Treatments of tinea pedis

The severity of tinea pedis infection determines the course of treatment required. Mild infections may be resolved using a topical agent. More severe presentations (eg, dermatophytosis complex) may require treatment that eliminates the bacterial and fungal infection. Some topical monotherapies may exhibit both antifungal and antibacterial activity. In other instances, it may be necessary to combine an antifungal agent with an antibacterial agent. If inflammation is present, an agent with known anti-inflammatory action may need to be used. The chronic presentation of tinea pedis (dry type) sometimes does not respond well to topical therapy. In such instances, systemic antifungal therapy is required to ensure that adequate concentrations of the therapeutic agent are present at the site of infection.