What should I do if my athlete's foot is very itchy?

Written by Liu Jing
Dermatology
Updated on March 11, 2025
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Athlete's foot, also known as tinea pedis, can manifest as intense itching of the skin. First, it is necessary to enhance the cleanliness of the foot skin, avoid various irritating causes, and provide standard and effective antifungal symptomatic treatment. Oral antifungal medications such as itraconazole or terbinafine can be used, and various antifungal ointments can be applied to the affected area, such as the commonly used naftifine-ketoconazole cream, terbinafine cream, luliconazole cream, and miconazole cream. The treatment should last more than two weeks to avoid the recurrence of symptoms. Everyday, it is necessary to frequently change shoes and socks, maintain dryness, ventilation, and good breathability, and avoid dampness. (Medication should be used under the guidance of a doctor.)

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Will having athlete's foot cause an infection during a water birth?

Giving birth in water does not increase the risk of infection; in fact, the rate of newborns carrying bacteria significantly decreases when birth occurs in water. The reason is that water can wash off the bacteria on the baby's body, and the birth takes place in a special tub where the water is flowing and free of bacteria. Before the birth, the doctor will disinfect the mother. In current practices, liquids are generally used to inhibit the growth of pathogens, so infections like athlete's foot are generally not caused during childbirth.

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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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Does Huoxiang Zhengqi Water treat athlete's foot?

Huoxiang Zhengqi Water is generally used to treat summer colds, dizziness, fever, or diseases accompanied by cold symptoms. It has no special effect on treating athlete's foot. Athlete's foot is caused by fungal infections and is contagious and recurrent. For treating athlete's foot, it is best to use formal medications, otherwise, due to its high contagiousness, it might spread to family members. Currently, commonly used ointments include Naftifine Ketoconazole Cream or Nitrate Sertaconazole Cream, and the treatment usually requires a long course, at least persisting for more than a month. Or after the symptoms have completely disappeared, continue using it for about half a month more, which can generally cure it completely. Towels and basins for washing feet, used daily, must be separated from those of other family members to prevent cross-infection.

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

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.

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Can water blister type athlete's foot be punctured?

For vesicular athlete's foot, if blisters appear, it is advised not to puncture them because the blisters contain fungi. Puncturing them can cause the infection to spread to others. Additionally, once the blisters are broken, it is more susceptible to secondary bacterial infections, resulting in a combined fungal and bacterial infection. If vesicular athlete's foot occurs, it is crucial to promptly treat it with antifungal cream.