Treatment to cure chilblains (athlete's foot)

The treatment for chilblains can be done with the use of anti-fungal ointments, which must be applied daily until the complete remission of the symptoms.

Ointments can be purchased at the pharmacy and can be indicated by the pharmacist himself, but when they are not enough to cure the chilblains after 1 month of treatment performed correctly, it may be necessary to take antifungals in the form of pills, which need to be indicated by the doctor.

Treatment for foot chilblains

The treatment of chilblains on the feet, also called "athlete's foot", consists of applying an antifungal ointment such as terbinafine, isoconazole or ketoconazole daily, 2 to 3 times a day, for 4 weeks. Learn the names of other remedies for chilblains.

Before applying the ointment, it is important to wash your feet very carefully, avoiding to remove the loose skin, so as not to enlarge the wound, and dry it very well, with the help of a shaggy towel and a hair dryer.

Some tips that can help in the treatment are: avoid closed shoes, synthetic fabric socks, plastic shoes and wear slippers or sandals that prevent perspiration of the feet.

If you have chilblains on your feet, after applying the ointment you need to wash your hands to prevent the fungus on your feet from contaminating your hands as well.

Treatment for chilblains on hands

For the treatment of chilblains on the hands, it is recommended to use an anti-fungal ointment, such as, for example, Itraconazole, 3 to 4 times a day, or always after washing your hands.

During treatment, it is important to keep your hands always clean and dry, in addition to avoid placing them in your mouth or genital area, so that there is no contamination.

Why doesn't my chilblain cure?

The treatment of the chilblain can take weeks or months, depending on how wet the foot remains or in contact with contaminated objects. The person can use the ointment or take the antifungal medicine correctly and still not be cured if they do not follow the guidelines on daily care.

These cares are essential to keep the skin of the foot, especially between the toes, always very dry because the fungi need heat, humidity and a dark place to develop.

Fungi can be inside a shoe, for example, so it can be useful to wash your shoes and shoes with hot water and let them dry in the sun and only use them again when they are completely dry.

Essential care during treatment

In order to protect yourself or prevent the chilblain from returning, it is necessary to take certain daily care, for a lifetime, such as:

• Always wash the socks with hot water or wash with cold water and then iron each sock foot; Always leave sneakers and shoes closed in the sun after use; Spray antiseptic talc inside the sneakers and closed shoes; Always wear slippers or open sandals on hot days, where your feet sweat more easily; after taking a shower dry between your toes, if possible use a hair dryer also between your toes; do not wear someone else's closed socks or shoes, because they may be contaminated; if bathing in public places always wear slippers when bathing to avoid contact with the floor that is likely to be contaminated; change socks whenever the foot is perspired; never wear a wet shoe; do not walk barefoot.

Another interesting tip is to fold a piece of toilet paper and place it between your fingers with chilblains, because that way the skin of that region becomes drier. If the paper gets wet, it must be changed immediately.

Facts about chilblains you need to know

The fungus that causes chilblains, or athlete's foot, is called Trichophyton , and normally lives on human skin without causing any infection on the intact skin, but when it finds a moist and warm spot it can reproduce quickly causing itching, irritation, redness. and peeling of the skin.

Closed shoes, especially the tighter ones, which compress your toes, as well as plastic shoes or sandals, which promote perspiration, are the biggest causes of chilblains because they create a perfect environment for their proliferation.

Possible complications

When the chilblain remains for more than 3 weeks the fungus proliferates and can spread, being present between each finger. In addition, there may be secondary infections, since the skin that should be intact can allow viruses, bacteria and even parasites to enter. A mild and more common complication is that the body develops an allergy to the fungus that is present causing the chilblains, in which case blisters may appear on the feet or hands.

Another common situation is that the fungal infection returns more intensely after apparently improving, which may indicate that there was some oversight in the treatment and the fungi managed to proliferate again. Wearing a closed shoe with a thin sock may be beautiful, but it is also one of the common causes of chilblains on the feet, so this habit should be avoided especially if your feet become sweaty at some time of the day.

The appearance of onychomycosis can also happen if the fungi manage to reach the nails.

Signs and improvement or worsening

The signs of improvement are the decrease in symptoms, which can begin to be noticed about 7 days after the start of treatment. Already the signs of worsening are when the chilblain increases in size or spreads affecting other areas of the body.