The difference between smelly feet and athlete's foot

Written by Liu Gang
Dermatology
Updated on September 12, 2024
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Athlete's foot is a disease caused by a fungal infection, characterized by being contagious and recurrent. Typically, after contracting athlete's foot, small blisters may appear on the foot, and these blisters can burst, possibly resulting in an unpleasant odor or foot odor. Additionally, wearing shoes for a long time that are tightly fitted and cause excessive foot sweating might also contribute to the condition. If it is merely foot odor, it is related to the fermentation of bacteria on the foot, such as wearing synthetic socks or excessive sweating of the feet, and infrequent foot washing. These factors can all cause foot odor, which is different from athlete's foot. Foot odor requires frequent washing with hot water, and it is advisable to avoid spicy and irritating foods. Treatment for athlete's foot involves the application of antifungal creams. Furthermore, foot odor is not contagious, whereas athlete's foot is contagious.

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Written by Qu Jing
Dermatology
2min 1sec home-news-image

Is peeling skin on the feet without itching athlete's foot?

Peeling of the skin on the feet without itching is considered to be a type of athlete's foot characterized by excessive keratinization, commonly occurring on the soles, toes, and heels. The affected skin appears dry, with clear hyperkeratosis, thickening, rough surface, scaling, and deepened skin lines. In winter, cracks can occur, possibly leading to bleeding and pain. This type of athlete's foot generally does not exhibit marked itching symptoms. Besides the hyperkeratinotic type, common forms of athlete's foot include the blistering scaly type and the macerated erosive type, both of which typically have more pronounced itching symptoms. The blistering scaly type often appears on the fingertips, sides of the feet, and toes. Initially, this condition presents as pinhead-sized blisters deep in the skin, with clear fluid and a thick, shiny wall, which are not easily ruptured. These blisters may be scattered or cluster and can merge into larger blisters. Tearing off the blister wall reveals a honeycomb base and a fresh red erosive surface. After several days, the blisters dry up, leading to a ring-like scaling, with lesions continuously spreading outwards. During stable phases of this condition, scaling predominates, and itching becomes more apparent. The macerated erosive type, also known as the interdigital type, is frequently observed between the toes, especially between the third and fourth or fourth and fifth toes, and is commonly associated with hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating) and prolonged wearing of rubber footwear. It is more prevalent in the summer and significantly itchy. If a secondary bacterial infection occurs, there may also be an unpleasant odor.

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Written by Zhang Da Wei
General Surgery
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How to completely cure sweaty athlete's foot

The occurrence of sweaty feet is actually related to individual physical conditions, such as localized hyperhidrosis which can cause this condition. At the same time, it might be accompanied by a fungal infection, so it is necessary to analyze the specific situation to determine the cause. Generally, antimicrobial treatment can also achieve certain effects, but it requires analysis based on the specific circumstances. Thus, there are unlikely to be major issues if medications are used correctly. Changes generally occur as long as the treatment is appropriate. Therefore, the treatment should be tailored to the patient’s own condition, choosing the medication depending on whether the patient has any drug allergies, etc. As long as there are no such issues, normal exercise is usually fine, although it cannot completely cure the condition. However, it is important to pay attention to lifestyle factors, especially local breathability, which can have a direct impact.

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Written by Liu Gang
Dermatology
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How to stop itching from athlete's foot?

Athlete's foot is a disease caused by fungal infection, which is contagious and recurrent. The main symptoms usually are blisters and sores appearing on the soles of the feet or between the toes, and the condition is quite itchy. Most people tend to scratch the blisters until they break open, leading to infection. Once occurrence is observed, it is essential to apply an official antifungal cream, which can help relieve the itchiness. If the itching is severe in a short period, hot water can be used to scald the affected area, but after scalding, it is still necessary to continue applying the cream. After recovery, it is important to regulate one's diet and lifestyle habits, avoid public baths and swimming, and refrain from consuming spicy and stimulating foods.

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Written by Xia Min
Traditional Chinese Medicine
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Can soaking feet in mugwort leaves cure athlete's foot?

Mugwort leaves, as is widely known, are a type of Chinese herbal medicine. They predominantly exhibit a warming quality and are mainly used for foot soaks to treat ailments caused by cold-dampness and wind-cold, as well as conditions related to cold. In typical cases, athlete's foot, which is a fungal infection caused by fungi leading to inflammation, should be treated with antifungal medications, not by soaking in mugwort leaves. It's only effective for treating symptoms caused by cold conditions and wind-cold dampness, not athlete's foot. Therefore, it is recommended to choose antifungal medications for the treatment of athlete's foot. (Be sure to follow a doctor's guidance regarding specific medications.)

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Written by Qu Jing
Dermatology
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Is peeling skin on the feet without itchiness athlete's foot?

Peeling skin on the feet without itching is associated with hyperkeratotic athlete's foot, commonly found on the palms, toes, and heels where the skin is dry. The thickening of the stratum corneum is evident, with a rough surface, scaling, and deepened skin grooves. In winter, cracks and even bleeding might occur, and it can be painful. This type of athlete's foot generally does not have obvious itching symptoms. In addition to the hyperkeratotic type, common types of athlete's foot include the vesicular and the macerated type, both of which are notably itchy. The vesicular type typically occurs on fingertips, palms, soles, and sides of the feet. Initially, the lesions are small, deep blisters with clear fluid and thick walls that are not easily ruptured. Blisters can be scattered or clustered, and may merge into larger blisters. Removing the blister wall can expose a honeycomb-like base and a bright red eroded surface. The disease progress spreads to surrounding areas, stabilizing primarily with scaling and significant itching. The macerated type occurs frequently between toes, especially in people with sweaty hands and feet, those who are exposed to water often, or who regularly wear rubber shoes. It occurs more often in summer and is associated with noticeable itching. If a bacterial infection occurs secondary to this condition, a foul odor can also be present.