Fungal infection on my body, feet, and hands...

I ended up with a fungal infection even though I haven't been sexually active in years—it’s been a long time. Honestly? It was probably just a lack of hygiene.

I tried using Neosporin, but it didn't do much—likely because I wasn't consistent with it. Now I'm giving it another shot, being diligent and sticking to the schedule this time, so I'm hoping for the best.

Here’s the real dilemma. I finally found a girlfriend, but I'm torn on whether it's too risky to have sex (risky for her, obviously😁) before I clear this up. I have zero desire to pass these irritating little parasites onto someone I actually care about.

To sleep with her or not? That is the question.😕🤷

Look, I’ve been reading through this forum about this issue, but here is my situation 🙂 I have redness around my groin area—not on the organ itself, just around it—and it was itching so bad the skin started peeling. Now, the exact same thing has popped up under my armpit. I went to see a dermatologist because my doctor referred me, and they prescribed Jane Doe. I’ve been applying it for almost a month now; the irritation near my groin has calmed down somewhat, but the stuff under my arm isn't budging. Since I started using this, I haven't used any deodorants or other products. What could this be? If anyone has dealt with something similar, please let me know how you cleared up this 🙂

Here’s my situation. The symptoms are as follows:
-A hollow spot has formed on my toe—essentially, the nail is starting to lift. It’s a bit uneven, too.
-The skin between my toes has begun peeling.
-I’ve even noticed some peeling on my hands—specifically on my palms and middle finger.

Does anyone have any thoughts or suggestions?
I realize I should see a doctor—obviously—but I'm looking for some insight before I make the trip.

What you're describing sounds like textbook fungal infection symptoms. You really ought to see a doctor ASAP before this thing spreads any further.

Those nail issues can be especially stubborn, too. Better to start treatment right away rather than waiting around.

Hey, I've come down with athlete's foot... does anyone know the easiest way to clear this up? Also, how many different treatment options are actually out there?

Paul Walker17 said:Hey, I've come down with athlete's foot... does anyone know the easiest way to clear this up? Also, how many different treatment options are actually out there?

First thing you gotta do—go see a regular doctor or a GP. You need to make sure it’s actually fungus and not something else going on with your skin before you start messing around with treatments.

Take all those shoes you’ve been wearing lately, toss them in the wash with some heavy-duty detergent, let them dry out completely in the sun, and then hit them with an antifungal spray—whatever your doctor suggests.
You really have to be persistent and patient with this. Stick to the cream they prescribe and don't skip days, because fungus is incredibly stubborn and loves to hang around (you're looking at 3-4 weeks, maybe even longer).
Since it's summer, try to wear open-toed shoes as much as possible to let things breathe.

That’s pretty much it to get started, hope that helps 😁

But again, that's only if it REALLY is fungus.

I really wanted to jump in here and share my experience using Neosporin. I was doing some digging on Google and noticed that other creams can also carry a risk of photosensitivity.

So, I used Neosporin for about two weeks—it was the middle of summer, so I was getting at least a little bit of sun exposure every single day. Then, after just one tiny session in the sun (maybe 20 minutes?), I ended up with this nasty sun allergy! I had these seriously gross spots all over my arms and legs. And get this—this was the first time (and honestly, the only time) this has ever happened to me, because usually, I handle the sun like a champ. I think if you check the instructions, it actually mentions that a photosensitive reaction is possible, even if it's super rare, but man, it caught me totally off guard. It was such a shock! Anyway, I had to get a 100 mg cortisol injection and use some corticosteroid cream, stopped using the Neosporin immediately, and after a few days, things finally cleared up.

If you're dealing with potential fungal issues during the summer months, I’d honestly suggest looking into something garlic-based instead... especially since the heat and all that sweating makes it the perfect breeding ground for fungus. I made the mistake of using Neosporin right while I was out tanning. Seriously, I wouldn't wish this kind of awful experience on anyone!

Here’s my little DIY remedy for foot fungus. I’m not entirely sure how it holds up against nail issues, but for skin infections, the results were basically instant... I tried this on some fungal stuff that shows up as these little blisters—kind of like tiny calluses that just keep growing and growing. Anyway, here’s the setup: take 1 cup of vinegar (usually you'd go with apple cider, but plain white vinegar works fine too) and mix it with 4 cups of water in a basin. Just soak your feet for about half an hour. Dry them off and you're done. If you need to, just do it again on the third day. Everything just dries up and disappears. If it decides to make a comeback, just run the whole thing again. It's super simple and actually works. Might even help with fungus under the nails... worth a shot.
By the way, Scholl used to make this specific cream for Athlete's foot that worked like magic—literally one application and it was gone by the next morning. But you can't find those anymore... they used to be all over at CVS or the local pharmacy, but they replaced it with some other brand that I haven't personally tested yet. If you're dealing with this crap, maybe look up the name of the new stuff online. At least you can always find vinegar at the grocery store.
Good luck !!!

Bumping this thread...
What do you do about stubborn athlete's foot that just won't quit? It’s been over a year now. I've got these tiny, skin-colored bumps, and over time, the skin in that area has actually thickened up. I've cycled through a bunch of creams—Lamisil, Monistat, Neosporin, Exoderil, and now I'm back on Monistat. I've also messed around with essential oil blends every now and then. The issue is that while the creams help temporarily, they mostly just clear up the surface infections, which spread out while the original source remains untouched. That main spot where it all started hasn't budged, and the skin there has gotten pretty thick. Just when things seem to be settling down, the itching starts again, it spreads, and I'm right back at square one. 🙂 For a while, an essential oil mix kept things under control—no itching or spreading—but it didn't touch the core issue. I even tried salicylic acid. When I'm on vacation at the beach, everything looks great, like the ocean, the sun, and walking barefoot on rocks fixed everything, but as soon as I get home, it's the same old story.
Does it make sense to rotate these different creams, or once the fungus becomes resistant, is it just game over? Is there anything else effective out there besides what I've already listed?

I would personally consider adding oral antifungals into the mix alongside the topical creams. For instance, something like Fluconazole.

Yeah, I did some reading on that med, but it slipped my mind. You really should run it by a doctor, though they probably won't overthink it since nothing else has worked so far.
thanks. 🙂

Have you ever actually had them scrape a sample from those spots just to figure out which specific strain you're dealing with?

There are oral antifungals too (Fluconazole, if I recall correctly—I think I saw Lamisil tablets listed on the Pfizer site), but doctors usually hate prescribing those until they've exhausted all the topical options because they can really put a strain on your liver. Maybe look into that? Honestly though, if they haven't done a skin scraping yet, I’d start by demanding one so you actually know what you're fighting and what it responds to.

melloworca6 said:Have you ever actually had them scrape a sample from those spots just to figure out which specific strain you're dealing with?

There are oral antifungals too (Fluconazole, if I recall correctly—I think I saw Lamisil tablets listed on the Pfizer site), but doctors usually hate prescribing those until they've exhausted all the topical options because they can really put a strain on your liver. Maybe look into that? Honestly though, if they haven't done a skin scraping yet, I’d start by demanding one so you actually know what you're fighting and what it responds to.

Nah. They were just copying down the cream prescriptions.
We'll see what the doctor has to say.

I honestly don't get people. You struggle with this for a year, cycling through every single cream on the market without any luck, and you don't even think to ask for a skin scraping? To me, that’s like dealing with a sinus infection or a sore throat, running through one antibiotic after another, and never once thinking to actually get a swab. It feels like we're living in the Middle Ages.

Ask them to do a scraping. It’s not some massive procedure—they just take a tiny sample of skin from the affected area—and then they can actually identify the specific strain. I'm not sure if they test drug sensitivity right away, but at least there's a plan.

I was literally watching this segment on TV yesterday about a woman who spent years seeing doctors because her toenails were absolutely trashed. Nothing worked. Turns out, they finally did a biopsy and discovered she didn't just have fungus; she had a bacterial infection mixed in with it too. She needed treatment for both. All that time spent trying to fix just the fungus was a total waste.

Thanks for the advice. 🙂
It’s just this tiny spot on my foot, but I can't seem to shake it, and it always seems to be the starting point for everything else. Even switching up my diet didn't do a thing.

For a few years now, I’ve been dealing with this recurring issue where little red spots pop up on the head of my penis, making everything feel incredibly sensitive and painful. When this first happened, my primary care physician prescribed two different creams, which cleared things right up, but then the whole mess came crawling back. Eventually, she referred me to a dermatologist who put me on Jane Doe, and following her instructions—applying it twice a day for ten days—actually solved the problem. However, since then, it seems to resurface roughly every three months like clockwork. Reapplying the cream fixes it temporarily, but it always returns. Most recently, I was taking Bioactive almost every single day for nearly a month, and yet here we are again. It honestly feels like it’s happening more frequently than before. I do have a partner, though I am extremely diligent about using protection every single time.
Does anyone have a recommendation for a truly excellent dermatologist, or perhaps a specialized clinic where I could get a definitive diagnosis through testing or swabs? I am more than willing to pay out of pocket because, quite frankly, I am losing my mind over this and just want to be rid of it once and for all.

If you're in NYC, you can go through your insurance provider or just hit up a local pharmacy like CVS privately.
In my opinion, you’ll probably need more than just a cream; you should look into an oral antifungal, like Fluconazole.
To start, cut out sugar and alcohol from your diet entirely.

Thank you so much for the response! Does Mayo Clinic have a particularly strong dermatology department? Also, would it be alright if I indulged in some spicy food?

I’d steer clear of that too, honestly...
They have solid dermatologists there. I’m confident they’ll get you sorted out.