Generally speaking, athlete’s foot is a bacterial infection of the feet. If it is not controlled immediately, it will spread to other parts. The treatment mainly uses antifungal drugs, and athlete’s foot can be divided into three types: ulcerative, blistery, and keratotic athlete’s foot.

1. Ulcerative type:

Commonly occurs between the third and fourth, and the fourth and fifth toes. Initially, the interdigital area is wet and cold, with white spots or small blisters. After drying and scaling, the white scales are peeled off to reveal a moist, red ulcerous surface, which is itchy and prone to secondary infection.

2. Blistery type:

Commonly occurs on the edge of the foot. Initially, it is a thick, round small blister, which can combine into a solid blister. The blister fluid is completely transparent, with no erythema around. It is itchy and often leads to erysipelas, lymphangitis, and other secondary infections due to secondary infection after scratching.

3. Keratotic type:

Commonly occurs on the heel. The skin is hard and dry, with scaling, itching, and prone to cracking. This type has no blisters or suppuration, and the history of the disease is slow, and it is difficult to heal for many years.

Treatment methods for athlete’s foot:

1. Ulcerative type:

First soak in a solution of potassium permanganate at a concentration of 1:5000 or 0.1% Lefoulon solution, then apply gentian violet or athlete’s foot powder, twice a day.

After the moisture is absorbed, apply athlete’s foot liquid or antifungal ointment externally, twice a day.

2. Blistery type:

Apply clotrimazole antifungal water or sodium salicylate tincture once a day after washing the feet with warm water. After the skin is dry, apply athlete’s foot liquid or antifungal ointment.

3. Keratotic type:

External application of benzoic acid ointment or sodium salicylate ethanolic solution can be alternated, applied three times a day. It is best to wrap the medicine with a plastic film after applying it, so that the medicine can penetrate the thin skin, which is conducive to the peeling of the thin skin.

Misconceptions about athlete’s foot treatment:

1. Refuse medication treatment:After the skin is stimulated, the itching becomes more severe, leading to a two-way polarization of scratching more and itching more, until the skin is scratched to relieve the itching. Consequently, bacteria and dirt on the hands and under the fingernails naturally fall into the disease area, which is very easy to cause secondary bacterial infection. Therefore, once athlete’s foot is detected, it is necessary to start treatment as soon as possible.

2. Random medication and application:Many people feel that just by looking at advertising promotions and buying some medicine at a pharmacy, they can be treated. In fact, this is highly likely to lead to misdiagnosis and delay in treatment. Patients should first go to the dermatology department of a regular hospital for diagnosis, and then follow the doctor’s strongly recommended treatment methods for scientific and research-based treatment.