Athlete's Foot: Symptoms, Causes, Treatment & Prevention
Medical review pending
This educational article does not replace care from a licensed clinician. Automated publication checks and human medical review are separate states; the review label above reflects the recorded state for this exact content.
Athlete's Foot Symptoms and Types
Athlete's foot, or tinea pedis, is a common fungal infection of the skin on your feet 1,3. This infection usually begins between the toes, where fungi grow especially well in warm, damp conditions 2,5. Symptoms usually start in toe spaces but may also affect the soles and sides of the feet 3.
This guide explains the symptoms and the treatment. Common symptoms include itching, burning, and cracked, scaly skin between your toes that may hurt 1,2. Affected skin between the toes may peel or flake and develop painful cracks that can sometimes bleed 5,7.
Athlete's foot can cause burning or stinging pain and an itchy rash on infected foot skin 6.
This guide explains the symptoms and the treatment. Fine, silvery-white scales may appear beneath the toes, mainly along the outer spaces between neighboring toes 3. Athlete's foot symptoms usually begin between the toes but can reach the soles and both foot edges 3. Dry, scaly skin from athlete's foot can develop on the bottom and along both sides of the foot 5.
This guide explains the symptoms and the treatment. Moccasin-type athlete's foot affects skin across the bottoms, heels, and edges of the feet 6. With moccasin-type infection, feet may become sore before skin on their bottoms thickens and cracks 6. Moccasin athlete's foot makes skin on the bottoms, heels, and edges become dry, itchy, and scaly 6.
This guide explains the symptoms and the treatment. This moccasin pattern can cause patchy or widespread scaling across the bottom and both sides of the feet 3. Fluid-filled blisters or open sores can develop on foot skin during severe cases of athlete's foot 6. Athlete's foot blisters often appear on the soles, although they may develop anywhere else on the feet 6.
This guide explains the symptoms and the treatment. Open sores often form between the toes, but severe athlete's foot can also cause them on the soles 6. When athlete's foot fungus spreads to toenails, the nails can become thick, discolored, and even crumbly 4.
In rare cases, your toenails may get infected and can thicken, break into small pieces, or fall out 6.
Causes, Spread, and Risk Factors
Dermatophytes are the type of fungi that infect foot skin and cause athlete's foot 3,8. Dermatophytes thrive in body tissues rich in keratin, including hair, nails, and the skin's outer layer 3.
This article covers the causes and the treatment. Keratin is a protein found in the foot's outer skin layer, and athlete's foot fungus feeds on it 2. The fungus grows especially well between the toes because that skin area is often both warm and damp 2. Warm, damp places such as sweaty socks, shoes, and wet towels allow athlete's foot fungi to thrive 8.
This article covers the causes and the treatment. Warm, moist feet inside tight shoes create the ideal conditions these fungi need to keep growing 6. Athlete's foot commonly spreads through direct skin-to-skin contact or contact with flakes shed from infected skin 6.
This article covers the causes and the treatment. The fungus can spread through floors, towels, socks, shoes, bedding, clothing, and other contaminated shared surfaces 5,7. Walking barefoot in locker rooms, showers, or swimming areas can put your feet in contact with fungi 3. Walking barefoot in public showers, pools, or locker rooms raises your risk of athlete's foot 5.
This article covers the causes and the treatment. Sweating a lot raises your risk of athlete's foot because the fungi thrive in warm, damp places 5. Often wearing enclosed footwear increases your risk because it keeps feet warm and damp for fungal growth 5,6. Tight shoes squeeze toes together, creating warm, moist conditions that help athlete's foot fungi grow 7.
This article covers the causes and the treatment. Plastic shoes with poor air flow may encourage athlete's foot more than leather or canvas shoes 7. People with diabetes have an increased risk of athlete's foot and severe complications from untreated infection 3. Minor skin or nail injuries can increase a person's risk of developing athlete's foot 4.
This article covers the causes and the treatment. Poor leg circulation from diabetes or narrowed blood vessels can make someone more prone to athlete’s foot 7.
How Athlete's Foot Is Diagnosed
A healthcare professional can typically diagnose athlete's foot by examining your feet and reviewing your symptoms 6.
This guide cannot tell you the cause of the rash. Some types of athlete's foot can look like dry skin or dermatitis during examination 9. A healthcare professional may rule out dermatitis, psoriasis, or a low-grade skin infection when symptoms look similar 7. A professional may test a small skin sample in a laboratory to diagnose athlete's foot and exclude lookalikes 9.
This guide cannot tell you the cause of the rash. If diagnosis remains uncertain after examination, a professional may test affected skin in a laboratory 9. A potassium hydroxide test can dissolve skin cells so fungal cells remain visible for diagnosis 6. A provider may use a KOH exam, a simple office test, to check for fungus 4.
This guide cannot tell you the cause of the rash. A skin culture may help a healthcare professional check whether fungus is causing the rash 4. A skin biopsy with a special PAS stain may identify fungus in the sampled tissue 4.
If athlete's foot does not improve in 2 to 4 weeks with self-care, see your provider 4. This guide cannot tell you the cause of the rash.
Athlete's Foot Treatment and Self-Care
Most people can manage athlete's foot effectively with antifungal medicine applied directly to the affected skin 3,6. Over-the-counter antifungal creams treat most cases, while more serious infections may require prescription medicines 1. A healthcare professional may direct use of antifungal creams, gels, sprays, or powders for athlete's foot 6,9.
This article covers the causes and the treatment. Most mild athlete's foot cases can be managed with antifungal creams, lotions, ointments, or powders 7. Common topical products for athlete's foot contain clotrimazole, miconazole, tolnaftate, or terbinafine as active antifungal medicines 6. Treatment frequency and length depend on the product, so always follow its package directions exactly 2.
This article covers the causes and the treatment. Some products are applied once a day, while others go on affected skin twice a day 2.
This article covers the causes and the treatment. Continue treatment as the package insert describes, even when your skin looks healthy, because fungal spores may remain 2.
This article covers the causes and the treatment. If you stop medicine too soon, athlete’s foot may return and become harder to treat 6.
This article covers the causes and the treatment. If nonprescription treatments don't work, your healthcare professional may prescribe a stronger antifungal medicine for your skin 9. A doctor may also consider tablets when the infection reaches toenails or becomes very severe 2.
This article covers the causes and the treatment. Doctors may consider tablets if the infection has spread to one or more toenails or is very severe 2. Itraconazole and terbinafine tablets can interact with other medicines, so tell your doctor about other medicines you take 2.
This article covers the causes and the treatment. Antifungal tablets cause more side effects than creams, gels, or sprays used for athlete's foot 2. Antifungal tablets carry a risk of serious liver damage alongside their other possible side effects 2. For more serious infections, your healthcare professional may prescribe antifungal medicines that you take by mouth 9.
This article covers the causes and the treatment. If athlete’s foot frequently returns, see your provider, who may prescribe treatment 4.
This article covers the causes and the treatment. Bacterial skin infections may need antibiotics, while athlete's foot is treated with antifungal medicine 4. Keep your feet dry, clean, and cool because fungi need warmth and moisture to grow 6.
Avoid scratching your feet because scratching can spread the fungus to other body areas 6. Change your socks and towels often if you already have athlete’s foot 2.
How to Prevent Athlete's Foot and Recurrence
Do not share shoes, towels, or unwashed bedding because fungi can live on these personal items 5. Wash your feet every day with warm, soapy water, then dry them well 5. Dry your feet well, especially between the toes, where warmth and dampness help fungus grow 2,8.
This guide explains the prevention and the treatment. Change your socks more often if your feet get very sweaty 9. Wash your feet thoroughly with soap and water, then dry between your toes carefully and completely 4. Choose socks made from moisture-absorbing fabrics to help keep your feet drier 5.
This guide explains the prevention and the treatment. Wear lightweight, breathable footwear, and avoid artificial shoe materials such as vinyl or rubber 9. Rotate pairs of shoes from day to day, giving each pair time to dry after each use 9. Wear waterproof sandals or shoes around public pools, showers, and locker rooms 8.
This guide explains the prevention and the treatment. Wear flip-flops at swimming pools or saunas because this practice helps prevent athlete’s foot infection 2. Avoid sharing towels, socks, or shoes with anyone who has athlete’s foot because these items spread fungus 6.
This guide explains the prevention and the treatment. Finish your full course of medicine because athlete’s foot may return if you stop too soon 6. Keep your toenails clean and clipped short as part of regular foot care and prevention 1. People with athlete’s foot should change their socks and towels often and wash them thoroughly 2.
This guide explains the prevention and the treatment. Regularly wash sheets and towels to lower the risk of athlete’s foot spreading through shared fabrics 5,7. Wash your feet twice a day with water and soap to keep them routinely clean 7. Change your socks at least once a day as part of regular athlete’s-foot prevention 9.
This guide explains the prevention and the treatment. Keep your feet dry, clean, and cool because athlete’s-foot fungus grows well in warm, damp spaces 2,6.
Complications and When to Seek Medical Care
Without treatment, athlete's foot can spread to toenails, hands, or the groin and cause other fungal infections 6. Untreated athlete's foot can cause cellulitis, a skin infection, especially with diabetes, weak immunity, or poor circulation 3,5. Severe athlete’s foot may cause fluid-filled blisters or open sores on the feet 6.
Open sores from severe athlete’s foot make damaged skin more vulnerable to a bacterial infection 7. People with weakened immune systems, including those with diabetes, may develop cellulitis, a serious skin infection 5. Untreated athlete’s foot can cause serious infections, especially in people with diabetes, weak immunity, or poor circulation 3.
Contact your provider right away if your foot is swollen and warm, especially with red streaks or pain 4. See your healthcare professional for symptoms of infection, such as swelling of the affected area, pus, and fever 5. Swelling, warmth, red streaks, pain, pus, drainage, or fever may indicate a bacterial infection 4.
If you have diabetes, see your healthcare professional if you think you have athlete's foot 5. If symptoms do not improve in 2 to 4 weeks with self-care or frequently return, see your provider 4.
When a foot rash persists after two weeks of over-the-counter antifungal cream, see your healthcare professional 5. A doctor may prescribe oral antifungal medicine when athlete’s foot is severe or over-the-counter treatments fail 7.
A doctor may consider tablets when topical treatment fails or the infection reaches toenails or becomes very severe 2.
Keep the evidence
Take Athlete's Foot: Symptoms, Causes, Treatment & Prevention questions with you.
- Every answer cited to a checkable source
- Sources graded by evidence tier
- Your questions and their evidence, kept
Scan to open the download page