Feet are something that the majority of us are funny about. We hate looking at them and we certainly don’t like people looking or touching our own feet, both men and women included. The only exception to the rule being women after they’ve had their feet perfectly pedicured to make them socially acceptable.

It’s about time we start breaking the stigma around feet and started looking at our own feet. When was the last time you properly looked down and checked your feet over for fungal infections such as Athletes Foot and Fungal Nail infection? Or checked on the condition of your skin on your heels and soles?

Athlete’s foot is one of the most common foot conditions that our feet can suffer from. It can often go unnoticed due it’s resemblance to dry skin but it can often progress into a fungal nail infection which truly is something to be embarrassed about.

The Reality of Athletes Foot

Athlete’s foot, also know in the medical field as tinea pedis, is a fungal infection of the skin on the feet that results in a rash normally found between the toes.

The infected skin can be dry and itchy with a red like appearance and can even result in cracks and blistering of the skin. The condition isn’t typically considered to be serious but without treatment the fungus can speak to other areas of the body such as the groin, resulting in jock itch and the toenail, resulting in a fungal nail infection.

Statistics on Athletes Foot:

It is estimated that Athlete’s foot is present in around 15% to 20% of the UK population at any one time, with countries like Italy and China thought to have higher rates of incidences. The likelihood of coming into contact with the athlete’s foot causing fungus is increased if working in an industrial profession or when visiting sports centres and swimming pools.

How Do I Know If I Have Athlete’s Foot?

Athlete’s foot is often diagnosed by looking at the skin of the feet, in particular between the toes or on the bottom of the feet. Areas of skin affected by Athletes foot can appear flaky, dry and red or even cracked, white and soggy. The condition can often cause itching and burning sensations of the feet and result in small blisters in severe cases.

How Do You Get It?

Athlete’s Foot/tinea pedis is essentially a fungal infection of the skin causing by fungi growing and multiplying in and around the skin. The fungus thrive in the foots warm, dark and moist conditions often caused by wearing closed shoes for a long period of time and also from active wear such as running shoes.

Athlete’s foot can easily spread from one person to another or to different areas of the body. It can also be picked up from contaminated objects and surfaces such as swimming pools and gym floors.

Good news is that Athlete’s Foot can easily be treated and also prevented.

Top 3 Athlete’s Foot Treatment Brands

There are several different brands out there on the market that can be used for the treatment of Athlete’s Foot, both huge international brands and own branded products. These brands have several products in their ranges that vary in treatment time and price.

Unfortunately, with most things in life, you pay for what you get. Therefore, the best and quickest Athlete’s Foot treatments carry a higher price tag. However, these tend to max out at around £7-£8.

Our top 3 Athlete’s Foot brands are Lamisil, Daktarin & Canesten – all serving different customer needs to treating the foot skin condition.

1. Lamisil Review

Lamisil is our number 1 athletes foot treatment brand due to it’s superior, efficacious products in it’s portfolio. Lamisil have 3 products in it’s range; a spray, a cream and one time treatment.

Prices start at £4.99 with the spray and end at around ~£7/£8 with the once time treatment – Lamisil Once.

Lamisil Once 4g

Lamisil Once Athlete’s Foot Treatment

Lamisil Once is a Terbinafine Hydrochloride solution that acts as a single dose treatment for Athlete’s Foot. Most treatments require several applications whereas this treatment is a one-time application, treating the condition within 7 days once the skin heals.

Simply apply the product after a bath or shower to both feet, even if you only have the visible symptoms of Athlete’s Foot on one foot.

Using your fingers, apply the solution all over the toes and then to the soles and sides of each foot. Allow the product to dry and leave on the solution for 24 hours after application.

The treatment of Athlete’s Foot couldn’t be easier using Lamisil Once, which you can pick up for £6.79 from Boots. One of the most expensive treatments of athletes foot but instantly treats the condition within days.

2. Daktarin Review

Daktarin is deemed to be the most popular Athlete’s foot treatments, as you can pick up one of their products for most grocery stores as well as Chemists/Pharmacies. The products work well as long as you’re prepared to invest time in multiple applications.

Daktarin Aktiv Spray Powder – 100g

Daktarin Spray Powder Athlete’s Foot Treatment

Daktarin’s spray powder is one of the most convenient Athlete’s Foot treatments on the market as it doesn’t involve touching your feet. Let’s face it, no one really fancies massaging your own or someone else feet to treat Athlete’s foot.

The spray allows you to directly spray the affected area and without having to rub in a cream or solution like most other Athlete’s Foot treatments.

Treatment involves spraying 2 times everyday, until the affected area of skin looks normal. Simply hold the can 3 inches away and spray the affected area, generously.

With the spray, you can also spray inside your socks and shoes, which is great for preventing a reinfection.

The active ingredient in the spray is Miconazole nitrate at 1.6mg per gram and you can buy the spray for £4.39 from Boots.

Daktarin is generally not as quick as Lamisil but it is cheaper than Lamisil – like we said, you get what you pay for.

3. Canesten Review

Canesten are specialised within fungal infections, with treatments for fungal nails, Jock Itch, Ringworm, Thrush and loads more.

They have 2 different types of Athletes foot treatments within their range a Bifonazole One Daily and a Dual Action Clotrimazole, with the latter found in the majority of grocery and chemists stores as a relatively low price.

Canesten Dual Action 1% w/w Cream

Canesten’s Dual Action cream treats not only fungal infections that cause Athlete’s Foot but also eradicates odour-causing bacteria, hence it’s dual action.

Again, 2-3 applications are needed every day like Daktarin but the cream also requires you to rub it in gently, which can put some people off treating.

The good news is that you can pick up the cream in a 15g cream for £2.99 from Boots, making it one of the cheapest treatments on the market.

Best Place To Buy Athletes Foot Treatments?

You can pick up Athletes foot treatments from the majority of Grocery stores and Chemist/Pharmacies. Groceries tend to have limited, cheaper treatments such as Canesten and maybe Daktarin if you’re lucky. However, for a full range of products pharmacies such as Boots, have the biggest range.

Pharmacies like Boots have more efficacious products like Lamisil once, as well as several behind the pharmacy products. Buying fungal treatments from pharmacies are recommended as you can also receive great medical advice from the pharmacists or healthcare advisors which you can’t do in a grocery store.

Boots also have several offers on their athletes foot treatments such as buy one get second half price, meaning that you can pick up a product to treat your Athlete’s Foot such as Lamisil once and then another at half price to prevent the reinfection of Athlete’s Foot such as the Daktarin Spray.

Preventing An Athlete’s Foot Infection

Luckily, an Athlete’s Foot infection can be prevented with a few lifestyle choices and medical devices/ treatments:

• Regularly use the Daktarin Spray before putting your socks and shoes on
• Ensure your feet are fully dry after washing, paying particular care to the area between your toes
• Wear cotton socks to allow your feet to breathe
• Wear flip-flops in public places that would typically require you to walk around barefoot, e.g. swimming pools and locker rooms.
• Don’t share towels, socks and shoes with anyone
• Always wear socks with shoes