Tinea pedis, commonly known as “foot fungus,” is caused by a fungal infection. The warm and humid environment in summer is ideal for the growth of fungi, making tinea pedis a common summer skin condition. It is generally easy to recognize from the outside. It manifests as erythema, papules, blisters, vesicles, plaques, peeling, and cracking on the feet, accompanied by significant or mild itching.
Some people say that foot odor does not need to be treated because it excretes the toxins and keeps one from getting sick. Is this true? There is no evidence to support this claim. Let’s talk about the dangers of foot odor first.
1.It damages your image. In summer, when you wear sandals and expose the lesions, it is even more unsightly if the fungal infection becomes tinea cruris on the hands and damages the nails to become nail fungus.
2.It affects your life, itching is unbearable, and in winter the lesions are accompanied by painful cracking.
3.Infectious, sharing slippers and stepping on the floor with bare feet may infect each other.
4, complications, secondary to bacterial infection, causing dermatitis, manifested as edematous painful erythema of the lower limbs, accompanied by swollen and painful lymph nodes, and even fever and other discomfort; causing ringworm rash, manifested as lesions on the hands, trunk area, accompanied by significant itching, which is a fungus-induced metaplasia.
Therefore, not receiving timely and proper treatment can bring about the above-mentioned hazards.
Treatment of tinea pedis is mainly antifungal, but it needs to be decided according to the specific manifestations. Generally, topical miconazole nitrate, clotrimazole, terbinafine and other drugs are chosen, and the common ones available in the market are Dakin, Lamisil, Meclizine and so on. The following are some treatment misconceptions, here to make an analysis and remind.
1. Some patients buy topical dermaplanin on their own to feel cool and stop itching, especially when used for ringworm (fungal infection of the inner thigh skin), and often the more they apply it, the larger the lesion area becomes. The main component of dermatophyllin is corticosteroids, which happen to be helpful for the growth of fungi, as if to fertilize foot fungus, so, it cannot be used.
2. Some people say that a soak with a remedy such as foot fungus once and for all will be fine. This is a method, but it is not suitable for all patients. When there is a break in the foot, erosion or even oozing liquid, it often causes acute irritant dermatitis and not only the original foot odor does not get better, but also causes swelling and pain in the foot. Therefore, this method is suitable for the non-acute phase of the keratotic plaque type without rupture.
3, the acute exudation period, can not be directly external ointment, then you need to wet compress, you can use boric acid solution
or furacilin solution for external application, and only after the lesions are dry, can the ointment be applied. Otherwise, the direct external application of ointment, sealing the exuding liquid within the lesions, but aggravate the disease.
4, the medication is not persistent, often topical use for a few days, feel not itchy, stop using, this can not be cured. It takes a month for the epidermis to grow, so it is recommended that topical medication be adhered to for at least a month, as in, waiting for the bottommost fungus to move to the surface and be completely killed.
In addition, for tinea pedis, we have to keep an eye on a few points.
1. For patients with severe foot infections, it is necessary to check blood sugar and sometimes HIV (AIDS) antibodies to be alert for primary diseases.
2. Treatment needs to be done under the guidance of a doctor, especially in severe cases, and hospitalization is required for secondary tinea.
After treatment, it can still be reinfected, so prevention is needed.
1.Avoid wearing non-breathable shoes.
2.Do not share slippers.
3.After cleaning the feet, you need to dry the feet, especially between the toes, in time.