How long does it take to heal athletes foot?- Our resident GP has the answer

Dear Doctor, I suffer from skin allergies and my skin hurts and itches when I wear certain wool fabrics. Please advise with what I should do? 

That means you are allergic to the wool fabrics and you need to keep them away from your skin. Unfortunately that is all you need to do. Wear different material of fabrics and clothing so that you do not react. Use the antihistamine ointment to relieve the itchiness if you inadvertently put on something that triggers. It depends on the severity of the fungal infection and how long you have had it. If it is diagnosed early and treated appropriately, it will heal in 10 days or even less. In some cases there is a secondary infection which will delay healing. I would advise you to consult immediately you suspect you have this infection.

Dear Doctor, I’m 29 and recently started getting acne break-outs that I never had before.

What is the cause and what should I do? There are a number of possible causes for these breakouts. Diet is a major one. A diet that is high in sugar and saturated fats will put you at risk. Hormonal changes are also responsible. Some people will develop acne as a result of stress, causing the hormonal imbalances. Kindly start by choosing a healthier diet, dramatically reduce sugar in your diet, drink water instead of sweetened beverages and review the progress. If there is no improvement, consult your doctor.

Dear Doctor, How long does it take to heal athletes foot?

It depends on the severity of the fungal infection and how long you have had it. If it is diagnosed early and treated appropriately, it will heal in 10 days or even less. In some cases there is a secondary infection which will delay healing. I would advise you to consult immediately you suspect you have this infection.

Ask the doctor SMS ‘HEALTH’ to 32212 with your question (cost is R1 per SMS) or e-mail questions to health@citizen.co.za

Dr Dulcy who holds an MBBCH degree from Wits University, a diploma in occupational health, a diploma in HIV management, travel medicine diploma, masters of science in sports medicine, and a masters in business administration degree from GIBS is here to help!

Dr Dulcy is a social entrepreneur with a passion for providing healthcare and wellness solutions for low and middle-income communities in South Africa. As the 2016 Social Entrepreneurship Regional Business Achiever award winner for Business Women’s Association, she started Accessible Quality Healthservices (AQH) in 2013 after being a general practitioner in Vryburg then Carletonville for 11 years.

In 2015, she partnered with Pascal Frohlicher and we founded U-Care Medical Centres which focused on building private medical centres and providing world-class health services at an affordable cost. This company evolved in 2019 to become quadcare, which is a network of medical centres in areas where they are needed the most providing access to affordable healthcare. Currently, the centres are in Edenvale, Fox Street Johannesburg, Meadowlands, Carletonville, University of Johannesburg, and Park Station.

Dr Dulcy said her life’s purpose was to make an impact on how healthcare was delivered in this country, especially to the poor.

*Always consult your GP paediatrician, gynaecologist or health-care provider for all health matters

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