Walgreens' Anti-Fungal Spray - Relief, but Messy

My favorite athletes foot product is no longer available. When I saw those red cracks starting to form again this week, along with the burning sensation, I knew I had to get some other product, quickly. After some research, I decided to try Walgreens Medicated Anti-Fungal liquid spray.

The Gold Bond Athletes Foot Swabs that worked so well for me have been discontinued. From reading a long list of feedback forum posts, I have learned that many people found the Gold Bond swabs to be the only thing that worked well for them, too. One person suggests that the problem is not lack of sales for the product, but a patent rights problem with the delivery method, a swab where one end is broken to deliver the medicine to the other end of the central tube. I cant seem to verify this, but it would explain why such a successful product has suddenly disappeared.

But this week, after having used the very last of my carefully hoarded swabs, I knew that I couldnt wait any longer to buy something else. At least now I knew that the active ingredient that seems to work for me is Tolnaftate. This is a synthetic thiocarbamate, with three carbon rings. The mechanism for how it controls fungus is not fully understood, but it may inhibit the formation of an enzyme that the athletes foot fungus, genus Trichophyton, needs.

After spending some time on line I learned that Dr. Scholls foot spray and Tinactin also use Tolnaftate as the active ingredient. Armed with that information, I headed for the drugstore. Walgreens was my first stop, just because it was convenient, and I found their store brand version with the same active ingredient.

Walgreens Medicated Anti-Fungal spray has Tolnaftate 1% as the active ingredient, and the can actually says to compare it to Tinactin. So I did, and everything seems the same except the Walgreens brand was $1.70 cheaper ($7.29 for 5.3 ounces). Well, thats a no-brainer, if Im going to try something new anyway. It comes in a spray powder, and a spray liquid. I chose the liquid to try first.

The directions say to (shake and) spray twice a day if you already have athletes foot, or once a day for prevention.

As soon as I got home, I washed my feet and sprayed between all my toes. Then I put on clean socks. By this time I had cracks starting in three places. By the next day, the red lines were still visible, but they were headed toward healing rather than opening more. So, I have to conclude that this is the active ingredient that works best to cure my athletes foot, and that the store brand product is going to be just fine.

Since I try to treat this problem long before it turns into deep, bleeding, oozing cracks, I dont know how quickly the spray would clear up a bad case of athletes foot. The directions say that you can use it daily for up to four weeks before needing to consult a doctor if the problem persists.

It is not for use on fungus of the scalp or nails. Dont get it in your eyes or mouth.

The can says that it will also cure ringworm. Ive never had that, thank goodness! Jock itch is caused by the same fungus as athletes foot, but is located in the groin. The label doesnt say if you can or cant use the product in that area.

Pros:
- It seems to work. That is the most important thing!
- It is probably cheaper per use than the swabs were (they were $0.25 each. Im guessing Ill get more than 30 applications from this spray can, but I can update when its gone to verify that)

Cons:
- The spray is much messier. I have to put my foot on a towel so as to not spray the bed, rug, etc. The spray goes other places than between my toes, and I used a tissue to move some excess from the top of my foot to the bottom. However, the swabs allowed me to easily spread medicine to the bottom of the foot
- It will not travel as well as the swabs, which were just in a small box, and it would need to be in checked luggage for air travel
- Its an aerosol can, so not as friendly to the environment as swabs

Conclusion:
If the Gold Bond Athletes Foot Swabs become available again, Im sure Ill go back to them. Meanwhile, the Walgreens Medicated Anti-Fungal appears to be able to control my athletes foot problem.

In the picture, it doesnt look like I have athletes foot at all. Thats pretty awesome, because it was exactly 24 hours ago that I had an ugly, red, itching line, about 3/4 inch long between those same two toes. Sorry, I didnt think to get a before shot.