Patient 3 attended the clinic with long standing and reoccurring athletes foot infections and odour. This patient works 12 hour shifts and wears industrial safety boots. The athletes foot infection has been particularly bad this year and has caused extreme pain especially in between the smaller toes. The patient has used various methods of applying athletes foot treatments and didn’t understand why the infection was so persistent.
Initial consultation
Firstly, I was able to establish that the patient presented with a tinea pedis infection in between the toes. We discussed the previous athletes foot treatment that had been used and agreed which option had worked most effectively in the past (in this case it was Lamisil once foot spray).
Infection control
The treatment of athletes foot in a healthy individual is generally very effective, the difficulty is preventing the reinfection. For long term management it is important to understand the environment your feet are exposed to. For this patient we formulated a strict treatment plan
- Soak feet daily in cool blend foot salts to help absorb moisture and odour
- Spray feet at many intervals throughout the day with our cool blend foot spray
- Change socks during break time at work to avoid be damp
- Wear socks with a natural material such as cotton or bamboo
- Remove insoles from work boots to ventilate and treat with antifungal agent
- Wash socks at high temperature
- Ventilate feet when at home by wearing sandals
By following these simple steps this patient was able to prevent reinfection of athletes foot.
Conclusion
For the long-term management and prevention of athletes foot it is important to not only treat the skin but also socks and shoes. It is also important to manage the environment as best as possible by reducing excessive moisture levels and allowing the skin to breathe.