What's the best and fastest way to get rid of athlete's foot? (2023)

How do I get rid of athlete's foot ASAP?

What is the best cure for athlete's foot? Over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription antifungal creams, ointments, gels, sprays or powders effectively treat athlete's foot. These products contain clotrimazole, miconazole, tolnaftate or terbinafine. Some prescription antifungal medications are pills.

It may sound like a dangerous chemical, but hydrogen peroxide is an effective home remedy for treating athlete's foot. The chemical works by killing all surface bacteria and funguses on the skin.

Yes. Hydrogen peroxide kills the fungus that causes athlete's foot. It can also kill bacteria that live on the surface of the skin and can worsen athlete's foot or cause additional infections. Use hydrogen peroxide on athlete's foot two times per day until the infection is gone.

Your health care provider may prescribe an antifungal cream, such as efinaconazole (Jublia) and tavaborole (Kerydin). You rub this product into your infected nails after soaking. These creams may work better if you first thin the nails.

For athlete's foot

For mild forms of this condition, a vinegar soak might work well. The antifungal properties also make vinegar soaks a good idea for people who have toenail fungus. Soak your feet for 10 to 15 minutes daily in a vinegar bath until the infection subsides.

Give your feet a good soak in hydrogen peroxide. Before you dunk your feet, remember that hydrogen peroxide can sting when skin is chapped or cracked. Mix a pint of hydrogen peroxide in 1 gallon of warm water. Soak your feet for about 30 minutes.

Most cases of athlete's foot can be cured with over-the-counter antifungal products and basic good hygiene.

Should I Wear Socks to Bed with Athlete's Foot?: Athlete's foot is very contagious and it's a good idea to wear socks to bed, especially if you share your bed with another person. This can help prevent transmitting the fungus to others.

And Vicks VapoRub contains eucalyptus oil and menthol, which can fight fungi. One study showed Vicks reduced athlete's foot symptoms in more than half of people who applied it. To prevent the infection, keep feet dry, especially between your toes. Change your socks often, sometimes twice a day.

What is the root cause of athlete's foot?

Athlete's foot is caused by the same type of fungi (dermatophytes) that cause ringworm and jock itch. Damp socks and shoes and warm, humid conditions favor the organisms' growth.

The Salt Solution

The fungus that causes athlete's foot can't thrive in saline (a.k.a. salty) solutions, so dissolve about a 1/3 cup salt in a gallon of warm water, and soak your feet in the water for 10 minutes or so at a time, then dry your feet thoroughly. Repeat daily until the problem disappears.

You can even use Epsom salt baths to relieve a number of foot complaints and conditions, including: Athlete's Foot: While Epsom salts don't kill the fungus that causes athlete's foot, it can help draw the moisture out. This makes the environment much less inviting for fungus.

Here's what doctor Green suggests: "You can take wadded up newspaper or paper towels and spray them down with Lysol and stuff them in the shoes and just leave them there overnight. That'll kill the fungus in there.

Certain conditions, such as eczema and psoriasis, among other things, can also look very much like Athlete's foot. Sometimes, if the skin barrier is compromised, a secondary bacterial infection can occur.

How Do You Disinfect Shoes From Athlete's Foot? The best way to disinfect shoes from athlete's foot is to use a UV shoe sanitizer. However, you can also use hydrogen peroxide and baking soda to get rid of fungus from athlete's foot. Vinegar is also effective at slowing down fungal growth in shoes.

Kill mold and mildew

To kill them without having to breathe in toxic bleach fumes, spray with undiluted 3 percent hydrogen peroxide and allow it to sit for 30 minutes. Rinse. The peroxide will kill the mold and mildew, but you may still need to remove the stains they left behind.

Try over-the-counter antifungual creams or a drying powder two to three times a day until the rash disappears. Keep your feet dry, especially between your toes. Go barefoot to let your feet air out as much as possible when you're home. Dry between your toes after a bath or shower.

You can make an Epsom foot bath by adding one cup of Epsom salts to a tub of warm water. Soak your feet in this mixture for around twenty minutes for relief.

How Long Does Athlete's Foot Last? Most mild cases of athlete's foot clear up within 2 weeks. But treatment can go for several weeks or longer if the infection is more serious or affects the toenails.

Does apple cider vinegar clear athlete's foot?

Whether you're looking to ward off pesky athlete's foot or simply looking forward to a relaxing night in, an apple cider vinegar foot soak is an essential way to keep your feet at their best. This remedy has many benefits including fighting off bacteria and fungus that cause odors.

Rubbing Alcohol, Hydrogen Peroxide and Vinegar

In addition, soaking the feet in a bath of 70% rubbing alcohol will help dry the skin out, and likewise kill the invading fungus. The alcohol is not, however, effective against spores. Vinegar in some cases has killed the fungus and is effective against spores.

Vinegar. Some people believe that soaking your feet in a mixture of water and vinegar will get rid of athlete's foot.

Hydrogen peroxide is a highly reactive solution. When it comes into contact with a catalase, it releases oxygen and water causing bubbles. 3 If there is blood, bacteria, or another catalase on the skin, hydrogen peroxide will react with it and cause bubbling.

If athlete's foot does not get better in 2 to 4 weeks with self-care, or frequently returns, see your provider. Your provider may prescribe: Antifungal medicines to take by mouth. Antibiotics to treat bacterial infections that occur from scratching.

If left untreated, it can spread to a nail and cause a fungal nail infection. The infection can spread to other areas of skin, such as the hands, but that rarely happens. Very rarely, and only in severe cases of athlete's foot, it can also lead to a bacterial infection.

Trying a different antifungal cream may also be helpful. Some studies have reported that products containing terbinafine (Lamisil) were more effective than those with clotrimazole (Lotrimin) and similar medications. Prescription oral medications may be required to treat more severe cases.

Wash and dry your feet twice daily: You may only shower once a day, but if you have athlete's foot, you should wash your feet morning and night to help clear up the infection. Remember to scrub between your toes where the itchy rash is bound to be at its worst.

Athlete's foot spreads either through contact with fungi or by contact with infected skin. Perpetually damp areas like locker rooms, bathroom floors, showers, and swimming pools are prime breeding grounds for the fungi. They can also live in socks, shoes, and towels, all of which have a tendency to remain moist.

The fungus can even contaminate bed sheets and spread to other body parts through rubbing and scratching. To control the spread of infection, keep bathroom surfaces clean and don't share towels The best way to prevent athlete's foot is by wearing sandals or shower shoes when walking around a locker room or pool.

Does Athlete's foot mean diabetes?

Diabetics often develop athlete's foot. A diabetic person has a higher concentration of blood sugar, which makes their perspiration sweeter. This encourages the growth of fungus, leading to athlete's foot. Neuropathy is a severe complication of diabetes.

Since the tinea fungus is a type of yeast, it's wise to limit or eliminate the amount of sugar you eat. Avoid alcohol, baked goods, candy, dried fruit, and fruit juice. According to research conducted by the University of Minnesota Medical School, the fungus responsible for athlete's foot can suppress immune response.

If you prefer a gentler solution, try using baking soda. Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is an antifungal agent and can even kill some established forms of fungus. Research has shown it's effective against some kinds of black spot and powdery mildew.

Among the most effective of these would be the apple cider vinegar soak, which you can make by adding 1 part apple cider vinegar to 4 parts warm water. Then just soak your feet for up to 20 minutes, once a day until the issue is resolved.

You can best treat the Athlete's foot with anti-fungal creams and sprays. But you can also use a hand sanitizer to clean the affected area as hand sanitizers contain isopropyl alcohol, which is effective on fungus, bacteria, and viruses.

Eradicil is a non-biological liquid laundry sanitiser and detergent that contains three disinfectants and antifungals.

A simple and easy fix at home is to “sanitize shower bases with a potential disinfectant like bleach. It kills spores of fungi,” Tierno says. Try a diluted bleach solution to kill off any potential threats.

Of the 3 types, toe web is the most common, while vesicular is the least common type of athlete's foot. Moccasin-type is often a chronic condition that should be evaluated by a podiatrist.

What triggers athlete's foot?

Athlete's foot is caused by the same type of fungi (dermatophytes) that cause ringworm and jock itch. Damp socks and shoes and warm, humid conditions favor the organisms' growth.

How Long Does Athlete's Foot Last? Most mild cases of athlete's foot clear up within 2 weeks. But treatment can go for several weeks or longer if the infection is more serious or affects the toenails.

Diabetics often develop athlete's foot. A diabetic person has a higher concentration of blood sugar, which makes their perspiration sweeter. This encourages the growth of fungus, leading to athlete's foot. Neuropathy is a severe complication of diabetes.

Athlete's foot is an infection of the feet caused by fungus. The medical term is tinea pedis or ringworm of the foot.

This product meets AOAC Germicidal Spray efficacy standards for hospital disinfects and/or is a broad-spectrum disinfectant. Kills Athlete's Foot Fungus in the bathroom.

Fungus is already a difficult infection to get rid of, and what surprises many people is that fungus can live in your shoes for up to 20 months.

Most cases of athlete's foot can be cured with over-the-counter antifungal products and basic good hygiene.