Athlete's Foot

Also called: Tinea pedis
Athlete's foot is a common infection caused by the tinea fungus. It is not serious. Symptoms include itching, burning and cracked, scaly skin between your toes. Tinea grows best in damp, dark and warm places, which is why it often develops between your toes. It can spread to your toenails, as well, making them thick and crumbly.
You can get athlete's foot from damp surfaces, such as locker room floors. To prevent it
Wash your feet every day
Dry your feet well, especially between your toes
Wear clean socks
Don't walk barefoot in public areas
Wear flip-flops in locker room showers
Treatments include over-the-counter antifungal creams for most cases and prescription medicines for more serious infections.
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Tinea Infections: Athlete's Foot, Jock Itch and Ringworm(American Academy of Family Physicians)
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Athlete's Foot(American Podiatric Medical Association)
Athlete's Foot(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
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Fungus Infections: Preventing Recurrence(American Osteopathic College of Dermatology)
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Tinea Pedis(National Institutes of Health) Return to top
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Article: Molecular identification of mycologic correlation in patients with concomitant tinea...
Article: Diabetes quiz. How much do you know about athlete's foot?
Article: Are placebo-controlled trials of creams for athlete's foot still justified?
Athlete's Foot -- see more articles Return to top
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Athlete's Foot Return to top
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Find a Dermatologist(American Academy of Dermatology) Return to top
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American Academy of Dermatology
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National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Return to top
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Athlete’s Foot(Nemours Foundation) Return to top
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Athlete's Foot(Nemours Foundation)
Athlete's Foot(Nemours Foundation) Return to top
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Date last updated: 18 March 2009 Topic last reviewed: 10 December 2008