Tips to help prevent athlete's foot
Athlete's foot is a common fungal infection that affects the feet. You can usually treat it with creams, sprays or powders from a pharmacy, but it can recur.
These tips can help prevent athlete's foot:
Keep your feet clean and dry. Wash your feet daily and gently towel-dry between the toes.
-Change socks regularly. Change your socks at least once a day — more often if your feet get really sweaty.
-Wear light, well-ventilated footwear. Avoid shoes made of synthetic material, such as vinyl or rubber. Wear sandals when possible to let your feet air out.
-Alternate pairs of shoes. Use different shoes from day to day. This gives your shoes time to dry after each use.
-Protect your feet in public places. Wear waterproof sandals or shoes around public pools, showers and lockers rooms
-Don't share shoes. Sharing risks spreading a fungal infection.
If you have athlete's foot:
Use an antifungal product. After washing and drying your feet, apply an antifungal product. The antifungal terbinafine (Lamisil AT) has been shown to be very effective. Another option is clotrimazole (Lotrimin AF). You may need to experiment to find the product and formulation — ointment, gel, cream, lotion, powder or spray — that work for you. Apply the product to the affected skin as directed — usually twice a day until a week after the rash clears up. It might take 2 to 4 weeks to see results. If the condition comes back, you might need to start applying the product again
Try not to scratch the rash. You can try soothing your itchy feet by soaking them in cool water
If your athlete's foot doesn't respond to over the counter products and self-care, you may need to see a doctor to get a prescription-strength cream or ointment, or oral antifungal tablets, such as terbinafine or itraconazole.
These tips can help prevent athlete's foot:
Keep your feet clean and dry. Wash your feet daily and gently towel-dry between the toes.
-Change socks regularly. Change your socks at least once a day — more often if your feet get really sweaty.
-Wear light, well-ventilated footwear. Avoid shoes made of synthetic material, such as vinyl or rubber. Wear sandals when possible to let your feet air out.
-Alternate pairs of shoes. Use different shoes from day to day. This gives your shoes time to dry after each use.
-Protect your feet in public places. Wear waterproof sandals or shoes around public pools, showers and lockers rooms
-Don't share shoes. Sharing risks spreading a fungal infection.
If you have athlete's foot:
Use an antifungal product. After washing and drying your feet, apply an antifungal product. The antifungal terbinafine (Lamisil AT) has been shown to be very effective. Another option is clotrimazole (Lotrimin AF). You may need to experiment to find the product and formulation — ointment, gel, cream, lotion, powder or spray — that work for you. Apply the product to the affected skin as directed — usually twice a day until a week after the rash clears up. It might take 2 to 4 weeks to see results. If the condition comes back, you might need to start applying the product again
Try not to scratch the rash. You can try soothing your itchy feet by soaking them in cool water
If your athlete's foot doesn't respond to over the counter products and self-care, you may need to see a doctor to get a prescription-strength cream or ointment, or oral antifungal tablets, such as terbinafine or itraconazole.