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Burning, itchy feet? You might have athlete’s foot — here’s how you treat it
Itchy, red, burning feet — you do not have to suffer in silence.
Rimawi recommends clotrimazole as a great over-the-counter option to treat athlete’s foot and this cream has a 4.4-star average rating from over 1,900 reviews on Amazon. The cream can also be used to treat jock itch and ringworm. Apply this cream twice a day to the infected area for a week.
Dr. Bruce Pinker, a board-certified podiatrist and foot surgeon in New York, says he has found this cream effective for many people with athlete’s foot. The active ingredient in this treatment is tolnaftate, which reduces itching and burning while eliminating fungus. Tinactin is available in a cream and a spray, and can also be used for treating ringworm, according to the brand.
Another recommendation from Pinker, Lotrimin Ultra, contains the active ingredient butenafine hydrochloride, which alleviates the symptoms of athlete’s foot while also getting rid of the fungus. According to the brand, this cream is greaseless and odorless and won’t stain your socks. This option is a cream that comes in a pen applicator, which means you can rub the pen tip over infected areas without touching the area with your fingers. This can help prevent the spread of the fungus.
This antifungal cream uses another form of hydrochloride (terbinafine hydrochloride) to treat athlete’s foot. Pinker says it is another popular option and should be used twice daily for a week to eliminate athlete’s foot. According to the brand, before applying, wash your feet and then apply a small amount to the infected and surrounding areas.
The spray has a cooling feel that soothes as it’s applied, according to the brand. This can relieve the burning and itchy sensation caused by athlete’s foot. The active ingredient is tolnaftate, and the spray makes it easy to apply. According to the brand, not only does this spray treat athlete’s food, but you can also use it preventatively.
Anyone can get athlete’s foot, but some people are more prone to it. Take, for example, athletes. It got its name because athletes are more likely to get sweaty feet in their sneakers and are more prone to walking barefoot in a locker room — two things that can lead to this condition.
Beyond athletes, anyone exposed to conditions that lead to warm, moist feet is more likely to deal with athlete’s foot. “People with weakened immune systems may also be more prone to it,” says Rimawi. “Fungi are opportunistic organisms that take advantage of you at your weakest.” Pinker says that those who suffer from hyperhidrosis—meaning they sweat excessively—are also more likely to encounter athlete’s foot. If you tend to sweat, changing your shoes and socks regularly can help.
It’s not too difficult to tell if you have athlete’s foot — the symptoms are usually quite obvious. “Signs of athlete’s foot include scaling, dryness, blistering, redness, burning or stinging,” says Pinker. It often occurs on the bottom of the foot, especially on heels or between the toes. Some people may only experience a few of these things, while others may experience all the symptoms simultaneously. It’s also not unusual for symptoms to start fairly mild and then get worse as time goes on.
Ready for some good news? “Luckily, treatments for athlete’s foot have a high success rate,” says Rimawi. “The first thing you want to do is eliminate the causative factors.” That means you should stop walking barefoot in public places like the gym shower or at the airport. If your feet sweat a lot, change your socks and shoes often. Beyond this, you’ll likely also need some sort of medication. Over-the-counter, topical creams work very well in most cases, adds Rimawi. If you have a bad case of athlete’s foot, you may need a doctor to prescribe you oral medication.
Anyone can get athlete’s foot, but some people are more prone to it. Take, for example, athletes. It got its name because athletes are more likely to get sweaty feet in their sneakers and are more prone to walking barefoot in a locker room — two things that can lead to this condition.
Beyond athletes, anyone exposed to conditions that lead to warm, moist feet is more likely to deal with athlete’s foot. “People with weakened immune systems may also be more prone to it,” says Rimawi. “Fungi are opportunistic organisms that take advantage of you at your weakest.” Pinker says that those who suffer from hyperhidrosis—meaning they sweat excessively—are also more likely to encounter athlete’s foot. If you tend to sweat, changing your shoes and socks regularly can help.
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I am a contributing editor at NBC Select and a journalist who regularly covers topics like beauty, home and lifestyle. For this story, I interviewed podiatrists about athlete’s foot.
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