Pyrithione zinc is a form of zinc that is used for various medical purposes, particularly in dandruff shampoos. According to Drugs.com, pyrithione zinc can slow flaking on the skin by slowing down the rate at which the skin produces these skin cells. But when it comes to treating athlete's foot, pyrithione zinc falls short of several other proven methods.
Athlete's Foot
According to the American Hair Loss Association, the same fungal infection that causes ringworm also causes athlete's foot -- these conditions are one and the same. This condition is contagious, and it is popular for being transmitted in locker rooms where people walk barefoot, exposing others to the fungus. It can cause itching, blistering and cracking and dryness of the skin on your feet, and elsewhere on the body. Athlete's foot is easily treated, and several options are available.
Pyrithione Zinc for Athlete's Foot
Pyrithione zinc has antifungal properties, meaning it can help kill fungi that infect your skin. Although this theoretically means it may prove effective as a treatment for athlete's foot, medical experts do not list this medication as a method of treatment. The Mayo Clinic lists no evidence supporting zinc's use as a treatment for athlete's foot. This may be because several other medications have proven more effective than pyrithione zinc. Several medications exist to specifically treat the fungal infection that causes athlete's foot.
Alternative Treatments
Several medications exist as over-the-counter medicated powders designed to dry out your skin, which deprives the fungus of moisture and causes it to die. These include butenafine, clotrimazole, miconazole, terbinafine and tolnaftate, according to the Mayo Clinic. Other oral medications may also be required, although these are only available by prescription.
Considerations
If your athlete's foot is severe, you should bring your condition to a doctor to have it examined. Your doctor may put you on prescription medications both topical and oral. If you have any questions about pyrithione zinc, talk to your doctor about its potential efficacy in treating athlete's foot. Although it is not currently endorsed by medical experts as a treatment for the foot infection, future medical research could prove a benefit of the treatment and encourage doctors to use it in practice.
