Is there a natural treatment for tinea pedis?

Answer 1

Doctor Sofen, a dermatologist in Los Angeles wrote this:

Other Treatment

Tea tree oil, found in health food stores, can be applied to the feet to treat athlete's foot. Tea tree oil is an antifungal and antibacterial agent derived from the Australian Melaleuca alternifolia tree.

Compresses or foot soaks using nonprescription Burow's solution may be used to help soothe and dry out blister-like (vesicular) athlete's foot infections. After the skin is dried out, antifungal creams or prescription antifungal pills may be used.

However they also added this warning:

Treatment Overview

If untreated, skin blisters and cracks caused by athlete's foot can lead to severe bacterial infections. Treatment of athlete's foot depends on the type and extent of the fungal infection.

• Athlete's foot can usually be treated with antifungal creams.
• Although symptoms may decrease or stop shortly after treatment begins, it is important to complete the full course of prescribed medication. This increases the chance that the infection will not return.
• Reinfection is common, and athlete's foot needs to be treated each time symptoms develop.
• Severe cases may require foot soaks before applying antifungal creams. If there is no improvement, antifungal pills may be prescribed. However, antifungal pills are expensive and may cause side effects. Athlete's foot can return even after antifungal pill treatment.
• Severe infections that appear suddenly (acute) usually respond well to treatment. Long-lasting (chronic) infections can be more difficult to cure.
• Toenail infections (onychomycosis) that can develop with athlete's foot tend to be more difficult to cure than fungal skin infections. See the topic Fungal Nail Infections for more information.

My words: Do not soak your feet in chlorine bleach as some people have done. Your skin is like a sponge and this can have lethal effects. It is okay to soak you feet in hydrogen peroxide, but I would follow the dermatologist's words. Our family dermatologist says the same thing as Dr. Sofen. You also should keep your feet dry and avoid conditions that will cause your feet to sweat. Avoid public showers or wear thongs/zorries in a public shower. It was recommended to people that infected people should wear socks with sandals and to use the medications faithfully even after symptoms seem to disappear. Follow directions of the natural products carefully.