Athlete's foot: symptoms, causes, treatment and which doctor to see
Why athlete's foot happens, how to recognise it, the antifungal treatments that work, how to stop it coming back, and when to see a dermatologist.
Also known as: Tinea Pedis
What athlete's foot is
Athlete's foot, which doctors call tinea pedis, is a fungal infection of the skin of the feet. It most often starts in the narrow spaces between the toes, especially between the fourth and fifth toes, where skin stays warm and damp. Despite the name, you do not need to play sport to get it. Anyone whose feet stay sweaty or wet for long periods can develop it.
The fungi that cause it belong to the same group that causes ringworm on the body and jock itch in the groin. Athlete's foot is one of several tinea infections, and it is common to have more than one area affected at the same time, because scratching the feet and then other parts of the body can carry the fungus with it.
It is not dangerous for most people, but it is itchy, uncomfortable and easy to spread. It also tends to come back if the conditions that let it grow are not changed.
Symptoms
Symptoms can be mild at first and are often mistaken for dry skin. Look for:
- Itching, often worst just after you take off socks and shoes
- Burning or stinging between the toes or on the soles
- Cracked skin, sometimes with painful splits that may ooze a little
- Scaly skin between the toes, which may look white, soggy and peeling
- Dry, flaky skin over the sole and sides of the foot in a 'moccasin' pattern
- Small blisters on the arch or sole in some people
- An unpleasant smell from the feet
The infection can spread to the toenails, making them thick, discoloured and crumbly. Nail infection is harder to treat than skin infection and usually needs a doctor's advice.
Causes and risk factors
The fungi live on damp surfaces and pass easily from person to person. You can pick them up by walking barefoot on wet floors in shared bathrooms, gyms, swimming pools and hostel showers, or by sharing towels, socks and footwear with someone who has the infection.
Fungi grow best in warm, moist skin. In India, long hours in closed shoes and synthetic socks, humid weather, and feet that stay wet after the monsoon rains or after washing without drying properly all make infection more likely. Other things that raise the risk include:
- Sweaty feet, or socks and shoes that are not changed or allowed to dry
- Tight footwear that leaves no gap between the toes
- Diabetes, which slows healing and makes infections more troublesome
- A weakened immune system
- Having had athlete's foot before
How it is diagnosed
A doctor can often recognise athlete's foot by looking at the skin. Because eczema, psoriasis, contact dermatitis from footwear and bacterial infection can look similar, your doctor may confirm it with a simple test:
- Skin scraping — a few flakes of skin are gently scraped from the edge of the rash. This is painless.
- KOH test — the scraping is looked at under a microscope after adding potassium hydroxide, which makes the fungus easier to see. A fungal culture is sometimes sent if the infection keeps returning or the nails are involved.
Testing matters more when the rash does not respond to treatment, when it has already been treated with several creams, or when the nails are affected.
Treatment
Most athlete's foot clears with treatment, though it can come back. The approach depends on how widespread it is:
- Antifungal cream applied to the affected skin and a little beyond its edge. Many are available from a chemist without a prescription; a pharmacist or doctor can suggest one. Keep using it for as long as advised, which is often for some time after the skin looks normal, because stopping early lets the fungus return.
- Antifungal tablets, prescribed by a doctor when the infection is extensive, keeps coming back, involves the nails or does not respond to creams. Your doctor will check whether they are safe alongside your other medicines and any liver problems.
- Keeping feet dry — this is part of the treatment, not an extra. Without it, creams often fail.
If the skin becomes red, hot, swollen and painful, or pus appears, a bacterial infection may have entered through the cracks. This needs a doctor, as it may need different treatment.
Preventing it from coming back
- Wash your feet daily and dry them thoroughly, especially between the toes
- Wear cotton socks and change them every day, or more often if they get damp
- Rotate shoes so each pair dries out fully; sandals or open footwear at home let feet breathe
- Wear slippers or flip-flops in shared bathrooms, gyms, hostels and pool areas
- Do not share towels, socks or footwear
- Keep toenails clean and short
- Treat any fungal rash elsewhere on the body at the same time, and wash towels and socks well
If you have diabetes, check your feet every day. A small crack between the toes can let bacteria in, and reduced feeling in the feet can stop you noticing it. Read more about caring for a diabetic foot.
When to see a doctor
See a doctor if the rash has not improved after two weeks of using an antifungal cream correctly, if it keeps coming back, if your toenails are changing, or if you are not sure it is athlete's foot. People with diabetes, poor circulation or a weakened immune system should see a doctor early rather than treating themselves.
Get medical care the same day if redness spreads up the foot or leg, the foot is swollen, hot and painful, or you have a fever. These can be signs of cellulitis, a bacterial skin infection. If you feel very unwell, confused or faint with a spreading infection, call 112 or go to the nearest emergency department.
Which doctor to see
A general physician can treat a simple case. A dermatologist is the right specialist when the infection is widespread, involves the nails, keeps returning, or has already been treated with several creams without success. People with diabetes may also want their diabetologist to know about any foot infection.
You can find dermatologists in Bengaluru or general physicians in Bengaluru on The Doctor Index, each with a registration you can check.
Questions to ask at your appointment
- Is this definitely a fungal infection, or could it be eczema or something else?
- Do I need a skin scraping test before starting treatment?
- How long should I keep using the cream after the skin looks clear?
- Are my toenails involved, and do they need separate treatment?
- What can I change at home and at work to stop it coming back?
Common questions
Questions people ask
- Is athlete's foot contagious?
- Yes. The fungus spreads through direct contact and through damp floors, towels, socks and shoes. Wearing slippers in shared bathrooms, not sharing towels or footwear, and treating the infection fully all help protect family members and roommates.
- Why does my athlete's foot keep coming back?
- The usual reasons are stopping the cream as soon as the itch settles, feet and shoes that stay damp, an untreated nail infection that keeps reseeding the skin, or using steroid combination creams. A dermatologist can confirm the diagnosis and plan longer treatment if needed.
- Can I use a steroid cream for the itching?
- Not without a doctor's advice. Steroids reduce inflammation but do not kill the fungus, and they can let the infection spread and become harder to treat. If the itch is severe, ask your doctor, who may prescribe a short course alongside an antifungal if it is appropriate.
- Can athlete's foot spread to other parts of the body?
- It can. Scratching can carry the fungus to the hands, groin or body, and it can spread to the toenails. Wash your hands after touching the affected skin, dry the groin and feet with separate towels, and put socks on before underwear.
This condition is usually assessed by a dermatologist. Every profile shows the doctor’s registration and what has been checked.
Dermatologists in Bangalore
A few dermatologists listed on The Doctor Index. They are shown because of their speciality, not a stated interest in Athlete's Foot; ask the clinic whether the doctor sees it.
Related conditions
Practical reading
All postsSources
- MedlinePlus, US National Library of Medicine — Athlete's Foot
- Emergency Response Support System, Government of India — 112
- MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine — Athlete's Foot — Public-domain health-topic summary
Athlete's foot: symptoms, causes, treatment and which doctor to see is original text by The Doctor Index; the compiled source draft was used for research. Source: MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine. Orphadata Science: Free access data from Orphanet. © INSERM 1999; July 2026 data, CC BY 4.0. This product uses the Human Phenotype Ontology (hp/releases/2026-09-01). Only sources listed for this article apply. Source material has been selected and arranged; HPO definitions are reproduced without alteration. No source organisation endorses this compilation. Köhler S et al. The Human Phenotype Ontology project: linking molecular biology and disease through phenotype data. Nucleic Acids Research 2014;42(D1):D966–D974. doi:10.1093/nar/gkt1026.
General information, not advice about your situation. Errors can be reported through the corrections process. Reference TDI-C-0239.