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Based on a definitive diagnosis from your health care provider, your athlete's foot treatment should begin immediately and without taking any short cuts! Consistent and appropriate treatment is the key to a cure. Athlete's foot must be properly diagnosed since other foot maladies can also mimic this condition. If you think you might have been afflicted with the irritant, and if you have never been diagnosed with it before, then it is important to see your doctor for a definitive diagnosis before you just start self medicating with any old over the counter remedy. At your physician's office, your doctor may be able to diagnose your athlete's foot just by taking a look at your irritated foot, and other times it may take sending off a skin sample to the laboratory to see if there are fungal cells present. These fungal cells are a tell tale sign of athlete's foot. The skin really does tell the story. Your doctor may determine that the best treatment option for your athlete's foot is one of the many over the counter anti-fungal creams and sprays available for purchase. Most cases of athlete's foot are mild but bothersome. It is also good to remember that even though it is driving you crazy right now, that most cases will go away in two or three weeks if you consistently treat the area. But some cases are stubborn and will come back over and over again! Some who battle athlete's foot actually try to beat it to the punch by just consistently treating the area with anti-fungal sprays and powders. Check with your physician to see if this is acceptable for you. But if your doctor thinks that your case of athlete's foot infection is more serious than an over the counter treatment can handle, then you may end up with a prescription strength treatment plan. This may include anti-fungal oral medication. It can be that OTC creams and sprays do not effectively reach the lower layers of the skin where the fungus really lives and this leads to it rearing its ugly head again. This is the perfect example of when your physician may decide that your need a stronger medication, which may include not only a stronger topical medication but also an oral anti-fungal as well. Prescription strength athlete's foot treatment seems to give you a better overall response to the treatment. But if you take a short cut and do not use the medicine as prescribed or do not use it for the duration ordered then you risk the return of your athlete's foot with a vengeance. If you are treating a re-occurrence of a previous infection and if you are absolutely positive that you have athlete's foot, then it is acceptable to use over the counter anti-fungal medications to treat your feet. But, remember, if you are still waging the athlete's foot war after two full weeks of treatment that you should follow up with your health care provider for stronger prescription based treatment. Getting the appropriate athlete's foot treatment is important since if you avoid it, then you will be really sorry you made that decision. It takes the right medication to fight the fungus of athlete's foot so follow the plan and find the relief you long for.
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