ATHLETE’S FOOT

Itchy, often macerated whitish scaling lesions and inflammation of the
skin in the interdigital spaces of the foot. Most common between the 4th
and 5th toe. The condition is not always caused by fungi but can be
caused by bacteria as well. For this reason oral antifungals are often
ineffective. The condition is often seen in people wearing rubber boots or
rubber / plastic sandshoes.
Management of Athlete’s foot
- Keep the space in-between the toes DRY. This may be achieved by drying the
skin thoroughly after washing, exposing to air, using betadine scrub, GV paint,
wearing cotton socks and not wearing shoes that are too tight or hot. Changing
socks daily will help prevent re-infection.
- An imidazole cream or Whitfield’s ointment twice daily until a week after symptoms
have cleared. This usually takes a minimum of 4 weeks.