How Can You Get Rid of Sores Between Your Toes?
Depending on the cause, sores between toes can be treated using antifungal medication or antibiotics, according to WebMD. Keeping the area between the toes clean and dry also helps the recovery process.
Sores between toes can be caused by fungal infections such as athlete’s foot, bacterial infections such as erythrasma, or blisters, according to WebMD, Merck Manual and MedicineNet.
Athlete’s foot is a very common cause of sores between toes, states WebMD. As athlete’s foot is a fungal infection, it is treated using topical antifungal medication applied directly between the toes. More severe cases are treated using oral drugs. The foot, and especially the area between the toes, should be kept clean and dry to discourage the fungus from spreading.
Various types of bacterial infection, especially erythrasma, can sometimes be mistaken for athlete’s foot as the cause of sores between toes, according to About.com. Bacterial infections are treated with antibiotics such as erythromycin or tetracycline, and cannot be treated with antifungal medication unless there are fungal-related complications, according to Merck Manual. Antibacterial soaps also help to reduce the sores, and topical versions of erythromycin and clindamycin are also effective.
Blisters are treated using topical antibacterial cream or ointment, according to MedicineNet. The area between the toes should be kept clean, a bandage should cover the area after the topical medication has been applied, and the blisters should not be popped. This is to reduce the risk of infection.
