From the Guidelines
Athlete's foot can be effectively treated with over-the-counter antifungal medications such as clotrimazole, miconazole, or terbinafine. The treatment approach should prioritize reducing morbidity, mortality, and improving quality of life. According to the evidence from 1 and 1, the following measures are recommended:
- Apply the cream or spray to the affected area twice daily for at least two weeks, continuing for one week after symptoms disappear to ensure complete eradication of the fungus.
- For more severe infections, prescription-strength medications like oral terbinafine (250mg daily for 2-6 weeks) or itraconazole may be necessary.
- While treating the infection, keep feet clean and dry, change socks daily, wear breathable footwear, and avoid walking barefoot in public areas.
- These measures are important because athlete's foot (tinea pedis) is caused by dermatophyte fungi that thrive in warm, moist environments and can easily spread, as noted in 1.
- The fungi infect the outer layer of skin, causing the characteristic scaling, itching, and burning sensations, and treatment works by either killing the fungi directly or preventing their reproduction, allowing your skin to heal naturally.
- It is also worth noting that terbinafine 1% cream applied daily for 1 week has been used effectively to treat similar fungal infections, with a mycological cure rate of approximately 94%, as reported in 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
Concomitant use of appropriate topical agents is usually required, particularly in treatment of tinea pedis.
The treatment for tinea pedis (athlete's foot) includes:
- Topical agents, such as terbafine (TOP) 2, which can cure most athlete's foot and relieve symptoms like itching, burning, cracking, and scaling.
- Oral antifungal medications, such as griseofulvin (PO) 3, which may be used in conjunction with topical agents, especially in cases where the infection is more severe or widespread. The dosage and treatment duration for griseofulvin will depend on the individual case, but typical treatment periods for tinea pedis can range from 4 to 8 weeks.
From the Research
Treatment Options for Tinea Pedis (Athlete's Foot)
- Topical antifungal agents are commonly used to treat athlete's foot, as stated in 4.
- For more resistant cases, oral griseofulvin may be prescribed, as mentioned in 4.
- Oral therapy is usually used for chronic conditions or when topical treatment has failed, according to 5.
- Terbinafine is more effective than griseofulvin in treating athlete's foot, as shown in 5.
- Terbinafine and itraconazole are more effective than no treatment, as reported in 5.
Topical Treatments
- Topical treatments such as allylamines, azoles, ciclopiroxolamine, tolnaftate, butenafine, and undecanoates are effective in treating skin infections, as shown in 6.
- Allylamines cure slightly more infections than azoles, according to 6.
- Topical ciclopiroxolamine and butenafine are effective in treating nail infections, but require daily application for prolonged periods, as stated in 6.
Preventive Measures
- Keeping the feet dry, wearing nonocclusive leather shoes or sandals, and absorbent cotton socks can help prevent athlete's foot, as mentioned in 4.
- Applying talcum or antifungal powder at least twice daily can also help prevent the infection, according to 4.
- Improved foot hygiene, including socks and hosiery, is also important in preventing athlete's foot, as reported in 7.