Raw Skin Between Toes

[nailit]

I keep getting raw itchy skin between my toes (always my little toe and the one next to it). It clears up for a week or two and comes back again.
I bath everyday and wear clean socks everyday, what is causing this and how can I prevent it? Some years ago my doctor gave me cream for it but it keeps coming back.
Thanks

[nailit]

//Carry on treating for five days after it clears up.//
Thats the problem, it doesnt clear up. It keeps coming back even after prescription from GP.

[woofgang]

well it must clear up....otherwise it couldn’t come back!

[Islay]

Perhaps you are too clean!!

[pixie374]

It genuinely isn't necessary, nailit. Normal talc between your toes daily will cure it and prevent it coming back.

[nailit]

//well it must clear up....otherwise it couldn’t come back!//
Haha, cant argue with that ^ logic.
//Perhaps you are too clean!!//
I used to bath or shower twice a day until a doctor told me exactly that. (I was suffering from extremly dry skin at the time)
Pixie, will try the talc route first I think, thanks

[pixie374]

Welcome... let us know in a week? Xx

[nailit]

*nailit digs through his draws for some talc*
Found some. Will let you know pixie, thanks.

[pixie374]

Leave your drawers out of it, please ;-)

[nailit]

youd be surprised at whats in my draws pixie ;-)

[KARL]

Permanently getting rid of athletes foot (fungal infection) can be very challenging indeed. I used Lamisil for a couple of years and only reduced it significantly, it never went away for more than a couple of weeks at most at any time. The spores can invade everything in contact with your feet, socks, shoes, carpets, shower tray, etc., etc. through the shedding of skin.

The advice to allow the feet to dry out and ideally remain dry is correct because the fungus grows on/in moist skin and struggles to survive if it is really dry. One very common mistake is to wear closed shoes more or less during all waking hours - a sure way to have moist/damp feet (the extent depends on your metabolism/characteristics). To reduce this significantly, remove shoes indoors and wear flip flops, really open sandals or (best of all) go in bare feet or at most in cotton socks. Socks of synthetic materials are really bad for causing feet to sweat - choose cotton instead.

A good remedy against both athletes foot and smelly feet is to apply ordinary white vinegar between and around the toes - stops the itching and smell pretty much instantly and in a week or two removes the athletes foot symptoms of peeling skin (if you scrape or brush it away each time you wash). Repeat every time you wash your feet and until some days after all symptoms have truly disappeared, and also if symptoms return. Smelly feet are cured long term but athletes foot may return unless on disappearance of symptoms you discard all used socks, shoes, etc. in favour of new ones - also you must ensure you do not get reinfected at public or private places, showers and baths being the main ones to watch out for.

[retrocop]

Lucky it hasn't spread to your crotch. Tinefax and Tineacream was the main big seller/prescription from the local pharmacy to Hendon Cadet School.

[pastafreak]

Unfortunately, most people cannot afford to dispose of all footwear and buy new. Nor can they wear flip flops at work. That's the problem...athletes foot is tenacious and requires quite specific treatment.
The Lamisil spray worked very well for me...until recently. I think a pair of boots got damp and it came coming back. That's when I tried extra virgin coconut oil...it has anti-fungal properties. Cleared it up in several days when put on 2x per day.

[douglas9401]

Medicated powder or dry spray to treat between the toes, nailit. Cream is moist and stays that way until it's washed off.
The talc also works if Claud Balls is giving you gyp. :-)

[jno]

some people find aloe vera helps.

[KARL]

Like so often in life, you are faced with making a choice. The most expensive remedies are the creams (Canesten, Lamisil) and their manufacturers cover themselves by warning that you must guard against reinfection. They know perfectly well that, even if the infection is truly removed entirely, it is likely to re-appear because of the nearly certain presence of the spores in the patient's environment (footwear, etc.) - sales of creams are guaranteed, not least if the infection is only suppressed.

In order to suppress the symptoms then, while I don't know the cost of sprays, the cheapest means by far is the application of vinegar (I found a contact lens fluid bottle very useful) at perhaps £2 a year. The vinegar is also dead easy to apply immediately after washing and drying, between, under and around the toes.

If you want to eliminate the infection you will have to take serious measures. Replacing socks and shoes need not be prohibitive - I replace my good shoes and day to day ones (work & leisure) with brand new ones at between £15 and £25 a pair. Sandals are available at similar or lower costs. In other words, the whole lot can be had at less than £100. How many tubes, tubs or spray cans of non-vinegar treatment does that equate to ? Alternatively, how many packs of cigarettes, pints of beer or other alcohol, take-aways and/or ready-made meals instead of from-basics, etc., etc. would someone have to forego to save this amount ? I really cannot think people genuinely cannot afford to replace their footwear - if they really want to. They may put it at the bottom of their priority list, and that is their choice.

If you want to try to eliminate the infection, then you will need to continue the treatment past suppressing the symptoms and until the skin has completely renewed itself - if I am not mistaken then that is some four weeks. At that point you would replace socks and shoes.

The other alternative is to simply keep applying the treatment whenever the symptoms reappear, probably lifelong.