What to do if you have athlete's foot when you are 8 months pregnant

Athlete's foot is a very common medical disease, which mainly refers to the skin on people's feet emitting an odor, local skin peeling, and accompanied by an itchy feeling. Many women also suffer from athlete's foot, especially those who are pregnant. If they suffer from athlete's foot, they will not only be very panic-stricken, but their emotions will also become unstable, and they are afraid that it will be harmful to the fetus. So, what should you do if you have athlete’s foot when you are 8 months pregnant?

What to do if pregnant women have athlete's foot

Medically, athlete's foot is usually divided into four types: erosive type, keratotic type, blister type, and sweaty and odorous type.

Erosive athlete's foot: often occurs between the third and fourth, and between the fourth and fifth toes. It manifests as local softening and whitening of the epidermal stratum corneum. When the epidermis peels off, a bright red sore surface will be exposed; in severe cases, there will be an itchy feeling between the toes.

Treatment method: Put an appropriate amount of salt and a few slices of ginger in the water, heat it to boiling, wash your feet when it is not hot, and rub it for a few minutes. It can not only remove foot odor, but also increase circulation and have a relaxing effect.

Keratotic athlete's foot: The skin on the soles, edges of the feet, and heels becomes thicker, rougher, and scaly. The scales are in the form of flakes or small dots and fall off repeatedly.

Treatment method: Use 150 grams of soybeans and about one kilogram of water, cook over low heat for about 20 minutes, and use it to soak your feet when the water temperature is suitable for washing feet. You can soak for a while longer. It is very effective in treating athlete's foot. It prevents feet from peeling and keeps the skin moisturized. Generally, washing for a few days will have an effect.

Blister-type athlete's foot: This type of athlete's foot appears between the toes, on the edges of the feet, and on the soles of the feet. They are distributed sparsely or in groups. The blister walls are thick, are not easy to heal, and recur repeatedly.

Treatment method: Pour one pound of rice vinegar into a basin, soak or wash with it twice a day for about an hour each time. It can reduce inflammation and kill bacteria, it is simple and effective.

Athlete's foot caused by sweaty and smelly feet is caused by excessive secretion of sweat glands on the soles of the feet. Sweaty athlete's foot is related to genetics, endocrine disorders, mental stress, emotions, etc.

Treatment method: Grind alum into fine powder and rub it on the soles of your feet three or four times for ten minutes. Your feet will no longer sweat profusely and sweat odor can be effectively relieved.

How to cure athlete's foot in pregnant women

1. Home medication

(1) Erosive type: first soak in 1:5000 potassium permanganate solution or 0.1% refollicle-stimulating agent solution, then apply gentian violet or athlete's foot powder twice a day. After drying, apply athlete's foot ointment or tinea versicolor ointment twice a day.

(2) Blister type: Soak your feet in hot water and apply clotrimazole anti-tinea lotion or compound salicylic acid tincture once a day. After the skin is dry, apply athlete's foot cream or tinea pedis ointment.

(3) Keratotic type: Apply compound benzoic acid cream or apply it alternately with compound salicylic acid alcohol, once in the morning and once in the evening. It is best to wrap the area with plastic film after applying the medicine so that the medicine can penetrate into the thick skin and facilitate peeling off the thick skin.

Note: Be extra careful when taking medications during pregnancy. When using the above medications, do not use them for a long time and use them as directed by your doctor.

2. Traditional Chinese medicine and folk prescriptions

(1) Grind any one of the following: alum, phellodendron, gallnut, or cuttlefish bone into powder and set aside. Then wash your feet and sprinkle it on the affected area. Suitable for erosive type.

(2) Take 30g each of Sophora flavescens, Dictamni, Portulaca oleracea, and Plantago, and 15g each of Atractylodes lancea and Phellodendron amurense. Decoction and wash 1-2 times a day. It is effective for blister type or infection.

(3) Take any one of Impatiens balsamina, 30 grams of sapodilla, or 15 grams of Sichuan peppercorns, and put them into half a pound of vinegar. Soak for a day and then soak your feet in it for 20 minutes every night before going to bed. Continuous treatment for 7 days is effective for the keratinizing type.

3. Athlete's foot is a contagious skin disease. You should avoid scratching to prevent self-infection and secondary infection. Foot basins and foot towels should be used separately to avoid infecting others.

4. While using medication for treatment, the shoes and socks worn by the patient must be disinfected. You can expose them to sunlight or wash them in boiling water. It is best to dip a cloth in 10% formalin solution and stuff it into the shoes. Then put them in a plastic bag and seal them for 48 hours to achieve the purpose of sterilization.