What works best to cure Athlete's Foot?

[BenSvenson]

Hello,

Well, for starters, thank you for taking the time to read my posting.

A few weeks ago I noticed that the soles of my feet were dry & that the skin was cracking (as if the bare foot had been dragged across a rough surface...which was not the case). I bought moisturizer so as to soften the skin, yet the rough skin exterior persisted. Then came the itching & burning sensation (feet).

I checked online & found out I had Athlete's Foot  (something I nerver had before & I am baffled as to how I got it in the first place...I read a list as to how it can be gotten, yet none of the scenarios applied to me).

I could kick myself for not realizing the significance of this problem sooner, yet I also have never had to deal with a fungal infection either (ergo my naivity). Well, needless to say I wish I did not have this at all or, at least, realized what it was sooner.

Has someone on this forum any experiance/knowledge of said condition? And, if so, could you please share with me what either worked best for you, or someone you know, as to the best remedy?

I thank you in advance for all of your help and understanding.

Ben

[Paxiled]

I have part of this problem as well, though the itching only happens occasionally.  Usually, it's just the dry skin.  You're probably going to get a host of answers here.  Frankly, I've never really tried to cure it, but I have heard that a colloidal silver spray works, but you have to spray your shoes, not just your feet.  Taking oregano oil internally might help, as might pao d'arco, but it also might not.  It hasn't for me.  Don't use it externally, you'll only burn your skin.  There's a lotion that helps with the itching called Anti Fungal Serum by Home Health.  But this problem can be very persistent, and if none of the natural remedies work for you, there are anti-fungal creams you can get by prescription that do work.  I had that problem with a fungal infection recently, nothing I used helped and it just kept itching, so I finally broke down and got a prescription and it worked well.  I haven't bothered with my feet because they don't itch much, and I pound them so much because I exercise so much and always have, so they've pretty much always been in bad shape.  Not as bad as when I played playground basketball and did kung fu, but still, I figure it'd just come back.  But if it's itching a lot, well, that's maddening, so then you need to do something.  You might also try Badger Balm's foot balm.  It's pretty good for the rough patches.  Interesting to hear what others have to say.

[BenSvenson]

Dear  Paxiled,

Thank you for responding. I do appreciate your personal insight (experiance).  :o)

I, needless to say, wish you good health & a long, prosperous, life (with much happiness & physical excercise).

What bothers me the most is the burning sensation from the soles of my feet (night time, while laying in bed, is the worst).

I shall be sure to look into your recommendations. Would it be rude of me to inquire what presciption strength anti-fungal cream you took?

I too am looking forward to what others have to say on this forum & topic.

I hope you have a great weekend!

Ben

[Paxiled]

I don't know the strength, but it also wasn't for my feet, it was for a fungal rash.  I tell ya, I tried every natural trick in the book, and I know a lot of them, and nothing worked this time.  The prescription did.  But it might a whole different cream for athlete's foot.

[FurballsMom]

I know you're not talking about nail fungus, but I had success in killing a nail fungus that started in my big toe after the bed of the nail had been damaged at one point.  Undiluted white vinegar is a great anti-fungal and anti-bacterial.  The beauty of it is that it's not a pharmaceutical and isn't likely to cause any harm, since it's used externally.

The trick with the nail fungus was that I had to be vigilant at filing down the nail bed where the nail was yellowing as thinly as it was safe to do so, because the idea is getting under the nail bed where the fungus actually was located.

Well, it seems like the same principle could be applied to any location where there is a fungal infection.  

I learned about doing this at a natural supplement store of all things.  If you can stand undiluted tea tree oil, it's supposed to work on fungus, too.

Both remedies, the undiluted white vinegar and the tea tree oil, will definitely irritate the skin, so it can be tricky to do.  One has to soak the area where the fungus is for at least half an hour or more a couple of times a day minimum.  

All I know is that the white vinegar soak did kill the nail fungus.  And, it works around the house for all kinds of disinfecting without the use of harsh man-made chemicals.

[BenSvenson]

Hello Paxiled,

Thank you for getting back to me.

I'm glad for you that it worked on/for you! :o)

Ben

[BenSvenson]

Good Afternoon FurballsMom,

Thank you as well for you advice (and in-depth details). :o)

I shall be sure to try them out.

Have a great weekend,

Ben

[Paxiled]

Tea tree oil isn't terribly good as an antifungal, much more of an antiseptic.  Vinegar is a disinfectant, kind of a natural chlorine.  Interesting it worked as a nail fungus, I might have to give that a try!  By the way, vinegar can be used internally as well, but you have to use apple cider vinegar, not white vinegar.

[1centwiz]

Good one Paxiled... I was going to hype out on the Tea Tree Oil as well... it's the best stuff for antifungal and antibacterial. Alos, you might want to try Neem Oil.  I can't stand the way it smells, but I got it to kill bugs on my indoor plants. It's thicker oil than Tea Tree, but it warms easy just at a touch.
I've had to watch my toes too as I like to polish them in the summer... but I sorta whacked my toe doing something and now I have to wait until it grows out. So every night it's a Qtip of TTO and then Bag Balm on my feet before a pair of socks. I'm finding that giving myself a foot massage helps me to get to sleep easier, well that is when I go into the bedroom...
I'm off tonight to go take care of my feets my teeths and my body by getting some sleep.
Best of luck to you with your fungus... I hate it when that happens too!

[Paxiled]

Neem is a good antifungal, and it does stink.  Gentler on the skin than tea tree oil, and also repels mosquitoes.

[peggy64]

Vinegar works well.