認識「香港腳」Know more about Athlete’s Foot
成因 Causes
「香港腳」只是俗名，正確名稱應是足癬，成因是真菌入侵足部皮膚引起。「香港腳」的症狀包括痕癢、脫皮、發紅、皮膚起泡、有臭味，嚴重者會皮膚破裂導致細菌感染引起膿腫。引起「香港腳」的原因眾多，包括赤足出入公共浴室或泳池、穿不透氣鞋襪、長時間穿鞋、腳汗多、洗澡後沒有把腳部擦乾等。肥胖的人、糖尿病患者或長期服用皮質類固醇藥物也會增加患上「香港腳」的機會。
Athlete’s foot, medically known as Tinea Pedia, is caused by fungal infection on the skin of the feet. Symptoms may include itching, peeling, redness, blistering and smelling. In severe case, the skin may crack and cause bacterial infection, leading to abscess. There are many causes for athlete’s foot, including entering public bath or pool in barefoot, wearing non-breathable shoes and socks, wearing shoes for long time, sweaty foot and not drying the foot after bathing. People who are overweight, with diabetes, or on long term treatment of corticosteroid are more prone to athlete’s foot.
治療方法
Treatment
「香港腳」具有傳染性，但一般使用抗真菌的外用藥物己能有效地治療。外用抗真菌藥一般需要連續使用三至六星期為一個療程，才能有效殺滅真菌。有些人以為痕癢時才需要塗藥，以致足癬經常覆發。巿面上有些外用藥膏含有類固醇加抗真菌劑，此類混合藥膏不建議用多於七天。如果療程完畢後情況沒有好轉，可能涉及其他問題，患者應盡早求醫。此外，口服抗真菌藥物需要醫生處方下才能安全地使用。
Athlete’s foot is contagious, but it can be effectively treated by topical anti-fungal medication in general. Treatment usually takes 3 to 6 weeks to clear the fungus. Some patients only apply the medicine when they feel itchy, causing recurrent fungal infection. There are topical medications consisting of steroid and anti-fungal ingredients, but they are not recommended to be used for more than 7 days. If the regimen is completed and the situation does not improve, patients should seek help from doctors. For oral anti-fungal medications, patient must take them under doctors’ prescription to ensure safety.
預防方法 Prevention
要有效預防「香港腳」，首要是保持足部清潔乾爽，腳汗多的人可選擇穿著涼鞋，使腳汗更容易散發。如果工作上不容許穿著涼鞋，可以在穿鞋前在雙腳灑上爽身粉以保持足部乾爽；也可以使用含有抗真菌藥的粉劑，在令腳部乾爽之餘，灑在鞋裡更能殺死蔵在鞋內的真菌。用襪方面，可選擇透氣良好、有吸水性的棉襪而避免用尼龍質料的襪子，並要經常更換乾淨的襪子。
To effectively prevent athlete’s foot, the top priority is to keep the foot clean and dry. People with sweaty feet can wear sandals or apply body powder on both feet before wearing shoes. People may also use anti-fungal powder inside shoes to kill the fungus. Socks with high breathability and hygroscopic cotton socks are
recommended, while nylon socks should be avoided. And it is a must to change clean socks frequently.
屈臣氏藥劑師團隊
Watsons Pharmacy Team
