What is athlete’s foot?

Athlete’s foot is a fungal skin infection that commonly occurs in people whose feet have become extremely sweaty while confined within tight-fitting shoes. While most common between the toes, athlete’s foot can also affect the tops and soles of your feet and your heels. Athlete’s foot is a form of ringworm, which is why its medical term is “tinea pedis.” “Tinea” is another word for ringworm.

What are the symptoms of athlete’s foot?

Common signs and symptoms include:

  • Peeling, cracked, or scaly skin between the toes
  • Itchiness, especially right after taking off shoes and socks
  • Inflammation, making skin appear red, purple, or gray depending on your skin color
  • Burning or stinging
  • Blisters

What are the different types of athlete’s foot?

Symptoms can vary depending on the type of athlete’s foot you have, which may include:

  • Toe web infection: This is the most common type of athlete’s foot, affecting the skin between your fourth and fifth toe
  • Moccasin-type infection: This type of athlete’s foot affects your heels, bottoms, and edges of your feet, causing soreness, and skin thickening and cracking
  • Vesicular-type infection: Typically affecting the bottoms of your feet, this type can appear anywhere and features bumps or fluid-filled blisters
  • Ulcerative infection: This is the rarest type of athlete’s foot, involving open sores (ulcers) appearing between your toes or on the bottoms of your feet

What causes athlete’s foot?

Athlete’s foot is caused by several different types of fungi. It’s often spread through skin-to-skin contact or contact with a flake of skin. Athlete’s foot can also spread in areas used by large groups of people, such as locker rooms, saunas, and swimming pools. You can also get athlete’s foot by coming into contact with an infected surface, or sharing towels, socks or shoes with someone who has athlete’s foot.

Is athlete’s foot contagious?

Yes, athlete’s foot is contagious. It is a fungal infection of the skin, which often spreads through both direct or indirect contact.

Risk factors

Anyone can get athlete’s foot, but some factors that can increase your risk include:

  • Frequently wearing enclosed footwear
  • Excessive sweating or having particularly sweaty feet
  • A weakened immune system, making you more prone to infection
  • Diabetes

How to treat athlete’s foot

Athlete’s foot can be treated with over-the-counter and prescription antifungal creams, ointments, gels, sprays, or medicated foot powder. Products that contain clotrimazole, miconazole, tolnaftate, or terbinafine treat athlete’s foot effectively. Prescription pills that contain fluconazole, itraconazole, or terbinafine may also be used to treat the infection.

What happens if athlete’s foot is left untreated?

If left untreated, athlete’s foot can spread to other parts of the body. Athlete’s foot can also become more severe if left untreated, leading open sores or fluid-filled blisters to form.

How to prevent athlete’s foot

Some things you can do to prevent athlete’s foot and avoid spreading it to others include:

  • Airing out your feet: Give your feet some air by wearing sandals or open-toed shoes when possible
  • Wash your feet daily: Keep your feet clean by washing them daily with warm, soapy water and drying them thoroughly, especially between toes
  • Change your socks daily: Change your socks at least once a day or more if you have particularly sweaty feet
  • Keep feet protected in public places: Avoid walking around barefoot in public places, such as locker rooms or swimming pools
  • Alternate the shoes you wear: If possible, wear a different pair of shoes from day to day to allow each pair to fully dry after use
  • Try not to scratch your foot: Stay as hands-off as you can, soothing any itchiness by soaking your feet in cool water instead of scratching
  • Avoid shoes made of synthetic material: Materials like vinyl or rubber can make your feet sweatier

When to see a podiatrist about athlete’s foot

You should see a podiatrist if your symptoms don’t improve within two weeks of starting self-treatment with over-the-counter products. Seeing a healthcare provider as soon as possible is best if you’re a diabetic or have a weakened immune system.

Questions to ask your doctor

Some questions you might consider asking your podiatrist include:

  • How did I get athlete’s foot?
  • How long will I be contagious?
  • Are there any public areas or spaces I should avoid going to?
  • What can I do to make sure athlete’s foot doesn’t spread to other areas of my body?
  • How can I ensure I don’t spread athlete’s foot to other people?
  • What’s the best treatment option for my case of athlete’s foot?
  • Are there any medications or treatments I should avoid?
  • What can I do to reduce my risk of getting athlete’s foot again?
  • Is there anything I should look out for, such as signs of complications?