The difference between pitted keratolysis and athlete's foot

Written by Xia Min
Traditional Chinese Medicine
Updated on September 06, 2024
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Palmoplantar pustulosis, corresponding to hand fungus in Western medicine, typically affects adults, but can be contracted by individuals of any age, both male and female. It often affects one hand, but can also spread to both. Symptoms are more severe with blistering in the summer, while in winter, dryness and pain are more pronounced. The characteristic lesions begin with blisters on the palms and between the fingers, with the skin on the palm becoming keratinized, flaky, and blistered. After repeated outbreaks, the skin on the palm thickens, becomes dry and cracked, painful, and hindered in flexibility, resembling a goose's foot, hence the name "goose's foot wind."

Athlete's foot, equivalent to tinea pedis in Western medicine, is named for its symptoms of maceration and itchiness of the soles, accompanied by a distinctive odor. It primarily affects the spaces between the toes but can also appear on the soles of the feet. The main features are blisters between the toes, maceration, oozing, excessive keratinization, flaking, and itching. There are clear differences between these two conditions.

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Written by Liu Gang
Dermatology
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What are the symptoms of athlete's foot?

Athlete's foot is caused by a fungal infection, and this disease is quite contagious and recurring. Generally, the earliest symptoms appear on the bottoms of the feet or between the toes, including itching, peeling, and blisters. If the symptoms are severe, there may also be erosion, exudation, or oozing. Athlete's foot is highly contagious and may spread to other parts of the body over time. It may also be transmitted to family members, and as the condition progresses, the toenails may gradually develop fungal nail infections. Therefore, once you have athlete's foot, you must actively seek standardized treatment, applying antifungal creams. Bath basins or foot towels at home should be used separately from those of other family members to prevent cross-infection. It is advisable to wear breathable shoes frequently, and shoes and socks that have been worn should be sun-dried and disinfected.

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Written by Li Ya Ping
Dermatology Department
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How to determine if it's athlete's foot on the hand

Athlete's foot, medically known as tinea pedis, is a fungal infection. If someone with tinea pedis scratches their feet with their hands, they can transfer the fungus to their hands, resulting in tinea manuum, which is characterized by peeling skin on the hands. However, there are two common conditions that lead to hand peeling. One is tinea manuum, a fungal infection of the hands, often spread from tinea pedis. The other condition is eczema, so it is necessary to differentiate whether the symptoms are due to tinea manuum or eczema. Patients with tinea manuum typically have the infection on two feet and one hand; usually, only one hand is affected initially, not both hands symmetrically. If it is difficult to differentiate, it is advisable for patients to undergo a fungal examination at a hospital, which can confirm the diagnosis if the result is positive for fungus.

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Written by Zhu Zhu
Dermatology
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Can water blister type athlete's foot be punctured?

For vesicular athlete's foot, if blisters appear, it is advised not to puncture them because the blisters contain fungi. Puncturing them can cause the infection to spread to others. Additionally, once the blisters are broken, it is more susceptible to secondary bacterial infections, resulting in a combined fungal and bacterial infection. If vesicular athlete's foot occurs, it is crucial to promptly treat it with antifungal cream.

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Written by Zhu Zhu
Dermatology
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The difference between athlete's foot and foot odor

Athlete's foot and tinea pedis are two completely identical diseases, with no differences between them, differing only in what they are called. Athlete's foot, also known as tinea pedis, is a common skin disease caused by fungal infections. Symptoms of athlete's foot include flaking, peeling, itching, and blisters. It is advisable to treat it with antifungal creams, and to maintain cleanliness, keep the feet dry, and avoid sharing shoes and socks.

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Written by Liu Gang
Dermatology
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Does Huoxiang Zhengqi Water treat athlete's foot?

Huoxiang Zhengqi Water is generally used to treat summer colds, dizziness, fever, or diseases accompanied by cold symptoms. It has no special effect on treating athlete's foot. Athlete's foot is caused by fungal infections and is contagious and recurrent. For treating athlete's foot, it is best to use formal medications, otherwise, due to its high contagiousness, it might spread to family members. Currently, commonly used ointments include Naftifine Ketoconazole Cream or Nitrate Sertaconazole Cream, and the treatment usually requires a long course, at least persisting for more than a month. Or after the symptoms have completely disappeared, continue using it for about half a month more, which can generally cure it completely. Towels and basins for washing feet, used daily, must be separated from those of other family members to prevent cross-infection.