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Athlete's Foot

(Tinea Pedis)

By

The Manual's Editorial Staff

Reviewed/Revised Oct 2022
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What is athlete’s foot?

Athlete’s foot is a fungal infection that causes a rash on moist areas of your feet.

  • Athlete's foot is very common because water gets trapped in the warm spaces between your toes

  • It can spread from person to person in shared bathrooms, showers, and warm wet places

  • Keeping your feet dry lowers the chance of getting athlete's foot

  • Doctors treat athlete's foot with antifungal cream

What are the symptoms of athlete’s foot?

Symptoms include:

  • Itching

  • Foot rash

There are different kinds of athlete's foot rash:

  • Cracked, red, peeling skin between your toes

  • Thickened, scaly skin on the soles of your feet

  • Rarely, fluid-filled blisters

How can doctors tell if I have athlete’s foot?

Doctors can usually tell it's athlete's foot by looking at it. To know for sure, doctors may take a tiny scraping of your skin to look at under a microscope.

How do doctors treat athlete’s foot?

Doctors treat athlete's foot with:

  • Antifungal creams to put on your foot

  • Rarely, antifungal medicines to take by mouth

Athlete's foot often comes back after treatment. You may need to take medicine for a long time.

How can I prevent athlete’s foot?

To prevent athlete's foot:

  • Keep your feet dry

  • Wear shower shoes or sandals at the gym or other public showers

Ways to keep your feet dry include:

  • Wearing open-toe shoes or shoes that let air circulate

  • Changing your socks often, especially during warm weather

  • Drying the spaces between your toes with a towel after bathing

  • Applying antifungal powders (such as miconazole), gentian violet, or aluminum chloride solution or soaking your feet in Burow solution

Drugs Mentioned In This Article

Generic Name Select Brand Names
Aloe Vesta, Antifungal, AZOLEN TINCTURE, Baza, Cruex, Desenex, Desenex Jock Itch, Fungoid, Lotrimin AF, Lotrimin AF Antifungal Liquid, Lotrimin AF Deodorant, Lotrimin AF Powder, Lotrimin AF Spray, Micaderm , Micatin, Miconazole 7, Micotrin AP, Micro-Guard , Mitrazol, Monistat 1 Day or Night Combination Pack, Monistat 1 Vaginal Ovule Combination Pack, Monistat 1 Vaginal Ovule Combination Pack (Prefilled), Monistat 3, Monistat 3 Vaginal Cream (Prefilled), Monistat 3 Vaginal Cream Combination Pack, Monistat 3 Vaginal Cream Combination Pack (Prefilled), Monistat 3 Vaginal Ovule Combination Pack, Monistat 3 Vaginal Suppositories Combination Pack, Monistat 7, Monistat 7 Vaginal Cream Combination Pack, Monistat-Derm, Mycozyl AP, Neosporin AF, Novana Anti-Fungal, Oravig, Remedy, Remedy Phytoplex, Soothe & Cool INZO, Ting Antifungal, Triple Paste AF , Vagistat-3, Zeasorb Athlete's Foot, Zeasorb Jock Itch
No brand name available
Drysol, Hypercare, Xerac AC
NOTE: This is the Consumer Version. DOCTORS: VIEW PROFESSIONAL VERSION
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