What does it mean if there is fluid in athlete's foot?

Written by Qu Jing
Dermatology
Updated on January 04, 2025
00:00
00:00

Athlete's foot, also known as tinea pedis, commonly manifests in three types: vesicular, hyperkeratotic, and intertriginous. The vesicular type is characterized by blistering and scaling, typically occurring on the tips of the fingers, the palms, and the sides of the feet. Initially, the skin lesions appear as small, scattered blisters the size of a pinhead. The blister fluid is clear, and the blister walls are relatively thick. These blisters can cluster and merge to form larger blisters, eventually losing their walls to expose a honeycomb-like base and a raw, eroded surface. After several days, the blisters can dry out and flake off. As the condition progresses and exudation increases, it can develop into the intertriginous type, which primarily affects the web spaces between the fingers or toes. It is more common in people who sweat excessively, soak their feet in water, or wear rubber shoes for extended periods, particularly during the summer. The skin becomes soaked and appears whitish, with a soft surface that peels off easily, revealing a moist red eroded area with exudate, often accompanied by cracking and significant itching. When secondary bacterial infection occurs, there is typically an odor. If not promptly controlled, it can lead to secondary infections, producing pustules and ulcers, and may also lead to acute lymphangitis, lymphadenitis, cellulitis, or erysipelas. In severe or recurrent cases, it can also induce local eczematous changes and disseminated dermatophytosis.

Other Voices

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Liu Gang
Dermatology
49sec home-news-image

Is athlete's foot the same as foot odor?

Athlete's foot, also known as tinea pedis, is the same disease but with two different names, both caused by fungal infections. The most common symptoms include blisters, erosion, or even exudation on the soles of the feet or between toes. It typically presents with severe itching and possibly pain. Once detected, it is crucial to apply antifungal cream twice daily as early as possible. The treatment duration should be long enough to completely kill the deeply rooted fungi and prevent recurrence. Regular wearing of breathable shoes helps, and frequent sun exposure for disinfection of socks and shoes is advisable to avoid cross-infection. Avoid public baths, swimming, and contact with small animals. (Please use medications under medical supervision.)

doctor image
home-news-image
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.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Qu Jing
Dermatology
1min 31sec home-news-image

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.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Liu Jing
Dermatology
1min 7sec home-news-image

What should I do if I have severe athlete's foot?

The so-called athlete's foot, also known as tinea pedis, is an infection caused by dermatophyte fungi. It requires symptomatic antifungal treatment, enhanced cleaning of the foot skin, frequent changing of shoes and socks, keeping the feet dry, and oral antifungal medication. Before taking the medication, it is necessary to test liver and kidney function and peripheral blood count. If there are no contraindications to medication, drugs such as oral terbinafine hydrochloride tablets and itraconazole dispersible tablets may be prescribed, along with topical antifungal medications like naftifine ketoconazole cream, luliconazole cream, or miconazole cream applied to the affected area. The treatment should follow the principle of adequate dosage and duration. Typically, the course of treatment needs to last three weeks or more to achieve a complete cure. (Please follow the doctor's orders when using medication.)

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Zhang Da Wei
General Surgery
59sec home-news-image

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.