- Also called:
- tinea pedis
- Related Topics:
- ringworm
- foot
- ketoconazole
- mycosis
- Trichophyton rubrum
- On the Web:
- National Center for Biotechnology Information - Tinea Pedis (Oct. 17, 2026)
athlete’s foot
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What is athlete’s foot?
Athlete's foot is a fungal infection, a form of ringworm, that affects the feet, particularly the soles and between the toes. It is estimated that 70% of people will experience it in their lives.
Dermatophytes, particularly T. rubrum, cause athlete's foot. These fungi thrive in warm, moist environments such as locker rooms and public showers, and can easily spread from person to person. Symptoms include itchy, red skin, and sometimes moist, white, scaly lesions or sores between the toes.
It can be diagnosed via a skin scraping to check for fungus strands. Athlete’s foot is commonly treated with topical antifungals like terbinafine or miconazole, available over the counter. Severe cases may require prescription-strength topicals or oral medications. Prevention involves keeping feet dry, changing socks frequently, using absorbent powder, and wearing sandals in communal areas.
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What causes athlete’s foot?
Athlete's foot is a fungal infection, a form of ringworm, typically affecting the soles of the feet and the areas between the toes. Dermatophytes, especially Trichophyton rubrum, cause it by infecting dead keratin layers of the skin, hair, and nails. These fungal spores can survive up to a year in human skin scales, thriving in warm, damp places and spreading easily in locker rooms and public showers.
To prevent athlete's foot, change socks often, use powder to absorb moisture, and wear sandals in communal areas. Avoid tight, nonbreathable shoes that promote sweating and fungal growth. People with hyperhidrosis or immune system disorders are more susceptible.
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What are the common symptoms of athlete’s foot?
Athlete’s foot, a fungal infection, manifests with a variety of symptoms, though it can be asymptomatic. Itchy, red skin is a common sign. The infection can appear in several forms:
- Interdigital: This type may be dry, with scaly, cracked, and red skin, or macerated, with white, moist, peeling skin, often between the fourth and fifth toes.
- Moccasin: Affecting the soles and sides of the feet, it presents as a well-defined red line with fine scales and thickened skin; it typically occurs bilaterally.
- Vesicular: Characterized by a red rash with small or large fluid-filled blisters, indicating acute inflammation. Pus may be present if there is a secondary bacterial infection.
- Ulcerative: This form involves the spread of interdigital infection to the top or sole of the foot, resembling macerated infections and often complicated by bacterial infection.
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How can someone catch athlete’s foot?
Athlete’s foot, a form of ringworm, is a fungal infection typically affecting the soles of the feet and the areas between the toes. Dermatophytes, particularly T. rubrum, cause it. The spores of these fungi can survive up to a year in human skin scales, making it easily transmissible in locker rooms and public showers.
Warm, moist environments encourage fungal growth, so wearing tight, nonbreathable shoes can raise your risk. The infection occurs when a person’s foot comes into contact with the fungus, leading to red and itchy skin. Sometimes, lesions or sores can develop between the toes and spread to the soles of the feet.
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How is athlete’s foot treated?
Athlete's foot is commonly treated with over-the-counter topical antifungal medications like terbinafine or miconazole. Stronger topical medications, like clotrimazole, may require a prescription. In severe cases, oral prescription medications like fluconazole might be necessary. If a bacterial infection complicates athlete's foot, antibiotics may be required.
To prevent athlete's foot, change socks frequently, use powder to absorb moisture, and wear sandals in locker rooms and public showers. Avoid tight, nonbreathable shoes that encourage fungal growth due to excessive friction and sweating.
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What can people do to prevent athlete’s foot?
To prevent athlete's foot, change socks frequently, use powder to absorb moisture, and wear sandals in locker rooms and public showers. Because warm, moist environments encourage fungal growth, avoid tight, nonbreathable shoes that cause sweating and friction.
1 Britannica SourceCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
athlete’s foot, fungal infection of the feet, a form of ringworm. The skin areas most commonly affected are the plantar surface (sole) of the foot and the web spaces between the toes. It is estimated that at least 70 percent of all people will have a fungal foot infection at some point in their lives. Athletes may be at a slightly greater risk than other populations, because a major risk factor for infection is exposure of the feet to warm, moist communal environments, such as infected locker rooms and public showers. Other factors that predispose certain populations to infection are medical conditions such as hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating) and disorders of the immune system. Athlete’s foot is seen in males more commonly than in females and is uncommon prior to puberty.
Causes
Athlete’s foot is an infection caused by a type of fungus known as a dermatophyte. Able to infect only the top layer of dead keratin, dermatophytes affect the skin, hair shafts, and nails. Dermatophytes are classified into three genera: Trichophyton, Microsporum, and Epidermophyton. T. rubrum is the dermatophyte most commonly associated with athlete’s foot. Although other dermatophytes can also cause the condition, they are less frequently isolated from humans. Fungal spores from T. rubrum can live in human scales for 12 months and are therefore easily transmitted from person to person in locker rooms and public showers.
Symptoms
Fungal infections are frequently asymptomatic; however, some rashes are pruritic (itchy) and, if also infected with bacteria, can become painful. Athlete’s foot can be categorized into four main types: interdigital (toe webs), moccasin, vesicular (blisters), and ulcerative.
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Interdigital infections may be dry or macerated (soft from being wet). The dry type of infection is typically scaly, erythematous (red), and fissured (cracked). In the macerated type, the skin within the toe web is white, moist, peeling, and sometimes fissured. The web between the fourth and fifth toes (the two outermost toes) is the most common site of interdigital infection, although any of the web spaces can be involved.
In moccasin-type infections, the area involved is limited to the soles and lateral portions of the feet. The leading edge of infection is a well-defined line of erythema (redness). It is dry, with a fine scale and hyperkeratosis (thickening of the epidermis). Moccasin-type infections are commonly bilateral (right and left sides).
In vesicular infections, the raised, erythematous leading edge of the rash contains vesicles (small fluid-filled blisters) or bullae (large fluid-filled blisters), which are a sign of acute inflammation. The presence of pus indicates secondary bacterial infection.
In ulcerative-type infections, the interdigital infection spreads to the dorsum (top) or plantar surface of the foot. They have characteristics similar to those of macerated infections and are usually secondarily infected with bacteria.
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Diagnosis
A definitive diagnosis of athlete’s foot is made by obtaining a skin scraping from the leading edge of inflammation. The skin typically is collected by using a scalpel blade to scrape skin scales onto a glass microscope slide. The skin scraping is then evaluated for the presence of hyphae (fungus strands) under microscopy, using potassium hydroxide (KOH) wet-mount preparation.
Treatment
Athlete’s foot can usually be treated with topical antifungal medications, such as terbinafine (Lamisil) or miconazole (Micatin), which can be purchased over the counter. Prescription-strength topicals, such as clotrimazole, may also be used. Oral prescription medications such as fluconazole may be required for severe or resilient infections. If complicated with bacterial infection, antibiotics may also be necessary.
Prevention
Warm, moist environments are ideal conditions for athlete’s foot. Tight, nonbreathable, or restrictive footwear causes excessive friction and sweating, which encourage fungal growth. Frequent changing of socks, the application of powder to absorb moisture, and the wearing of sandals in locker rooms and public showers are key for preventing infection. Socks are not effective locker-room wear for prevention.