Interdigital tinea pedis (dermatophytosis simplex and complex) and treatment with ciclopirox 0.77% gel.

Author(s): Gupta AK, Skinner AR, Cooper EA

Affiliation(s): Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, Sunnybrook and Women's College Health Sciences Center (Sunnybrook site) and the University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada. agupta@execulink.com

Publication date & source: 2003-09, Int J Dermatol., 42 Suppl 1:23-7.

Publication type: Review

The most common presentation of tinea pedis (athlete's foot) is that involving the interdigital spaces. Tinea pedis interdigitalis may present as asymptomatic dermatophytosis simplex or dermatophytosis complex, which is symptomatic, with secondary bacterial infection. In the dermatophytosis complex presentation there may be inflammation, maceration and odor, with bacterial involvement. Ciclopirox gel offers advantages in the treatment of tinea pedis, especially in the dermatophytosis complex presentation, with antifungal, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory activity; furthermore, the gel formulation is fast drying, which is an advantage when the toe web area is moist.