Tag Archives: Athlete’s foot

Athlete’s Foot: Symptoms, Causes, Treatment & Prevention

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Athlete’s foot or tinea pedis is a common fungal skin infection. It affects the skin between the toes and the sole of the foot. It is usually red, scaly and itchy. Sometimes there are raw-appearing eruptions that ooze with small blisters.

It is common among young adults and teens and people with sweaty foot. Kids can get it too because athlete’s foot is contagious. It can spread from person to person through direct contact.

What Are the Symptoms?

Athlete’s foot common symptoms include:

Athlete’s foot is contagious. It may spread to other parts of your body if you pick and scratch at the infected parts of your foot. The fungus that causes athlete’s foot can contaminate floors, clothes and towels.

What Causes Athlete’s Foot?

You get athlete’s foot when you come in contact with fungus. The fungus grows on the top layer of the skin. It is the same type of fungus that causes ringworm and jock itch. The fungus that causes athlete’s foot is contracted in damp areas such as:

  • Swimming pools
  • Nail salon
  • Contaminated clothing and sock
  • Locker rooms
  • Gym
  • Communal shower
  • Shoes
  • Area between the toes

The fungi that causes athlete’s foot thrives best in moist, dark and warm areas like your foot. You can get athlete’s foot if you:

  • Share socks, shoes and towels with other people
  • Do not keep your feet dry and clean
  • Wear tight shoes
  • Weak immune system
  • Walk around barefoot in locker room, gym and communal areas

What are the treatments?

You can treat athlete’s foot at home using non-prescription antifungal medicine. Antifungal medicines can slow the fungus growth or kill the fungus. But if the sypmtoms doesn’t improve after self-treatment, then it’s time for you to see your doctor.

Your doctor can recommend prescription antifungal like Ketoconazole (Lomitrin). Lotrimin is an antifungal medication used in treating tinea infections. It is also used for the treatment of athlete’s foot, vaginal candidiasis and otomycosis.

Reinfection is common. It is therefore important that you will complete the full course of medicine even if the symptoms improve. It needs to be fully treated each time symptoms develop.

How to prevent athlete’s foot?

You can avoid getting athlete’s foot by:

  • Keep your feet clean all the time
  • Avoid wearing tight foot wear
  • Wear flip flops around public showers and pool areas
  • Change your sock everyday
  • Don’t share footwear and towels.
  • Dry your feet thoroughly
  • Practice good foot hygiene
Buy Clotrimazole

Clotrimazole Cream

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Clotrimazole Cream is an over-the-counter antifungal medication. It is prescribed for the treatment of skin infections caused by dermatophytes, yeast, molds and other fungi such as:

  • Ringworm (tines corporis)
  • Athlete’s foot (tinea pedis)
  • Fungal nappy rash (Candida Albican)
  • Sweat rash
  • Fungal infections of the groin like jock itch
  • For the relieve of external symptoms of vaginal thrush (Candida vaginitis)
  • Thrush infection of the penis or foreskin (Candida balanitis)

Clotrimazole cream works by killing the fungi and yeast that cause infections in the body. It interferes with the cell membrane so it won’t produce the enzyme ergosterol. This enzyme is necessary for the fungi and yeast to survive. The disruption in the production of this enzyme cause holes to appear in the cell membrane and kills the fungi.  

Why Buy Clotrimazole Cream?

Clotrimazole Cream is on the World Health Organization list of essential medicines. It’s one of the safest and most effective medicines needed in the health system. It is available as generic and brand names. The generic name is cheaper than the branded counterpart. Both versions have the same mechanism of action and efficacy.

How to Use Clotrimazole Cream?

Use Clotrimazole Cream as instructed in the package label or as directed by your physician. Apply a thin layer on the affected area of the skin two to three times a day. Rub the cream gently. Remember that a strip of cream about 0.5cm long is enough to treat an area of the skin about the size of a hand. In treating athlete’s foot and ringworm, use this cream for at least one month. For thrush infection, use the cream for at least two weeks. Continue using the cream after all the symptoms have cleared up to make sure the infection won’t come back.

Wash your hands properly after treating athlete’s foot. Before applying the cream, make sure that you have washed and dry your feet. Do not cover the treated areas.

Things to Remember

  • Do not Clotrimazole Cream on areas with:
  • Viral skin infections like chickenpox, genital herpes and cold sores
  • Untreated bacterial skin infections like impetigo
  • Acne vulgaris
  • Acne rosacea
  • Skin lesion due to tuberculosis
  • A skin with perioral dermatitis
  • Do not apply the cream on broken skin.
  • Fungal infections spread easily. Avoid sharing personal items like towels with anyone.
  • This cream is not absorbed through into the bloodstream in a significant amount. It is therefore not expected to affect other medications.
Buy Itraconazole

Treating Athlete’s Foot, Ringworm, Jock itch, Vaginal and Oral Thrush

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Itraconazole is a triazole antifungal medicine. It is approved by the U.S. food & drug administration (FDA) for treating various fungal infections. It is helpful in treating HIV infection. Fungal infections in the lungs are treated with Itraconazole.

How does Itraconazole work?

Itraconazole treats certain fungal infections. The cell membrane is very important for the growth of any cell. The drug prevents the production of certain substance necessary for fungal cell. This weakens the cell membrane of various yeast and fungi. Essential constituents of the fungal cell can come out of the cell. The cells die due to this & the infection clears.

What are the uses of Itraconazole?

Itraconazole is useful in the treatment of many fungal infections as given below.

  1. Fungal infection like athlete’s foot, ringworm, jock itch
  2. Vaginal Thrush
  3. Oral Thrush
  4. Infection caused by Aspergillus fungi
  5. Infection caused by Candida fungi
  6. Infection caused by Cryptococcus fungi
  7. Fungal infection of Nail
  8. Prevents fungal infection in AIDS people
  9. Prevents infections in people having low white blood cells count

How to take Itraconazole?

Itraconazole is available in the form of capsules of 100 mg. These are oral medicines. The length of the treatment depends on the following conditions.

  • Type of condition
  • The severity of the infections.

Swallow the capsule with a full meal or as directed by the doctor.General doses of Itraconazole is 200 mg, two times a day. The doctor may adjust the dose according to the conditions of the patient. The maximum dose is 400 mg a day. The daily dose is divided into 2 equal parts in a day.

What are the Precautions with Itraconazole?

It is important to be cautious while taking Itraconazole. They are as follows,

  • You should take a capsule after a full meal.
  • Take daily dose divided into 2 equal parts.
  • You should take it at the same time every day.
  • Avoid taking this capsule if you suffer from congestive heart failure.
  • Do not take it if you are pregnant or plan to be pregnant or Breastfeeding.
  • Inform your doctor if you take other medicines. This may reduce the risk of side effects.
  • Discuss with doctors if you have any of these conditions.
  • Liver disease
  • Lung disease.
  • Allergy to Itraconazole.
  • History of irregular heartbeat etc.

Cost of Itraconazole. [Generic & Brand]

The generic drug does not require research and development of the drug. So do not spend a lot of money on this. Direct sources of the raw material also decrease our cost. Other cost-saving measures also help us to sell generic medicines at cheaper rates. Buying in bulk also gives you more of benefit.

Cost of Itraconazole 100 mg capsule is $ 2.9 per unit. The pack of 10 capsules cost is $ 29.

Cost of Sporanox 100 mg capsule is $ 26.84 per unit. The pack of 10 capsules cost is $ 268.43.

You can compare the difference between the generic and brand version. So always go with generic.