Tinea Pedis
Common Name: Athletes Foot
What is Tinea Pedis, and how is it caused?
Tinea pedis, also known as “athlete’s foot,” is a superficial skin infection of the feet caused predominantly by dermatophytes. It is one of the most common superficial fungal infections (Gupta, Chow, Daniel, & Aly, 2003).
Who does Tinea Pedis affect? What is epidemiology?
Tinea pedis affects at least 10% of the world’s population at any given time. It is thought that these skin infections did not become popular until the late 19th or early 20th century when closed-in shoes became more popular (Gupta et al., 2003). Tinea pedis is more common among men than women and is generally uncommon in children. The lateral or outside toes are most often affected, particularly in the web space between the fourth and fifth toes (Gupta et al., 2003).
How can Podiatry help the treatment of Tinea Pedis?
Podiatrists are skilled at identifying the tinea pedis stage and applying the appropriate treatments. How do we treat Tinea Pedis?
First-line treatment of Tinea Pedis involves topical antifungal preparations in creams, ointments, lotions, aerosol sprays, and powders.
Commonly used agents include allylamines, azoles, tolnaftate, isoconazole, and transport.
Ointments are avoided on moist surfaces; creams are used inter-digitally and on large areas. Powders are recommended for use with ointments or lotions and can be used inside footwear. Inertia’s Podiatrists can help you with this.
If inflammation is present, hydrocortisone cream is necessary to reduce the inflammation before beginning the fungicidal treatment regimen. However, antifungal agents should be combined with a bactericidal agent if a bacterial infection is present. Antiseptic preparations or antibiotic therapy are necessary if the bacterial infection is severe.
Depending on the severity of the infection, treatments should be continued 2-3 times daily for a minimum of 4 weeks. However, the relapse rate is high, especially if the source of infection is not identified and eliminated.
While undertaking any treatment regime, it is essential to practise good hygiene, for example, keeping feet and inter-digits dry. Other solutions may include wearing leather or open shoes, especially in communal places, or using talcum powder on feet to soak up any excess moisture. Home-made remedies like white wine vinegar foot soaks or tea tree oil applications are also recommended.
Shoe sterilisation (Sterishoe), where available, is beneficial in sterilising the hidden fungal spores within the material of the shoes that can remain dormant for months. These usually regenerate with heat and adequate moisture from the environment. This method uses ultraviolet light to disinfect and deodorise your shoes.
References
Gupta, A. K., Chow, M., Daniel, C. R., & Aly, R. (2003). Treatments for tinea pedis Dermatologic clinics, 21(3), 431-462.
Field, A., and Adams, B. (2008, Tinea Pedis in Athletes, International Journal of Dermatology, pp. 486-487
Lorimer, D, French, G, O’Donnell, M, Burrow, J., & Wall, B. (2006, Neal’s Disorders of the Foot, 7th ed., pp. 472-475, Churchill Livingstone Elsevier, Philadelphia, USA
Sterishoe, Shoe Care Innovations Inc; http://www.sterishoe.com;
Journal of American Podiatric Medicine Association, 2012, July–August; 102(4):309–13. The SteriShoe sanitizer is not a medical device and does not treat toenail fungus, athlete’s foot, or other foot infections. SteriShoe is for use inside shoes and not on feet. SteriShoe promotes good hygiene and is recommended for use with toenail fungus and athlete’s foot treatments.
