Athlete's foot - What is it?
In this section
Athlete's foot is a skin infection. It can make the skin on your feet flaky and itchy. It's easy to catch athlete's foot in warm, damp places, such as in the changing rooms and showers at gyms. It's not serious, but it can make your feet sore. There are treatments that work, and you can buy many of them over the counter from a pharmacy.
It's a good idea to start treatment as soon as you notice symptoms. Otherwise, the infection can spread and become harder to treat.
Key points for people with athlete's foot
- Athlete's foot is a skin infection caused by a tiny fungus.
- You usually get it between your toes first.
- Athlete's foot is easy to pick up in places where there are shared changing rooms, such as in gyms and swimming pools.
- Usually athlete's foot makes your skin itch and peel. But some people don't have any symptoms.
- You can treat athlete's foot yourself with medicine that you can buy from a pharmacy.
- You can avoid catching athlete's foot by washing your feet and wearing clean socks every day. For more tips, see How to avoid getting athlete's foot.
- If you have diabetes, or a weak immune system because you have HIV infection, have AIDS or are taking certain medicines (such as chemotherapy), and you think you have athlete's foot, see your doctor. Athlete's foot can cause more serious problems in people with these conditions.
There are lots of myths about athlete's foot. See how much you know by taking our quiz.
What goes wrong?
Athlete's foot is caused by a fungus. The types of fungus that cause athlete's foot live in warm, damp places, such as around swimming pools and in changing areas and showers that are shared by many people.
You may feel funny thinking that you have an infection caused by a fungus. But the types of fungus that cause athlete's foot are so tiny that you can't even see them. They're just another type of organism that can cause an infection, like bacteria or a virus.
Lots of people get athlete's foot at some point because it's so easy to catch.[1] [2] For example, if you often walk around barefoot, you may catch the infection from the floor. Or you can catch it if you touch the skin of someone who already has it. You can also catch athlete's foot at home if someone in your family has it. And if your pets have it, you may get it from them.
Your feet are the perfect place for this infection to grow, especially between your toes. Your feet are warm, often slightly damp, and full of keratin. Fungi feed on keratin, which is a protein found in nails, skin and hair.[3]
To find out more, see What happens when you get athlete's foot?
Sometimes, the fungus spreads to your toenails or fingernails and infects them too.[1] [4] [5] It's much harder to get rid of an infection in your toenails or fingernails. That's why it's important to treat athlete's foot as soon as you know you have it. To find out more about the best way to deal with infections that have spread to your nails, see Fungal nail infections.
If you have athlete's foot, bacteria may get under your skin. And this can make the infection worse and harder to treat. Your foot may hurt and smell bad if this happens.[3]
Why me?
Some people are more likely to get athlete's foot than others. To find out more, see Who's at risk of getting athlete's foot?
How do I know if I have athlete's foot?
If you've had athlete's foot before, you may be able to spot the symptoms. But if you're not sure, it's a good idea to check with your doctor. There are many skin problems that look like athlete's foot, but they need different treatments.
Do I need to see my GP?
You should go to see your GP if:
- You're not sure what your skin problem is
- You've tried creams and powders for athlete's foot and they don't seem to work
- Your feet are very sore
- You think your nails might be affected.
When you go to see your GP
- Your GP will look at your feet and ask you about your symptoms.
- Your GP may send a small piece of skin to a laboratory to find out whether you have an infection caused by a fungus and exactly what type of fungus is causing your infection. Your GP is more likely to do this if you've already used a treatment and it hasn't worked.
Your GP may also talk to you about what you can do to avoid getting athlete's foot again. To find out more, see How to avoid getting athlete's foot.
References
- Hay RJ, Moore M. Tinea pedis. In: Champion RH, Wilkinson DS, Ebling FJG (editors). Textbook of dermatology. 6th edition. Blackwell Science, Oxford, UK; 1998.
- Malcolm B. Tinea pedis. Practitioner. 1998; 242: 225.
- Brooks KE, Bender JF. Tinea pedis: diagnosis and treatment. Clinics in Podiatric Medicine and Surgery 1996; 13: 31-46.
- O'Donnell M, et al. Tinea pedis. In: Lorimer D, French G, O'Donnell M (editors). Neale's disorders of the foot: diagnosis and management. 6th edition. Churchill Livingstone, London, UK; 2001.
- American Academy of Family Physicians. Tinea infections: athlete's foot, jock itch and ringworm. Available at http://familydoctor.org/316.xml (accessed on 23 April 2007).
Glossary
- infection
- You get an infection when an , such as a or , gets into a part of your body where it shouldn't be. These organisms are so tiny that you can't see them without a microscope. An infection in your nose and airways causes the common cold. An infection in your skin can cause rashes such as athlete's foot.
- fungus
- A fungus is an organism that is sometimes considered to be a type of plant. A fungus lives by feeding on other organisms. The mushrooms we eat in salads are fungi, but so are candida and cryptococcus, which can cause infections in people's bodies.
- diabetes
- Diabetes is a condition that causes too much sugar (glucose) to circulate in the blood. It happens when the body stops making a called (type 1 diabetes) or when insulin stops working (type 2 diabetes).
- immune system
- The immune system is made up of the parts of the body that fight infection. The body is constantly being threatened by infections from things like bacteria, viruses and parasites. The immune system fights these infections in different ways. At the microscopic level, the immune system uses antibodies and white blood cells, which travel in the blood and target infectious agents, such as bacteria. These microscopic parts of the immune system either kill the infectious agent directly, or take it to other parts of the body, like the spleen, where it can be dealt with. The lymph nodes are another important part of the immune system. Within them, white blood cells filter through the foreign material that has entered the blood, to see if there are any infections. When you have a swollen gland during a cold, this is actually a lymph node that is reacting to the infection. Unfortunately, it is possible for the immune system to become confused and to attack healthy parts of the body. Diseases that result from this type of situation are called autoimmune diseases.
- HIV
- HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus. It's the virus that causes . It makes you ill by damaging cells called CD4 cells. Your body needs these cells to fight infections. You can get HIV by sharing needles for injecting drugs, or by having sex without a condom with someone who has the virus.
- AIDS
- AIDS stands for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. People who are infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) get AIDS when the virus has destroyed most of their immune system. When people have AIDS, their body isn't able to fight . So even common infections, such as colds, can cause big problems.
- organism
- An organism is anything that is alive. It can be a plant, an animal or tiny things that you can't see without a microscope, such as bacteria.
- bacteria
- Bacteria are tiny organisms. There are lots of different types. Some are harmful and can cause disease. But some bacteria live in your body without causing any harm.
- viruses
- Viruses are microbes (tiny organisms) that need the cells of humans or other animals to exist. They use the machinery of cells to reproduce. Then they spread to other cells in the body.
- keratin
- Keratin is a kind of protein that makes up part of your hair, skin, nails and some other tissues in your body.
© BMJ Publishing Group Limited ("BMJ Group") 2007. All rights reserved
This information does not replace medical advice. If you are concerned you might have a medical problem please ask your Boots pharmacy team in your local Boots store, or see your doctor.
