The medical term for athlete's foot is tinea pedis. If the feet are warm, moist and not well ventilated, athlete's foot tends to worsen. Athlete's foot can be very well controlled by regular application of creams and powders. Regular use of antifungal creams in those predisposed to athlete's foot may decrease the chance of developing toenail fungus. If toenail fungus does develop, it can be treated by topical or oral medication.
Oral medications tend to work better for nail fungus but are costly and require a prescription.
For early cases of nail fungus, topical products may be tried. Urushiol is a colorless or slightly yellow oil that oozes from any cut, or crushed part of the plant, including the stems and leaves. This toxic oil is responsible for the rash that develops from contact with these plants. For more detailed information on poison oak and poison ivy. Check out our tip of the month archives page.