Athlete's foot and eczema

Don’t wear other people’s shoes randomly to avoid getting athlete’s foot, especially when staying in a hotel. You should be more careful if the shoes are not disposable. Athlete's foot is still highly contagious, but many people confuse athlete's foot with eczema, which are two completely different skin problems. Athlete's foot can be contagious to others, but eczema will only make yourself worse and will not be contagious to others, so it is important to distinguish them during treatment and use the right medicine to cure them.

What is the difference between athlete's foot and eczema?

First, in terms of the site of onset, athlete's foot often occurs between the third and fourth toes, and between the fourth and fifth toes. Initially, the spaces between the toes are damp, whitish or small blisters appear. After drying and scaling, the dandruff reveals a moist, flushed eroded surface that is extremely itchy and prone to secondary infection.

Eczema can occur anywhere on the body, manifesting as dense, polymorphic, millet-sized papules and papulovesicles. In severe cases, small blisters may appear with redness at the base. After scratching, the skin lesions appear exudative and erosive, with unclear boundaries. Severe itching is also a prominent feature. If the same symptoms occur in other parts of the body besides the feet, it can be judged as eczema rather than athlete's foot.

Second, we can judge from the cause of the disease. Eczema is mostly an allergic reaction. For example, consuming allergic food or external stimulation can cause eczema. People with sensitive constitutions are more likely to get eczema. Athlete's foot is mostly a fungal infection.

In addition, eczema is not contagious and is the result of a person's physical condition and the external environment; while athlete's foot can usually be transmitted by mistakenly wearing shoes and socks of people who have athlete's foot. So you can also help determine the cause of the disease.

Third, from a treatment perspective, athlete's foot is a skin disease that is difficult to cure. The environment where the feet are located is often hot, humid and airtight, which is conducive to the growth of mold. The hormones in topical ointments are often nutrients for fungi and molds. Not only are they ineffective, they also promote the growth of mold. Do not use them indiscriminately.

Eczema is caused by an allergic immune response and will usually heal itself after there is no contact with allergens or the resistance is enhanced. However, since allergens are difficult to identify and the itching is severe, you should consult a professional doctor and actively cooperate with the treatment to avoid delaying treatment and developing chronic eczema, which is difficult to cure.