Athlete’s Foot
Foot & Ankle Care of Colorado
Athlete’s foot is a fungal infection that commonly causes an itchy, stinging, and burning rash on the skin of one or both feet. It typically affects the spaces between the toes but can also involve the tops of the feet, soles, and heels. Symptoms include scaly, cracked skin and occasionally blisters, accompanied by unpleasant foot odor.
Causes of Athletes Foot
Several different species of fungi cause athlete’s foot. It commonly spreads through skin-to-skin contact or contact with a flake of infected skin, especially in places used by large groups of people like locker rooms, swimming pools, and saunas. Athlete’s foot can also spread through contact with contaminated surfaces or by sharing towels, socks, or shoes with someone who has the infection.
Athletes Foot Symptoms
Athlete’s foot can affect one or both feet. Common signs and symptoms are:
- Scaly, peeling or cracked skin between the toes
- Itchiness, especially right after taking off shoes and socks
- Inflamed skin that might appear reddish, purplish or grayish, depending on your skin color
- Burning or stinging
- Blisters
- Dry, scaly skin on the bottom of the foot that extends up the side
Athletes Foot Diagnoses
Your doctor may be able to diagnose athlete’s foot simply by looking at it. Some types of athletes foot look like dry skin or dermatitis. To help confirm the diagnosis and rule out other conditions, your doctor might take a skin scraping from the affected area for testing in a lab.
