6 Effective Home Remedies To Help You Treat Athlete's Foot

Athlete’s foot is a highly contagious fungal infection caused by dermatophytes that thrive in warm, humid, and communal spaces such as gym changing rooms, community swimming pools, and public washrooms. You can easily contract this infection by walking barefoot on these breeding grounds.

Most cases of athlete’s foot do not cause significant trouble, besides the usual skin discomforts like itching, stinging, scaling, and swelling. But without proper treatment and care, you can end up with severe complications and a high risk of transmission.

# Soak your feet in a green tea bath

Green tea is known to work as a natural astringent due to its tannic acid content, which may help keep the skin free of excess moisture and restrict the fungal activity.

A randomized controlled trial revealed the positive effect of bathing and cleaning with green tea on an athlete’s foot.

# Treat your infected skin with tea tree oil

A dermatological review found tea tree oil exhibited some therapeutic effect on skin conditions.

However, the findings also reveal that the oil at its original potency can be too harsh for the skin and can cause adverse skin reactions, especially in the case of an athlete’s foot when the skin is already quite sensitive and irritated.

Also, although there is a lot of buzz about the skin-healing potential of tea tree oil, there aren’t enough studies to conclusively establish its effectiveness as a treatment for athlete’s foot.

# Soak your feet in a vinegar foot bath

The acidic nature of vinegar can lower the pH of the skin when applied topically, making it less habitable for the dermatophyte fungus responsible for athlete’s foot.

It is known to penetrate the cell membranes of microorganisms, suffocating them from within. Moreover, vinegar also works as a natural astringent that can suck the moisture from your skin to promote faster healing.

One review demonstrated that the antifungal and antimicrobial virtues of vinegar could be traced back to acetic acid, which is its main component

# Use garlic as a topical healing agent

Garlic contains two major organosulfur compounds, namely, ajoene and allicin, which may exhibit some degree of antifungal activity against the dermatophytes responsible for athlete’s foot.

Garlic is considered to be at its potent best when raw. When crushed, it undergoes a chemical process that leads to the secretion of the antifungal compound allicin.

Given the lack of research, the possibility of adverse side effects cannot be ruled out. In fact, there has been some incidence where the oral administration of garlic extracts resulted in the onset of contact dermatitis.

# Apply a baking soda paste

Baking soda is another topical remedy for athlete’s foot that is popular among users but does not have substantial scientific backing.

It is suggested that baking soda can help fight the underlying fungal infection and relieve the associated bad smell, itchiness, and skin irritation.

It’s always better to consult your doctor about the proper usage before trying any new remedy.

# Sprinkle some talcum powder on your feet

Talcum powder works as a gentle absorbent that soaks up all the water and sweat from your skin without irritating it further.

Moisture promotes the growth of fungal infections such as athlete’s foot, so it is important to keep your feet dry at all times, especially the gaps between your toes. Talcum powder can help in this regard.

Directions: Sprinkle any regular talcum powder or talc-containing foot powder all over your feet to keep them moisture-free. Do this after taking a shower, or every time you wash your feet.