From the Guidelines
The clinical treatment for athlete's foot should involve the use of terbinafine 1% cream applied daily for 1 week, as it has been shown to have a mycological cure rate of approximately 94% 1. When treating athlete's foot, it is essential to consider the severity of the infection and the patient's overall health.
- For mild cases, over-the-counter topical antifungals like clotrimazole or terbinafine can be effective.
- For more severe or resistant infections, prescription-strength topical medications like ciclopirox or oral antifungals such as itraconazole may be necessary, as oral itraconazole has been shown to be effective in adults for treating similar fungal infections 1. During treatment, it is crucial to keep feet clean and dry, wear breathable footwear, change socks daily, and avoid walking barefoot in public areas to prevent the spread of the infection and promote a healthy environment for healing. Key considerations in the treatment of athlete's foot include:
- The use of antifungal medications to eliminate the fungal infection
- The importance of keeping feet clean and dry to prevent the growth of fungi
- The need to avoid walking barefoot in public areas to prevent the spread of the infection
- The potential use of oral antifungals for more severe or resistant infections, as supported by the study on the management of T cruris infection 1.
From the FDA Drug Label
Uses • cures most athlete's foot (tinea pedis) • cures most jock itch (tinea cruris) and ringworm (tinea corporis) • relieves itching, burning, cracking and scaling which accompany these conditions The clinical treatment for athlete's foot is terbinafine (TOP), which cures most cases of athlete's foot (tinea pedis) and relieves accompanying symptoms such as itching, burning, cracking, and scaling 2.
- The treatment may also involve general measures in regard to hygiene to control sources of infection or reinfection, as well as concomitant use of appropriate topical agents 3.
- Griseofulvin (PO) may also be used to treat tinea pedis, with a treatment period of 4 to 8 weeks, and a dosage of 0.5 g daily for adults 3.
From the Research
Clinical Treatment for Athlete's Foot
The clinical treatment for athlete's foot typically involves a combination of topical and oral antifungal agents.
- Topical antifungal agents, such as terbinafine 1% cream, have been shown to be effective in treating athlete's foot, with mycological cure rates of 93.5% compared to 73.1% for clotrimazole 1% cream 4.
- Oral antifungal agents, such as terbinafine and itraconazole, are usually used for chronic conditions or when topical treatment has failed, with terbinafine being more effective than griseofulvin in curing infection 5, 6.
Treatment Options
Some treatment options for athlete's foot include:
- Topical terbinafine 1% cream, applied twice daily for 1-4 weeks 7, 4
- Oral terbinafine, which has been shown to be more effective than griseofulvin in curing infection 5, 6
- Oral itraconazole, which has been shown to be effective in treating athlete's foot, especially in cases where topical treatment has failed 5, 6
Preventive Measures
In addition to treatment, preventive measures can be taken to reduce the risk of athlete's foot, including:
- Keeping the feet dry and clean
- Wearing non-occlusive leather shoes or sandals and absorbent cotton socks
- Applying talcum or antifungal powder at least twice daily 8