Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSymptomsMedicationHome RemediesPreventionFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Symptoms
Medication
Home Remedies
Prevention
Frequently Asked Questions
Medication forathlete’s footranges from over-the-counter (OTC)antifungalproducts to prescription medications. There are also a number of home remedies said to help athlete’s foot. The treatment that will work best for you depends on the severity of your case and the fungus you’re infected with.
This article explains when you might need a topical or oral prescription athlete’s foot treatment. It also reviews the various options and possible side effects.
PhotoAlto / Odilon Dimier / Getty Images
Athlete’s Foot: What Gets Rid of Fungus for Good?
People generally notice athlete’s foot on the skin between their toes. The skin may:
People tend to regard athlete’s foot as a relatively minor and common skin infection, and that’s largely true. Studies suggest that anywhere from 15% to 25% of people will get athlete’s foot at some point in their life.
Standard over-the-counter antifungal remedies are often enough to clear the fungus. When that’s not enough, prescription antifungals may be needed to clear the infection and preventsecondary infections(those that arise as a result of theprimary infection).
Generally speaking, prescription medications are needed to treat athlete’s foot if:
Athlete’s Foot and DiabetesIf you haveathlete’s foot and diabetes, see your healthcare provider immediately; do not bother with home treatments. Athlete’s foot can cause breaks in the skin that can lead to potentially serious complications likefoot ulcersandcellulitisin people with diabetes.
Athlete’s Foot and Diabetes
If you haveathlete’s foot and diabetes, see your healthcare provider immediately; do not bother with home treatments. Athlete’s foot can cause breaks in the skin that can lead to potentially serious complications likefoot ulcersandcellulitisin people with diabetes.
Top 4 Over-the-Counter Athlete’s Foot Remedies
Topical Antifungals
If athlete’s foot fails to respond to over-the-counter topical antifungals, your healthcare provider will usually prescribe a prescription-strength version of the same drug.
Prescription topical antifungal options include:
Treatment is usually prescribed for four weeks or until at least one week after skin symptoms have all cleared.
Topical antifungals are generally considered safe when used as prescribed. Because prescription antifungals are stronger, it is even more important to adhere to your healthcare provider’s instructions.
Possible side effects of topical antifungals include:
What to Know About Antifungal Creams
Oral Antifungals
If the athlete’s foot fungus is resistant to topical antifungals, oral antifungals may be used to support the treatment. They are less commonly used on their own for fungal skin infections.
Prescription oral antifungal options include:
Treatment may be prescribed for anywhere from one to nine weeks depending on the severity of the infection.
As with all drugs, prescription topical and oral athlete’s foot treatments carry a risk of side effects. Many of these tend to be mild, but, with oral antifungals especially, some can be severe.
Oral Antifungals and PregnancyHigh doses of Diflucan and other oral antifungals are typically avoided in pregnant people as they can harm a fetus.Caution should also be taken if you’re breastfeeding. When used for athlete’s foot, the benefits of treatment will rarely outweigh the risks.
Oral Antifungals and Pregnancy
High doses of Diflucan and other oral antifungals are typically avoided in pregnant people as they can harm a fetus.Caution should also be taken if you’re breastfeeding. When used for athlete’s foot, the benefits of treatment will rarely outweigh the risks.
Somehome remedieshave been said to help athlete’s foot, but there is limited evidence as to whether they’re effective.
Bitter Orange
Made from the dried peel of thebitter orangefruit, this oil has been used in traditional medicine for a variety of functions, from nausea to constipation. The National Institutes of Health says that applying bitter orange oil to the skin may help with athlete’s foot, though it notes that only a small number of studies have been conducted into how the oil affects athlete’s foot.
While applying this oil to the skin is generally safe, there’s a chance that you may have a reaction. It’s best to speak to a healthcare provider before trying this remedy.
Green Tea
It’s possible that soaking your foot in a green tea bath may help your athlete’s foot. One study found that participants with athlete’s foot who routinely took a green tea foot bath for 12 weeks had improved symptoms compared to people who took a foot bath with a placebo.
However, there’s not enough evidence to say for sure whether green tea can effectively reduce athlete’s foot symptoms for most people.
Tea Tree Oil
Long used in Australia as a topical skin treatment, some research shows tea tree oil may help speed up healing of athlete’s foot.
One study found that it worked as effectively as tolnaftate to improve symptoms such as scaling and itching in 104 people with athlete’s foot. It also worked better than a placebo. However, the study also found that only the group who used tolnaftate cured their athlete’s foot.
In another study, researchers reported that participants who used either a 25% tea tree oil solution or a 50% tea tree oil solution dramatically improved athlete’s foot symptoms compared to people who used a placebo. Of those using the 50% solution, 64% cured their athlete’s foot, compared to 31 percent using the placebo.
Sunflower Oil
Ozonized sunflower oil is believed to have anti-fungal properties, and one older study suggests that rubbing it on the foot may help with athlete’s foot. In a double blind study, participants who treated their athlete’s foot with sunflower oil had improved symptoms in line with a group that used a ketaconazole cream, an over-the-counter anti-fungal medicine.
Other precautions include:
Summary
Athlete’s foot is a common fungal infection of the foot.
Mild cases can usually be treated with over-the-counter ointments, but severe or persistent cases may require topical or oral prescription medications like Spectazole (econazole) and Lamisil (terbinafine).
Frequently Asked QuestionsIt could be that you need a stronger medication, or you may not have athlete’s foot after all. Eczema, dry skin, and other conditions are similar to athlete’s foot but require different treatments.See your healthcare provider to get the right diagnosis.There’s no clear-cut best prescription medicine for athlete’s foot, but common prescriptions known to be successful in treating the condition include Lamisil (terbinafine), Sporanox (itraconazole), and Diflucan (fluconazole).
It could be that you need a stronger medication, or you may not have athlete’s foot after all. Eczema, dry skin, and other conditions are similar to athlete’s foot but require different treatments.See your healthcare provider to get the right diagnosis.
There’s no clear-cut best prescription medicine for athlete’s foot, but common prescriptions known to be successful in treating the condition include Lamisil (terbinafine), Sporanox (itraconazole), and Diflucan (fluconazole).
15 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Medline Plus.Athlete’s foot.Crawford F.Athlete’s foot.BMJ Clin Evid.2009 2009:1712.Harvard Health Publishing.Ask the doctor: Athlete’s foot that won’t quit.Harvard Health Publishing.Athlete’s foot (tinea pedis).Akkus G, Evran M, Gungor D, Karakas M, Sert M, Titiker T.Tinea pedis and onychomycosis frequency in diabetes mellitus patients and diabetic foot ulcers. A cross sectional – observational study.Pak J Med Sci.2016;32(4):891–5. doi:10.12669/pjms.324.10027Gupta, K.Topical treatments for athlete’s foot.Cochrane Database of Syst Rev.2018;1:CD010863. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD010863.pub2Martin-Lopez JE.Athlete’s foot: oral antifungals.BMJ Clin Evid. 2015;2015:1712.U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Lamisil (terbinafine hydrochloride) tablets.Pilmis B, Jullien V, Sobel J, Lecuit M, Lortholary O, Charlier C.Antifungal drugs during pregnancy: An updated review.J Antimicrob Chemother. 2015;70(1):14-22.National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.Bitter orange.Ikeda S, Kanoya Y, Nagata S.Effects of a foot bath containing green tea polyphenols on interdigital tinea pedis. The Foot. 2013;23(2-3):58-62. doi: 0.1016/j.foot.2013.01.001Tong MM, Altman PM, Barnetson RS.Tea tree oil in the treatment of tinea pedis. Australas J Dermatol. 33.3 (1992): 145-149. DOI: 10.1111/j.1440-0960.1992.tb00103.xSatchell AC, Saurajen A, Bell C, Barnetson RS.Treatment of interdigital tinea pedis with 25% and 50% tea tree oil solution: a randomized, placebo-controlled, blinded study. Australas J Dermatol. 43.3 (2002): 175-178. DOI: 10.1046/j.1440-0960.2002.00590.xMenéndez S, Falcón L, Simón DR, Landa N.Efficacy of ozonized sunflower oil in the treatment of tinea pedis. Mycoses. 2002;45(7-8):329-332. doi: 10.1046/j.1439-0507.2002.00780.xAmerican Academy of Dermatology Association.How to prevent athlete’s foot.
15 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Medline Plus.Athlete’s foot.Crawford F.Athlete’s foot.BMJ Clin Evid.2009 2009:1712.Harvard Health Publishing.Ask the doctor: Athlete’s foot that won’t quit.Harvard Health Publishing.Athlete’s foot (tinea pedis).Akkus G, Evran M, Gungor D, Karakas M, Sert M, Titiker T.Tinea pedis and onychomycosis frequency in diabetes mellitus patients and diabetic foot ulcers. A cross sectional – observational study.Pak J Med Sci.2016;32(4):891–5. doi:10.12669/pjms.324.10027Gupta, K.Topical treatments for athlete’s foot.Cochrane Database of Syst Rev.2018;1:CD010863. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD010863.pub2Martin-Lopez JE.Athlete’s foot: oral antifungals.BMJ Clin Evid. 2015;2015:1712.U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Lamisil (terbinafine hydrochloride) tablets.Pilmis B, Jullien V, Sobel J, Lecuit M, Lortholary O, Charlier C.Antifungal drugs during pregnancy: An updated review.J Antimicrob Chemother. 2015;70(1):14-22.National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.Bitter orange.Ikeda S, Kanoya Y, Nagata S.Effects of a foot bath containing green tea polyphenols on interdigital tinea pedis. The Foot. 2013;23(2-3):58-62. doi: 0.1016/j.foot.2013.01.001Tong MM, Altman PM, Barnetson RS.Tea tree oil in the treatment of tinea pedis. Australas J Dermatol. 33.3 (1992): 145-149. DOI: 10.1111/j.1440-0960.1992.tb00103.xSatchell AC, Saurajen A, Bell C, Barnetson RS.Treatment of interdigital tinea pedis with 25% and 50% tea tree oil solution: a randomized, placebo-controlled, blinded study. Australas J Dermatol. 43.3 (2002): 175-178. DOI: 10.1046/j.1440-0960.2002.00590.xMenéndez S, Falcón L, Simón DR, Landa N.Efficacy of ozonized sunflower oil in the treatment of tinea pedis. Mycoses. 2002;45(7-8):329-332. doi: 10.1046/j.1439-0507.2002.00780.xAmerican Academy of Dermatology Association.How to prevent athlete’s foot.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Medline Plus.Athlete’s foot.Crawford F.Athlete’s foot.BMJ Clin Evid.2009 2009:1712.Harvard Health Publishing.Ask the doctor: Athlete’s foot that won’t quit.Harvard Health Publishing.Athlete’s foot (tinea pedis).Akkus G, Evran M, Gungor D, Karakas M, Sert M, Titiker T.Tinea pedis and onychomycosis frequency in diabetes mellitus patients and diabetic foot ulcers. A cross sectional – observational study.Pak J Med Sci.2016;32(4):891–5. doi:10.12669/pjms.324.10027Gupta, K.Topical treatments for athlete’s foot.Cochrane Database of Syst Rev.2018;1:CD010863. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD010863.pub2Martin-Lopez JE.Athlete’s foot: oral antifungals.BMJ Clin Evid. 2015;2015:1712.U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Lamisil (terbinafine hydrochloride) tablets.Pilmis B, Jullien V, Sobel J, Lecuit M, Lortholary O, Charlier C.Antifungal drugs during pregnancy: An updated review.J Antimicrob Chemother. 2015;70(1):14-22.National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.Bitter orange.Ikeda S, Kanoya Y, Nagata S.Effects of a foot bath containing green tea polyphenols on interdigital tinea pedis. The Foot. 2013;23(2-3):58-62. doi: 0.1016/j.foot.2013.01.001Tong MM, Altman PM, Barnetson RS.Tea tree oil in the treatment of tinea pedis. Australas J Dermatol. 33.3 (1992): 145-149. DOI: 10.1111/j.1440-0960.1992.tb00103.xSatchell AC, Saurajen A, Bell C, Barnetson RS.Treatment of interdigital tinea pedis with 25% and 50% tea tree oil solution: a randomized, placebo-controlled, blinded study. Australas J Dermatol. 43.3 (2002): 175-178. DOI: 10.1046/j.1440-0960.2002.00590.xMenéndez S, Falcón L, Simón DR, Landa N.Efficacy of ozonized sunflower oil in the treatment of tinea pedis. Mycoses. 2002;45(7-8):329-332. doi: 10.1046/j.1439-0507.2002.00780.xAmerican Academy of Dermatology Association.How to prevent athlete’s foot.
Medline Plus.Athlete’s foot.
Crawford F.Athlete’s foot.BMJ Clin Evid.2009 2009:1712.
Harvard Health Publishing.Ask the doctor: Athlete’s foot that won’t quit.
Harvard Health Publishing.Athlete’s foot (tinea pedis).
Akkus G, Evran M, Gungor D, Karakas M, Sert M, Titiker T.Tinea pedis and onychomycosis frequency in diabetes mellitus patients and diabetic foot ulcers. A cross sectional – observational study.Pak J Med Sci.2016;32(4):891–5. doi:10.12669/pjms.324.10027
Gupta, K.Topical treatments for athlete’s foot.Cochrane Database of Syst Rev.2018;1:CD010863. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD010863.pub2
Martin-Lopez JE.Athlete’s foot: oral antifungals.BMJ Clin Evid. 2015;2015:1712.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Lamisil (terbinafine hydrochloride) tablets.
Pilmis B, Jullien V, Sobel J, Lecuit M, Lortholary O, Charlier C.Antifungal drugs during pregnancy: An updated review.J Antimicrob Chemother. 2015;70(1):14-22.
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.Bitter orange.
Ikeda S, Kanoya Y, Nagata S.Effects of a foot bath containing green tea polyphenols on interdigital tinea pedis. The Foot. 2013;23(2-3):58-62. doi: 0.1016/j.foot.2013.01.001
Tong MM, Altman PM, Barnetson RS.Tea tree oil in the treatment of tinea pedis. Australas J Dermatol. 33.3 (1992): 145-149. DOI: 10.1111/j.1440-0960.1992.tb00103.x
Satchell AC, Saurajen A, Bell C, Barnetson RS.Treatment of interdigital tinea pedis with 25% and 50% tea tree oil solution: a randomized, placebo-controlled, blinded study. Australas J Dermatol. 43.3 (2002): 175-178. DOI: 10.1046/j.1440-0960.2002.00590.x
Menéndez S, Falcón L, Simón DR, Landa N.Efficacy of ozonized sunflower oil in the treatment of tinea pedis. Mycoses. 2002;45(7-8):329-332. doi: 10.1046/j.1439-0507.2002.00780.x
American Academy of Dermatology Association.How to prevent athlete’s foot.
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