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ATHLETE’S FOOTVisit The Healthy Living Bookshelf:
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A number of different fungi can infect the skin and nails of toes. This infection may result in the condition known as athlete’s foot. Generally, athlete’s foot does not cause serious problems; however, the disruption of the skin barrier can be a source of significant infections in people with impaired blood flow to the feet, such as people with diabetes or impaired immune systems. Infections of the nails are more difficult to treat than those affecting only the skin. Checklist for Athlete’s Foot
 What are the symptoms of athlete’s foot? Symptoms of athlete’s foot include a persistent, burning itch that often starts between the toes. The skin on the feet may be damp, soft, red, cracked, or peeling; the feet may also show patches of dead skin. The feet often have a strong or unusual smell, and sometimes small blisters occur on the feet. How is it treated? The conventional treatment is to apply an antifungal powder, cream, or spray (e.g., clotrimazole [Desenex®, Lotrimin®], terbinafine [Lamisil®], or tolnaftate [Tinactin®]) between the toes and on other affected areas. A drying powder can also be used inside the socks and shoes to help keep the feet dry during the day. Lifestyle changes that may be helpful: Keeping the feet dry is very important for preventing and fighting athlete’s foot. After showering or bathing, thorough drying or careful use of a hair dryer is recommended. Light is also an enemy of fungi. People with athlete’s foot should change socks daily to decrease contact with the fungus and should wear sandals occasionally to get sunlight exposure. Herbs that may be helpful: Tea tree oil has been traditionally used to treat athlete’s foot. One trial reported that application of a 10% tea tree oil cream reduced symptoms of athlete’s foot just as effectively as drugs and better than placebo, although it did not eliminate the fungus.1 The compound known as ajoene, found in garlic, is an antifungal agent. In a group of 34 people using a 0.4% ajoene cream applied once per day, 79% of them saw complete clearing of athlete’s foot after one week; the rest saw complete clearing within two weeks.2 All participants remained cured three months later. One trial found a 1% ajoene cream to be more effective than the standard topical drug terbinafine for treating athlete’s foot.3 Ajoene cream is not yet available commercially, but topical application of crushed, raw garlic may be a potential alternative application. References: 
1. Tong MM, Altman PM, Barnetson RS. Tea tree oil in the treatment of tinea pedis. Aust J Dermatol 1992;33:145–9. 2. Ledezma E, DeSousa L, Jorquera A, et al. Efficacy of ajoene, an organosulphur derived from garlic, in the short-term therapy of tinea pedis. Mycoses 1996;39:393–5. 3. Ledezma E, Marcano K, Jorquera A, et al. Efficacy of ajoene in the treatment of tinea pedis: A double-blind and comparative study with terbinafine. J Am Acad Dermatol 2000;43:829–32. |
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Contradictory, insufficient, or preliminary studies
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