fungus – Anderson Podiatry Center

Understanding Tinea Pedis: Symptoms, Causes, and Effective Treatment Options for Athlete’s Foot

Posted on February 4, 2025July 1, 2025 by admin

Tinea Pedis athlete's foot anderson podiatry-center — Tinea Pedis aka Athlete’s Foot – Anderson Podiatry Center

Athlete’s foot is one of the more common conditions of skin of the foot. It is suggested that about 33% to 50% of the population have athlete’s foot at any given time, and that up to 70% of us will have athlete’s foot. Another term for athlete’s foot is tinea pedis referring to it being on your feet. However, it can also affect other parts of your body as it is one of the most common infections of skin. In the feet, it may affect skin and nails. For some patients it may be present as interdigital tinea pedis which means that the moist areas between the toes is where one gets a significant amount of fungal growth.

What are the symptoms of athlete’s foot?

The symptoms can include dry, scaly skin, as well as itching redness and cracking that may become painful in some more severe cases. Typically, tinea pedis presents in a moccasin pike presentation on the bottoms and side of your feet. It may also appear as a vesicular type of infection which means there are small fluid-filled blisters that develop on your feet and they may possibly leak. They may also appear as an ulcerative infection which commonly appears between the toes and may create open sores (ulcers).

What causes tinea pedis?

Fungus likes to grow in warm, moist places, and that is the environment our feet are in most of the time. This makes our feet more prone to contracting or developing tinea pedis. It may also be related to your immune system, and in some situations, because of poor health diabetes as an example, it may make you more susceptible to tinea pedis. For others, however, there may be a part of their immune system that is not able to fight infection on the skin adequately. It is also important to consider that tinea pedis is contagious, especially when you are in public places. It is important not to walk barefoot when you are in public places like community pools.

What are the available treatment options?

Patient education is an important part of learning how to deal with tinea pedis. If you are aware have tinea pedis you may want to consider the following:

Drying your feet – after showering or swimming, consider the importance of drying your feet. Also, wash your feet well to keep them clean. Allow your shoes to dry for 24hrs between use
Shoes – Avoid rubber or synthetic shoes as these may not allow breathability for the feet
Socks – It is important to wear socks that can absorb moisture and keep the feet dry.
Going barefoot – if you are not in a public or community area, it is an option to remove your shoes and socks to let your feet dry.
Topical treatments for fungal nail infection – there are multiple over-the-counter options that you may want to consider and if you elect to do this, they will usually be applied twice a day because your skin recycles every four to five weeks. Antifungal powder should be considered and used.
Lifestyle – It is very important to consider an overall good diet can make your immune system less susceptible to acquiring tinea pedis. Some basic guidelines are to avoid a lot of sugars processed foods and carbohydrates.

Examination

Based upon the examination of your skin and toenails, the doctor may be able to make a diagnosis of tinea pedis. However, some may elect to do a test where potassium hydroxide is used along with scraping of some of the scaly skin to see if the tests come back positive for the fungus.

Treatments for fungal infection of the feet

Topical treatment might include the use of over-the-counter medications and powders

Soaks – There are also different types of soaks you can use, one is tea soaks that contains tannic acid which is a very good drying agent. By soaking your feet in this mixture with water for two to three times a week.
Lotrisone – Lotrisone is a topical that may be suggested by your doctor if you are experiencing itching with your tinea pedis. It contains lotrimin which is an antifungal and a cortisone cream to reduce itching.

Oral antifungal medication for tinea pedis treatment

A common oral medication that was used years ago is called griseofulvin. In recent times, oral Lamisil (terbinafine) has replaced griseofulvin as the drug of choice. In a study done by Bell-Syer published in Chochrane Database, the efficacy of lamisil exceeded that of the griseofulvin.

Risks of taking oral medication -although oral medication may be highly effective, there is the potential of developing liver damage in taking the medication. It is a standard good practice to have a liver panel test done to evaluate the health of your liver before the oral medication is prescribed and to also recheck during the course of treatment. Side effects can be severe, and death is one possible side effect.

How soon do tinea pedis go away?

Tinea pedis often resolve within 2-8 weeks if given proper treatment.

Toenail fungus

Toenail fungus is very common in those who have athlete’s foot. If you have fungus on your skin, the likelihood of it getting into your nails is very likely. The yellow discoloration, and thickened sometimes brittle toenails may become painful and hard to trim

Fungus on the skin can be treated with similar topicals, but these are more likely to be a solution (liquid) rather than a cream. A doctor may also elect to consider the same oral medications for the skin and toenails that were recommended. Again, be advised of the risk of oral medication.

Laser Treatment

Many patients have had the rewarding experience of reversing their toenail fungus with the use of lasers by laser treatment.

How does the laser work for tinea pedis treatment?

For approximately 18 years, we have been treating fungal infections with Pin-point Laser System which delivers rapid pulses of heat into the nail. The heat destroys the fungus, and it is a non-painful treatment and usually takes at least three treatments. Many of our patients have experienced a reversal of their achy-looking toenails with our laser treatment options when all other treatment options have failed.

Lastly, if you have tinea pedis it is important to consider the treatment options you can do on your own and the preventative measures and then seek the medical attention of your podiatrist if these options fail. You may also want to consider laser treatment if you are suffering from toenail fungus. Oral medications in treating tinea pedis should only be considered as a last resort in consideration of the risks that accompany the use of this oral medication.

Tired of the itch and discomfort of Athlete’s Foot? Get lasting relief with expert care at Anderson Podiatry Center. Call now to schedule an appointment in Fort Collins or Broomfield and take the first step toward healthier feet!

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Athlete’s Foot Treatment: Nine things to do before you call your doctor

Posted on September 17, 2021June 30, 2025 by admin

Tinea pedis, more commonly known as athletes’ foot, is caused by fungus. It is one of the most common skin conditions of the foot and can be very infuriating. It can present with severe itching, burning or stinging sensations. This same fungus can also cause jock itch or ringworm. The affected areas include the bottom of the foot more than on the top of the foot, and often can be present in between the toes. If it is seen on the skin, then there’s a good chance it may also be on the nails – which can result in yellow, discolored nails. Sometimes, the nails are brittle or thickened and can cause a lot of pain if they become too deformed. This condition is called onychomycosis.

So, what causes fungus?

The environment that fungus prefers and thrives in is a warm, dark moist place – typically, it is common for our feet to be in this environment as we may spend a lot of time wearing shoes. This can be contagious, so it’s important to know that you can get fungus either from dirty showers or maybe public pools. It’s a good idea to wear sandals in areas like this.

If your immune system is affected by other medical problems, such as diabetes or an auto-immune disease, you may be more susceptible to fungus because your body cannot fight off the fungus.

What are some things that you can do?

Take your shoes off. Since fungus likes a warm, moist place; it may be a good idea to take your shoes and socks off as soon as you get home. Walking barefoot at home will allow the feet to breathe.
Change your shoes on a regular basis, possibly alternating every other day. You may also want to spray your shoes with an anti-fungal spray before use.
When you wash your clothes, make sure your socks are washed in water that’s over 140 degrees as this will also help destroy the fungus that may be in your socks.
Make sure you wear socks that breathe. Socks that have rayon in them are thought to pick up moisture best.
Keep your feet clean. It’s important to reach down while showering and clean your feet.
Avoid contact with surfaces in public areas that might have fungus on them.
You may also try tea tree oil. Studies have shown that tea tree oil may be effective.
Another home remedy is to use a foot soak with tea. Try soaking your feet in a half gallon of water with three or four teabags. This is especially important if your feet perspire excessively. Tea has tannic acid in it which is a good drying agent, and the soaking will dry up your sweat ducts. Doing this for 15 minutes, three times a week in combination with an over-the-counter antifungal cream works wonders.
Consider purchasing over-the-counter products. When you’re using these, it’s important that you use them for up to one month. If after three weeks, you find that they’re not helping, you may need to switch to another type of medication and seek medical attention from a specialist to make sure that you’re dealing with an athlete’s foot properly.It takes four to five weeks for your skin to become all new skin. So, it makes sense that you should use these for that length of time to see if they help. These over-the-counter products include.

- Micatin
- Lotrimin
- And Tinatin

It is recommended that you apply these creams to the affected area of your feet twice a day.

Oral medication is also an option. The most popular medication for this is called Lamisil. Lamisil, although it can be highly effective – it has to be taken carefully and usually doctors will do a liver panel beforehand to make sure that your liver is healthy, as this can have a negative effect on your liver.

So, if you’re finding yourself with burning, itchy feet and a rash, make sure that you seek medical attention immediately. In many cases, the visits to the doctor can be avoided with a little bit better education as to what to do on your own. We hope these tips help you with athlete’s foot, however, Anderson Podiatry Center is just a call away when you need to attend to you foot and ankle needs. Our clinics are conveniently located in Fort Collins and Broomfield and are the only full-service foot care center in the tri-state area of Colorado, Nebraska, and Wyoming.

Ingrown Toenails: Treatments and Five Things You Can Do

Posted on January 27, 2021July 1, 2025 by admin

Ingrown toenails can be one of the most painful foot conditions one can experience. But did you know that ingrown toenails can sometimes be treated with home remedies? Here, we’ll discuss what you should do and when it is appropriate to seek professional attention for ingrown toenail treatment.

What exactly is an ingrown toenail?

As the name implies, you would assume the nail is cutting into your flesh and getting buried into the skin. However, this is not the case. It simply means the hard nail is being an irritant to the skin next to it and in some cases, it can actually cause a breakdown in your skin. If the toenail is not clean, it is likely that bacteria will get into the skin where the breakdown occurs.

What causes an ingrown toenail?

Tight fitting shoes could start the problem, so make sure you do not wear shoes that are too narrow or too short. Proper sizing is important.

Trauma – If you drop something heavy like a frozen turkey on your toenail it may cause it to injure the flesh around it, thus causing the nail to dig in. You could also lose the nail in which case it may grow back deformed and then grow in.

Congenital nails – Ingrown nails may be caused by genetics factors than most would expect. It is not uncommon to hear patients say they are getting an ingrown nail just like their dad did when he was their age.

Improper trimming – It’s important to be careful when trimming your nails. It is true that you should trim your nails straight across. However, you must be careful not to leave a sharp corner on the nail; it is okay to round that corner slightly in some cases. Also, trimming your nails too short should be avoided.

Fungus – A fungal infection of the nail can deform it. The nail can become more curved and grow in on the side. Or it may be thickened, and this can also cause more pressure in the middle or sides of the nail.

Foot deformities – If you have toes that deviate, such as a hammertoe or a bunion, the nail may grow in as a result of this. The big toe rubbing against the second toe in the case of a bunion, is a great example.

What should you do if you have an ingrown nail?

Early treatment is important. At first, if the pain is minimal with little to no redness along the side of the nail, you should start treatment. Here are some things you can do to control it:

Soak your foot in soapy water three to four times a day for 10-20 minutes. Dry your foot well and apply an antibiotic cream such as Neosporin.

Get out of your closed shoe as much as possible if it is possible.

Try to gently massage the skin, always from the nail edge. Using coconut oil would be ideal when you do this.

If it is just the tip of the nail edge digging in, you might be able to lift the nail up and use dental floss. It is important to consider using waxed floss.

When to seek medical attention?

If you made the attempts I have suggested, and the pain persists, then it is time to get a professional opinion on your ingrown toenail treatment. Also, there is no deadline as to when you can see the doctor. If your toe is very painful; either red, hot or draining pus, you must make sure you call your podiatrist. No amount of the home care I have suggested may help in this situation.

If you are a diabetic or have problems with poor circulation or have a medical condition that has negative effects on your nervous system, you must immediately see a doctor.

What will the doctor do at the office visit?

In a situation where the edge of the nail is digging, the nail edge may need to be removed. A portion of the nail border or borders may need to be removed. When the edge is removed, in most cases, a chemical is applied that kills the cells that form the nail. No sutures and incisions are used, and most patients do not take medication for pain. In most cases, the patient may go back to work the next day and can work full time.

There is a possibility of a fungal nail. If the nail is not infected and not as severe in many cases, treating the fungus may restore more normal nail growth and therefore reduce the thickness and nail deformity. There are several treatment options the doctor may speak to you about. This includes the use of topicals, oral medication or laser nail treatment. Of these three, laser nail treatment is the most successful. Be aware that not all podiatrists offer to do a laser treatment. So you may consider that when getting a professional opinion of your ingrown nail, especially if you have yellow,thickened and deformed nails.

Now that you know all about ingrown toenail treatment, you will have a more informed plan of action if this happens to you.

The Truth About Frustrating Toenail Fungus

Posted on November 15, 2016July 1, 2025 by admin

During my time in this practice I have heard toenail fungus described in many different ways, and none of them are nice. Gross, icky, thick, brittle, deformed, disfigured, discolored nails are one of the most common foot issues that we see. In most cases this is caused by a fungal infection of the toenails. Studies have estimated that up to 20-25% of the general population is affected by this ailment, and possibly up to 35% of diabetics.

Fortunately, in most cases this infection doesn’t cause any other health issues, and remains confined to the toes. For those that have this infection the main complaint is cosmetic. In some cases, however, the infected nails can lead to chronic pain due to nail thickening, or even chronic ingrown nails.

Over the years there have been many treatments attempted for this with most of them having rather dismal results. There are more over the counter topical treatments for this then I care to count, and even more “home remedies.” Unfortunately, these types of treatments rarely lead to much improvement in appearance, and even more rarely cure the infection.

Over the counter medication for the treatment of athlete’s foot has also been shown to have little effect. Treating this infection with oral antifungal medication has been shown to have better results than with topicals, but overall the cure rates with this medication have been disappointing.

A more recent advancement in treatment has been with laser therapy. We have been treating nail fungus with the PinPoint laser system for six years and have been very pleased with the results! This treatment involves direct laser therapy of the nails, which heats underneath the nail to a temperature that kills the fungus but does not burn or harm your toe.

For most people this procedure involves 3-4 treatments which are spaced out every three months or so. However, the toenails take up to a year to fully grow out the infected nail and replace it with healthy nail. The treatment also involves regular use of topical anti-fungals to keep your skin as free from infection as possible.

So, if you are currently wearing socks to the beach because you are embarrassed by your toenails, this treatment might be for you. Please feel free to contact our office with any questions or to schedule an appointment to have your nails evaluated. By this time next year, you may be able to ditch the socks and let your little piggies out to play again.

How to Get Rid of Ugly Toenails?

Posted on June 21, 2016July 1, 2025 by admin

Toenail fungus is a frustrating and embarrassing condition. It’s made even more difficult by the fact that there aren’t many long-lasting treatment options available. At Anderson Podiatry Center, however, we offer hope with our Laser Nail Treatment. We have a lot of experience treating fungal nails as we were the first in the Rocky Mountain area to introduce the laser nail concept in 2008. We feel we have refined our treatments to maximize the potential improvement this technology can offer.

Fungal nails (onychomycosis) have commonly been described by our patients as an “icky” condition. It can be painful, make nails difficult to trim, and many times embarrassing. Other treatment options can include topical, which you apply directly to the nail. This treatment, however, has a very low success rate. Oral medication called Lamisil can also be used. It can have a toxic effect on the liver, but I would consider it the second most successful option. It can be used in select situations, sometimes in combination with laser, but we discuss this on a case-by-case basis.

Finally, the laser option I feel gives you the best opportunity to help with your fungal nails. The laser we use is a Pinpointe Laser and was designed exclusively for the treatment of this kind of condition. The original research showed that in 88 percent of patients, it was effective in improving their nails. From our experience, we have found this to be true.

The laser treatment is safe and pain-free. It works on the simple concept of creating a tremendous amount of heat in the nail. The heat is what kills the fungus. The laser light pulses so quickly into the nail that patients rarely experience the sensation of heat in the nail.

So, please consider these options for your fungal nail. Because of our vast experience combined with this excellent technology, we can offer you the best chance of helping you with your nail concerns. We can give you the best chance of not being embarrassed to show your ugly toenails or constantly having to hide them with polish.

How to Get Rid of Stubborn Toenail Infection

Posted on May 3, 2016July 1, 2025 by admin

Toenail fungus causes peeled, yellow tones, and breaking toenails. It can make one feel self-conscience, especially when wearing open toed shoes. People who suffer from it often feel frustrated with the endless antifungal creams and ointments that just don’t seem to work. If this describes you, don’t worry; you are not alone and there is hope to ridding your feet of that stubborn toenail fungus.

You can encounter fungus almost anywhere, so infection is common. Fungus is most prevalent in wet, warm, damp places, such as public pools and showers, and inside close toed shoes. It also accumulates in nail salons that reuse and do not sterilize their instruments and basins between customers. So, naturally, your feet are a big target.

Also, if you are wondering why you seem to contract the infection more than others, it’s because some people are more susceptible to it than others, depending on their individual immune systems. In fact, up to 20% of the population has this condition.

Here are some facts to keep in mind:

Fungal infections normally develop over time so symptoms are subtle at first. Affected nail side effects include: scaling under the nail, white or yellow streaks on the nail, crumbling nails, flaky white areas and pits on the surface of the nail, yellow spots, and sometimes complete loss of the nail.
Fungal infections may be contagious, so if you come in contact with someone who has an infected nail you may contract an infection as well.
The fungi that causes nail infections is the same that causes jock itch, athlete’s foot, and ringworm, though it is often harder to treat.
Fungus affects men more than women, and adults more than children.
Fungal nails are usually more resistant and difficult to treat- topical antifungal or oral medications work better to prevent it rather than treat it.

A fungal nail infection, though usually painless, is frustrating and very stubborn. You may feel discouraged not knowing how to rid yourself of this pesky ailment, but there are options in how to remove it as well:

Laser Therapy for toenail fungus is one of the most effective ways to get rid of it. The Pinpointe Foot Laser at the Laser Nail Center at Anderson Podiatry Center is the first FDA approved laser for treating stubborn conditions. Also, unlike other multi-use lasers, our Foot Laser is specifically designed for nails and therefore has a high effective rate. We also have been treating nail fungus since 2008, longer than any other office in the area and were the first to introduce this treatment to the Rocky Mountain Region!
Taking preventative measures will help ensure that once you do get rid of your condition you don’t just end up getting it again.
1. Keep your feet and toes dry- let your shoes dry out after wearing them and change your socks when they are damp.
2. Use antifungal cream regularly, and spray your shoes with antifungal spray to help keep any fungus on your skin or shoes at bay.
3. Don’t share nail clippers or nail files.
4. Don’t share your shoes or socks with other people- remember,
5. When using a public pool or shower make sure to wear shower shoes.
6. Ensuring you only go to spas that sanitize their basins a
  nd tools between each use.

If you have stubborn toenail fungus don’t suffer from it a day longer! Be rid of it once and for all, and enjoy wearing your summer shoes again! Come visit your podiatrist in Fort Collins or Broomfield for further consultation.