Dealing with athlete’s foot

Is athlete’s foot getting you off your game?

A case of athlete’s foot like this one is an unpleasant and annoying thing to live with every day. Hydrozole has 1% hydrocortisone to relieve the inflammation and 1% clotrimazole to fight the fungal infection. If your condition resembles this at all, go talk to your doctor or pharmacist about your symptoms.

What is it?

Athlete's foot, or tinea pedis, is a common fungal infection that affects the skin on the feet, usually between the toes where it’s warm, moist and airless – the perfect conditions for fungi to multiply. In most cases, infection causes a rash to develop and become itchy and scaly, and the skin may become cracked and sore. Tiny flakes of infected skin may fall off. If left untreated, the rash can spread and, occasionally, a scaling rash can cover the entire sole and side of the foot. Fungi do not usually go deeper than the skin into the body, but bacteria can enter through the cracked skin of untreated athlete's foot, occasionally causing more serious infections of the foot or leg.

How did I get it?

Anyone can get athlete's foot. It can easily be passed from person to person, particularly in damp environments such as communal showers, where a tiny flake of infected skin can fall off whilst showering. It may then be trodden on by others who can then develop the infection. Once a small patch of infection develops, it typically spreads along the skin.

How do I treat it?

Applying Hydrozole cream to athlete’s foot, following the instructions on the pack, will relieve the inflammation and fight the infection. The best action, however, is to treat the infection before it spreads. You don’t have to stop living your life, but it’s important to try and keep feet covered in communal changing areas, to wash and dry feet properly and to avoid scratching, which can spread the infection. If the infection spreads to a nail, it can be treated, but it takes several weeks of antifungal tablets to clear it. If you’re unsure, always consult your doctor or pharmacist.

How do I stop it coming back?

There are some simple steps that will limit the spread of infection and stop athlete’s foot returning. Most important is to wash feet and toes daily, then to dry the skin between the toes thoroughly after washing and before putting socks on. Avoid sharing towels in communal changing rooms and wash towels frequently. Socks should be changed every day and care should be taken to wear footware that limits sweating. Ideally, wear flip-flops or plastic sandals in communal changing rooms and showers and, when at home, leave shoes and socks off as much as possible to let the air get to your feet.

Dual action
Hydrozole

1. eases the inflammation

Hydrocortisone acts to relieve the inflammation caused by a fungal infection, to reduce the redness, ease the irritation and stop that maddening itch.

2. tackles the infection

Clotrimazole is the antifungal ingredient that fights the infection itself by getting rid of the fungi and stopping it spreading any further.

What does
it all mean?