Fungal infection / athletes foot?

[thommo41]

Hi, I've just returned from a long weekend break with friends. We shared the shower, and my friend has a history of athletes foot. I've never knowingly had it.
I have recently had a knee op (ACL reconstruction) so walking is steady. Because of getting back into walking, I got a blister on my toe as it was rubbing on another toe, so I stuck a plaster on it. After getting home, within 2 days, my blister had turned into a very large, red, peeling area between my toes. It is a little sticky, and it's now spread to my other toes after 2 days. Now, I have peeling areas of skin inbetween the toes, and a few small what look like warts!
The last 2 days, I have started to get very small bumpy wart-like growths on my hands, on the palm, in between the fingers, and less noticeably on the top of my hands. I assumed it was athletes foot, but these small wart-like pimples are concerning me. Some are single lumps, some are in clusters of 3 or more. They appear to have a clear "bubble", but some also have a darker "dot" in the middle.

So the question is then, do I have some sort of contageous infection? Or is it simply athletes foot that has spread the the hands?

I suffer from hayfever and use hayfever tablets (cetirizine) if that is any help?

Many Thanks, Alan (UK)

[thommo41]

I was told I have pompholyx, and as I've never had eczema I was a little suprised about it! Further reading suggests its common after to get this in conjunction with a fungal infection.
The GP gave me a miconazole based cream for the athletes foot (although I'm not convinced it is any good at all!!!) and a steroid cream for my hands. It's taken over 7 days to get any relief, my hands worsened dramatically after 3 days, very large bumpy blisters, very irritating, itchy, and painful. I am gettting better results now, scabbing seems to be setting in, though I am far from cured! The feet have peeled, and I will use all the cream before returning to the drs if it doesn't go completely.
I sympathise with any exzema sufferer after this, I really do!

Thanks. Alan

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
From the history that your friend is having athlete’s foot, it can be fungal infection. The second possibility because of the sudden appearance of the bumps is of viral infection like hands, foot and mouth disease.

Wash your feet daily and then dry thoroughly by pat drying, not rubbing. Keep the area dry and keep a separate towel for yourself. Most forms of fungal infections respond to over-the-counter products, which contain any of several basic ingredients: miconazole, tolnaftate, terbinafine, and clotrimazole.
You can consult a pharmacist and get any cream or lotion containing these ingredients. Undecylenic acid (a castor oil derivative) is a known fungicide and Whitfield’s ointment can also be used for fungal skin infections such as athlete's foot.

If the symptoms persist then please get an evaluation doe from a dermatologist. It is very difficult to precisely confirm a diagnosis without examination and investigations and the answer is based on the medical information provided. For exact diagnosis, you are requested to consult your doctor. I sincerely hope that helps. Take care and please do keep me posted on how you are doing.