Home Remedies for Athlete’s Foot (Treating Athlete’s Foot)

Athlete’s foot (also known as tinea pedis) is a fungal infection that usually begins on the foot, between the toes, and it commonly occurs in people who have sweaty feet that are confined in tightfitting shoes.

Athlete’s foot is actually caused by the same type of fungus that causes jock itch. This family of fungus is also related to the same fungus that often causes yellow toenails (tinea unguium). So, if you are trying to get rid of yellow nails, you can have your yellow toe nails cured by following similar steps as you would for treating an athlete’s foot.

Athlete’s foot is contagious as well and it can be spread through contact with a person who is infected with athlete’s foot or from contact with surfaces that are contaminated already, such as towels, floors, and shoes.

For this reason, locker rooms at gyms or pools are places where the infection is likely to spread because they consist of wet areas. If you find yourself sitting in pedicure chairs or massage chairs at salons or pedicure places frequently, be sure to wash your feet well as soon as possible afterward!

Wet socks and shoes and warm, humid conditions allow for the maximum amount of growth for athlete’s food.

Therefore, wearing shoes with plastic liners, having sweaty feet regularly, or leaving your feet wet for a long time are all common ways to acquire an athlete’s foot.

Athlete’s foot is generally pretty noticeable if you happen to contract it, and after removing your socks and shoes you will likely begin to see some symptoms.

Although there are prescription medicines available for treating athlete’s foot, you can so use home remedies for athlete’s foot or over-the-counter topical fungal medicines.

Keep reading below to find a few of the best solutions for treating athlete’s foot at home!

How to Treat Athlete’s Foot at Home

Once you have confirmed that you do have athlete’s foot, there are several steps you can take to reduce the symptoms and kill defeat the fungus. Here are the best ways to treat athlete’s foot at home:

Keep Your Feet Dry

Before you begin treating athlete’s foot with any products, the first step is to make sure that it cannot spread any further.

To do so, the main step you want to take is drying your feet often. Since warm and damp areas are great for the fungus to thrive, you need to maintain dry feet throughout the day.

Wearing dry shoes is important, but you want to focus on making sure that your socks are always dry. If possible, alternate the pair of shoes you wear each day.

Additionally, if you can, avoid wearing shoes made of synthetic-based materials such as rubber or plastic because they are more likely to cause your feet to sweat, creating a warm and damp atmosphere for the fungus to thrive.

You can wear any type of socks that you want, but copper compression socks are particularly effective for keeping your feet dry and preventing athlete’s foot.

There are a variety of different benefits of wearing compression socks, but one of the lesser-known benefits is that they can help prevent athlete’s foot. Most compression socks are good for wicking away moisture, but copper compression socks are especially useful.

Copper is a potent antimicrobial agent, and it kills a variety of bacteria, viruses, and fungi on contact. Additionally, copper assists with the production and stabilization of skin proteins, helping your feet get healthy and stay healthy.

Preventing athlete’s foot is actually one of the main reasons for nurses to buy compression socks. Nurses are on their feet for long hours at a time, and their feet can easily become wet or damp. Due to that, nurses are commonly prone to contracting athlete’s foot.

Wearing copper compression socks is a great way to help prevent this issue. Here is a great example of copper compression socks you can use for athlete’s foot:

Avoid Walking Barefoot

Whether you already have athlete’s foot or not, you should avoid walking barefoot to prevent the spread or risk of contracting athlete’s foot.

If you are using public showers, lockers, or pools, wear sandals or flip-flops.

Use an OTC Topical Medicine

If you want to treat athlete’s foot at home and without the help of prescription medicine, an over-the-counter topical medicine will probably be very effective for you.

Make sure you wash your hands before using the medicine and make sure your feet are completely dry before applying it.

Lotrimin is the most famous brand for OTC athlete’s foot medicine, and it has been successfully used for years by people with athlete’s foot.

Wipes for Athlete’s Foot

If you don’t like the idea of using a cream such as Lotrimin, another at-home remedy for athlete’s foot is to use antifungal wipes. You can even get antifungal wipes that contain only natural essential oils or other natural products.

These wipes are great because you can use them for other purposes as well, and not just athlete’s foot. Although they may be less effective than an OTC athlete’s foot medicine like Lotrimin, they are multi-purposed and effective as well.

Concluding Thoughts – Should You Use Home Remedies for Athlete’s Foot?

Athlete’s foot can be a painful and frustrating ailment but it is likely that you can effectively treat it at-home, on your own. However, you should certainly consult a doctor to make sure that you do actually have athlete’s foot before using anti-fungal treatments on your feet.