WELLNESS

8 Home Remedies To Treat Athlete’s Foot

An athlete’s foot can be a pain to get rid of and, if left too long, can be a literal pain, too. Having its roots in as a type of fungal infection, there are many remedies that you can use to alleviate the symptoms of athlete’s foot and completely cure it.

Some of these remedies involve seeing a doctor, while others simply involve getting some time out of your kitchen cupboard. Either way, if you’re struggling with an athlete’s foot, there are ways to deal with it. 

Home remedies for you to try

Sorting out athletes’ feet can easily be done in the comfort of your own home. Below are some home remedies you can try:

Tea tree oil

One of the best go-to home remedies is using tea tree oil. Tea Tree Oil has been shown to have antifungal and antibacterial properties and is often used in the treatment of certain fungal infections, athletes’ feet being one of them. That said, more research still needs to be done on it’s effectiveness in this matter. 

When using tea tree oil as a remedy for athletes’ feet, consider using it with another carrier oil like coconut oil. Mix it into a 50% or 25% concentration, apply it to the infected area twice a day, and weigh for results. 

Neem Oil

Looking for a potent home remedy to treat a stubborn case of athlete’s foot? Try Neem oil or Neem leaf extract. Neem has been used for decades as a treatment for fungal related conditions because of its effectiveness. Neem oil has anti-fungal, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties, making it a convenient choice for multiple issues. When using neem oil, apply the oil directly to the infected areas twice a day and message it into the skin. You can also use neem oil to fight fungal infections that start under your toe nails too. 

Rubbing alcohol

Rubbing alcohol is often a go to for many bodily issues, including athletes’ foot. While normally used to clean cuts or grazes, rubbing alcohol, namely isopropyl is known to kill roughly 70% of bacteria and fungus on wounds, meaning that it would be an effective method to deal with athletes’ feet potentially. When using rubbing alcohol to treat athlete’s foot, you’ve got to soak your foot in a tub with a solution of 30% water and 70% rubbing alcohol. 

Talcum powder

Moisture is often one of the main catalysts of athletes’ feet because fungal infections thrive in moisture. So, using talcum powder, corn starch, or baby powder to keep your feet dry and clean could make it difficult for athletes’ feet to thrive or spread, eventually leading to its death. 

After cleaning and drying your feet, apply talcum powder directly to the infected area before you put socks on. Do this after cleaning your feet daily until you notice results. 

Garlic

While having feet that smell like garlic may not be pleasant for you, research does show that it’s an effective home remedy for athletes’ foot. In the study mentioned, garlic had a 79% success rate in curing an athlete’s foot within 7 days in the patients who tested it. All you have to do is crush a few cloves and rub them on the infected area twice daily. 

Keeping your feet dry and clean

As said above, moisture allows the fungus to thrive. To be more specific, dark areas that are moist allow the fungus to thrive. As you can imagine, your shoes are both dark and can get pretty moist, especially if you’re an athlete. The only way to really combat this is to keep your feet thoroughly clean and ensure that they are dried properly before you put socks or shoes on. Here are some tips to help you:

  • Avoid wearing the same socks
  • Wash your feet with warm water and soap
  • Dry your feet before putting socks or shoes on
  • Don’t share towels if one foot is infected when drying your feet
  • Avoid walking barefoot in public areas
  • Wear well-ventilated shoes

Vicks VapoRub

There is some research that shows that Vicks could be an effective solution to a fungal infection like athlete’s foot. It contains camphor, methol, and eucalyptus oil in it. However, more research is needed to make a decisive decision on whether this is completely beneficial or not. 

  1. Saltwater

Finally, saltwater is also known to have antibacterial and antifungal properties, which is often why many people opt for soaking their feet in warm salt water for a few minutes to alleviate the symptoms of athlete’s foot. To use this treatment, dissolve a cup of sea salt into a tub of warm water and allow the infected foot to soak in it for about 20 minutes. 

When to see someone about athlete’s foot

Generally athlete’s foot can be treated effectively at home with selfcare and nonprescription products. You can review different athletes’ foot treatments here. However, should the athlete’s foot not respond to treatment it’s best to see a doctor and get a prescription-strength ointment. 

Final Thoughts

Like most fungal infections, time and consistency are both essential to getting rid of it. So, choose the remedies above and follow the suggested application method. After some time, you should notice that the symptoms of the athlete’s foot have reduced and eventually healed altogether. 

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