There are other fungal infections that can be similar to the ones brought about by athlete's foot such as eczema, psoriasis, and other infections and should be treated differently. The only way to differentiate them is by the symptoms that they show. A person suffering form athlete's foot experiences having dry skin in the foot area. This over-the-counter medicine help treat the athlete's foot by killing the fungi that inhabit the area. Some of the most popular brands are Lamisil and Lotrimin. Another treatment for these fungal infections is the athlete's foot powder, which primarily works as a drying agent that keeps the moisture away from the affected area. Athlete's Foot 101 A skin infection in the foot caused by a fungus called trichophyton, athlete s foot is also known tinea pedis. According to medical experts, the types of athlete s foot can be categorized into three: the Chronic interdigital athlete s foot, the Chronic scaly athlete s foot (moccasin type) and the Acute vesicular athlete s foot. Athletes are the ones who often wear shoes and they also perspire heavily that is why they are common prey of Athlete s Foot. Ordinary people who are commuters or who do a lot of walking can also be victims of this fungus because outdoor conditions like pollution and bad weather can take a toll on the feet. Topical medications or topical antifungal agents that has miconazole, itraconazole, terbinafine and a keratolytic like salicylic acid are usually given to the patient to kill the fungus. However, topical medications only cure the infection of about 30 percent once the medication is applied. That is why doctors suggest that the patients use the medication for a specific period of time for the fungi to be eliminated. What Does Athletes Foot Look Like There are other conditions that mimic Athlete s Foot that we should be aware about like that of simple disturbances in the body s sweat mechanism, reaction to certain components of the shoes like dyes or adhesives with weird chemical combinations, eczema and psoriasis.