:

1)Moccasin Type:

This is the most common type of foot fungus. It progresses slowly and usually manifests as dry feet. This is the most common cause of dry feet in the world! If your feet are dry, just assume that you have foot fungus and treat it.

• Most common type of foot fungus.
• Presents usually as dry skin on the sole of the foot.
• Called moccasin type, because it surrounds the foot like a moccasin shoe.
• Caused almost always by Trichophyton Rubrum.
• The fungus shows up in the thick skin of the heel and plantar foot.
• It can occur along with interdigital foot fungus as well.
• Home remedies should be enough to resolve this type of foot fungus.
• It responds very well to treatment.

2)Vesicular Type:

This is the most rare type of foot fungus, but the most dangerous! This results in blistering that cause become infected by bacteria.

• Least common type of foot fungus.
• Most dangerous type.
• Usually caused by Trichophyton Mentagrophytes.
• Blisters appear very rapidly.
• It can be extremely painful.
• Do not pop the blisters, they can become secondarily infected by bacteria.
• See a podiatrist for treatment as soon as possible.
• It can get much worse if left untreated!
• Home remedies are usually not enough to treat this type of foot fungus.

3)Inter-digital Type:

This is usually the type that people notice the most. Although the moccasin type is the most common, people live with it. The interdigital type becomes itchy in between the webspaces and can fissure.

• The most apparent and treated foot fungus.
• Can fissure and lead to infections.
• Usually occurs due to occlusion and moisture in the web-spaces.

Prevention Of Foot Fungus:

1)Uncontrolled systemic disease is the #1 controllable risk factor:

• Control your blood sugar if you are a diabetic.
• Foot fungus and toenail fungus is universally associated with diabetics.
• Smokers have decreased blood flow, this leads to a weaker response to foot fungus.
• Patients with lymphedema or venous insufficiency have more swollen web spaces. This leaves moisture in between the toes allowing fungus to grow.

 2) Toenail fungus acts as a reservoir of fungus!

• Make sure to treat your toenail fungus as well.
• If you treat your foot fungus, but have fungal nails- they will just reinfect your foot.
• Follow our complete toenail fungus treatment guide!
• **Foot fungus is always present before toenail fungus. So treating your foot fungus may prevent future toenail fungus!**

 3)Get Breathable Shoes.

• Tight & occlusive shoes are a major cause of foot fungus.
• Get shoes or sandals that breathe.
• The goal is to let moisture evaporate from your foot throughout the day.
• Without a tight occlusive shoe, the fungus cannot grow.
• This gives your body enough time to fight the infection off.

4)Get Synthetic Socks.

• Synthetic socks are shown to evaporate moisture easier.
• This will let your feet breath more.
• This prevents the optimum environment for fungal growth.
• Try to avoid cotton socks.

5)Keep your webspaces dry.

• After you bathe or shower, make sure your web spaces are clean and dry.
• If you have swollen toes, try to dry out the web spaces regularly.
• Don’t put creams in between your toes!
• This will allow the fungus to proliferate.

6)Use anti-fungal powder or spray to prevent moisture buildup.

• There are medicated anti-fungal drying agents available.
• Do this if you cannot switch to open shoes or synthetic socks.
• This alone will most likely take care of your problem!
• Make sure to use it for at least 30 days for effectiveness.

Foot Fungus Treatment:

1)Home Remedies:

The good news is almost all topical medications and how remedies work very well!

• Home remedies are not really backed by medical research.
• This is because most medical research must be paid for, home remedies do not really have backers with deep pockets!
• But they are known to word through anecdotal evidence.
• The fungus on the skin is in the most superficial layer of the skin known as the stratum corneum.
• This layer will take approximately 30 days to regrow.

Jump To Our Home Remedy Guide For Foot Fungus! 

2)Topical Medications:

• Many topical medications, but most clinical trials look at inter-digital & not moccasin foot fungus types!
• The good news is essentially they all work!
• Studies show that you need to keep using them for 30 days until the new layer of skin grows in.
• If you stop using them at 2 weeks or less, the treatment rate is dramatically lower.

Medical Studies show the need for 4 weeks:

There are many, many different types of anti-fungal medications. Essentially all of them are potent enough for skin fungus.

What is important is the length of use!

-If you use the medication for 2 weeks: Cure rates are about 20%. -If you use the medication for 4 weeks: Cure rates are about 60%.

• This is a very dramatic difference! So make sure you make it at least 4 weeks!

-If you use the medication for 6 weeks: Cure rates are about 85%+.

• If you are able, follow all the way through until 6 weeks!
• If you are still not cured by now, visit your podiatrist for oral medication!

Topical Medication Recommendations:

• Use creams for the skin except for the web spaces. The creams are more moisturizing.
• Use gels in the web spaces, they dry them out more!
• Try to pick the topical medication that needs the least amount of daily applications (once per day is best). This has been shown to be the most compliant medication!

3) Oral Medications:

Oral medications are usually reserved for severe fungal infections. This is usually if topical and home remedies were ineffective in treating the foot fungus.

Remember To Treat Your Toenail Fungus!

Remember that if you continue having toenail fungus, it will reinfect your foot once more. Follow our complete toenail fungus treatment guide!

The Complete Toenail Fungus Treatment Guide!

What Else Can It Be?

Most Likely:

1. Dry Cracked Skin.

2. Itchy and Red Skin.

3. Athlete’s Foot (Foot Fungus).

4. Callus Foot Pain.

5. Foot Psoriasis.

6. Toenail Psoriasis.