Natural Cures for Athlete's Foot

Athlete's foot isn't an ailment you'd want to prolong if you can help it. It can be a very tenacious pathogen indeed, and trying to seek natural cures for athlete's foot can more often than not leave you with a worsening infection and prolonged pain.

It has to be said, the best and most efficient medications are the ones you can get on prescription or specially formulated athletes foot treatments from pharmacists. Most people find a manufactured and refined cure is always going to be more efficient than a natural cure, as if they weren't, there wouldn't be the market for them. If you are adamant that you'd like to try one of the more natural cures for athlete's foot still, there is one which comes highly recommended if you wish to go this route.

Tea Tree Oil is made from the leaves of Melaleuca alternifolia, a tree native to parts of Australia and New Zealand . It is extracted from the leaves by steam distillation. Its properties are: germicidal, antibacterial, fungicidal and antiseptic, making it perhaps the greatest of all natural cures for athlete's foot.

Tea Tree Oil can be an allergenic, therefore it is recommended a person applies a small amount to an area of their skin first to see if any allergic reactions result. Tea Tree Oil should never be taken orally, and if ingested in high doses can be toxic. Some of the symptoms caused by Tea Tree Oil ingestion may be nausea, disorientation and dizziness.

To use Tea Tree Oil on athletes foot, anywhere between 4 to 10 drops per foot should be applied, covering the feet, particularly the infected areas. This should be repeated 3 times a day. Treatment should continue for a few weeks after symptoms appear to have disappeared, to ensure the infection has been killed properly.