Supplement Detective

By Curtis Alexander, Pharm.D.
America’s Natural Pharmacist

Summary: There is a guaranteed athletes foot cure and it will cost you nothing.  It does take some time to work.  In the meantime, the best products I’ve seen to treat athletes foot symptoms are not the popular creams.  They may actually slow down the healing process.

Dear Curtis: Do you know of a cure for athletes foot?  My son continually gets it.  We treat it.  It goes away.  But comes back.  Why?  And what can we do to get rid of it (if anything)?

My Answer: Believe it or not I use to get athletes foot the worst before I was ever in sports heavily – about age 9 or 10.  Ironically, my oldest son was getting it by age 6.  So the name itself is a bit of a misnomer and I mention it because people seem to think that if they avoid the showers at the gym they won’t get it.

Not true.

How to Cure Athletes Foot

First understand that athletes foot (tinea pedis) is a fungal infection.  One of my first on-the-job trainings involved working with an old-school pharmacist who saw a lot of fungal infections.

His advice? A fungal infection needs a couple of things to ever get going: heat and moisture.

Take one away and the fungus can’t survive.

In my case and my sons our feet sweat more than the average person.  He loves to wear socks or shoes everywhere he goes.  He’d even wear socks to bed if we let him.  I’ve only noticed outbreaks when we let him wear socks.  Again…the socks are essentially locking in the moisture and heat.

Once we let his feet air dry the infection goes away.  Incidentally, the socks keep his feet warmer also – the other ingredient for a fungal infection.

I’ve yet to see this not work.  The best part is, this is a completely natural cure for athletes foot.

Various Athletes Foot Treatments

The downside is that it will take a few days for the lack of heat and moisture to get to work on the fungal infection.  So, what can you do in the meantime?

One of my favorite treatments that I never see mentioned is a diluted solution of Tea Tree Oil.  I mix a small amount (say 1 teaspoonful) 50/50 with some tap water and apply it directly to the infection.

I’ve applied the tea tree oil without mixing in the past but some people don’t like the strong scent that the oil gives off.  The only downside, buying the tea tree oil solution can be a bit pricey.

Another option that has always worked and is dirt cheap is Absorbine Jr.

I know, it’s for sore muscles but it is essentially alcohol which will kill the fungus.

One warning though: if there are any open sores or cracks (particularly between the toes which is where they always seem to end up) you’re going to get pain from the alcohol.  It won’t last long but it will hurt.  Actually, the tea tree oil can do the same just not as intense in my experience.

But, short term pain long term gain in my opinion.

What About Athlete Foot Creams?

Athlete foot creams can help but the one reason I don’t recommend them is probably one you can guess: the cream has a tendency to lock in and promote moisture.  Then why are they recommended?  They work because they contain an anti-fungal (likely clotrimazole, etc).

I’ve always seen quicker results with something that has an anti-fungal but also keeps the feet dry.

Spreading Athletes Foot

One concern some folks have is that if you live with someone who has athletes foot and they are walking around barefoot won’t you get the infection?

Not likely.  Remember…heat and moisture.  Your body is bombarded daily by bacteria, virus and fungi and a million other things.  They are opportunistic meaning they have to have conditions right for them and when they do they wreak their havoc.

Simply put, I walk around barefoot all the time when my son has had outbreaks and we make him go barefoot and I, my wife or my other son have ever got an athletes foot infection even though we are all walking around barefoot and using the same bathrooms.