I struggled with recurring athlete’s foot for years until I got strict about my environment. Every morning after my shower, I spend five minutes drying my feet. I use a dedicated small towel for just my feet, then I hit them with a hairdryer on the cool setting for sixty seconds to make sure the spaces between my toes are bone dry. Only then do I apply my antifungal spray.
I also stopped wearing the same shoes two days in a row. I have three pairs of work boots that I rotate to let them air out completely. Inside the shoes, I use a basic antifungal powder every other day. I switched all my socks to moisture-wicking merino wool or heavy cotton and I change them halfway through my shift if I feel any dampness.
At night, I wash my feet with a tea tree oil soap and apply a terbinafine cream before bed. I tracked my progress by taking a photo of the soles of my feet every Sunday morning. It took about six weeks to see the scaling stop completely. If you want a minimal routine, just focus on the hairdryer trick and changing your socks midday. Keeping the area dry is 90% of the battle.
18 Likes
What kind of antifungal spray are you using in the morning? Is it the powder-based one or the clear liquid? I find the powder gets messy in my dark socks.
1 Like
The photo idea is smart. It’s hard to notice the subtle changes day-to-day. I’m going to start doing that tonight because I feel like I’m stuck in a loop with my left foot and can’t tell if it’s actually getting better.
1 Like
Six weeks sounds about right. Most people stop the cream as soon as it stops itching, but the fungus is still there just waiting for a damp environment to flare up again.
Rotating the boots is the hard part when you only have one pair you like, but it really does make a difference. I started putting mine over the floor heater vents at night to make sure the moisture is gone by morning.
I swear by the wool socks. People think they are too hot for summer but they actually pull the sweat away much better than the cheap polyester blends. I started buying the expensive hiking brands and my feet haven’t been itchy in months. It’s a bit of an investment up front but worth it to not have that constant burning sensation throughout the workday.
1 Like
Do you find the tea tree soap dries your skin out too much? I tried it but my heels started cracking after a few days.
The hairdryer thing changed everything for me too. Towels just don’t get deep enough into the gaps between the smaller toes.
2 Likes
