How can athletes foot spread

Blisters may also appear on palms, the side of the fingers, and other areas dermatophytid or id reaction. If untreated, skin blisters and cracks caused by athlete's foot can lead to severe bacterial infections.

In some types of athlete's foot, the toenails may be infected. For more information, see the topic Fungal Nail Infections. All types of athlete's foot can be treated, but symptoms often return after treatment.

Athlete's foot is most likely to return if:. Athlete's foot is contagious, but some people are more likely to get it susceptible than others. If you aren't susceptible to athlete's foot, you may come in contact with the fungi that cause athlete's foot yet not get an infection.

But you can still spread the fungi to others. Watchful waiting is a period of time during which you and your doctor observe your symptoms or condition without using medical treatment. You can usually treat athlete's foot yourself at home. But any persistent, severe, or recurrent infections should be evaluated by your doctor. When athlete's foot symptoms appear, you can first use a nonprescription product.

If your symptoms do not improve after 2 weeks of treatment or have not gone away after 4 weeks of treatment, call your doctor. In most cases, your doctor can diagnose athlete's foot tinea pedis by looking at your foot. He or she will also ask about your symptoms and any previous fungal infections you have had. If your symptoms look unusual or if a previous infection has not responded well to treatment, your doctor may collect a skin or nail sample by lightly scratching the skin with a blade or the edge of a microscope slide, or by trimming a nail.

He or she will examine the skin and nail samples using laboratory tests including:. In rare cases, a skin biopsy will be done by removing a small piece of skin that will be looked at under a microscope. How you treat athlete's foot tinea pedis depends on its type and severity. Most cases of athlete's foot can be treated at home using an antifungal medicine to kill the fungus or slow its growth.

For severe athlete's foot that doesn't improve, your doctor may prescribe oral antifungal medicine pills. Oral antifungal pills are used only for severe cases, because they are expensive and require periodic testing for dangerous side effects.

Athlete's foot can return even after antifungal pill treatment. Even if your symptoms improve or stop shortly after you begin using antifungal medicine, it is important that you complete the full course of medicine. This increases the chance that athlete's foot will not return. Reinfection is common, and athlete's foot needs to be fully treated each time symptoms develop.

Toe web interdigital infections occur between the toes, especially between the fourth and fifth toes. This is the most common type of athlete's foot infection. Moccasin-type athlete's foot causes scaly, thickened skin on the sole and heel of the foot. Often the toenails become infected onychomycosis. A moccasin-type infection can be more difficult to treat, because the skin on the sole of the foot is very thick. Vesicular infections, or blisters, usually appear on the foot instep but can also develop between the toes, on the sole of the foot, on the top of the foot, or on the heel.

This type of fungal infection may be accompanied by a bacterial infection. This is the least common type of infection. You may choose not to treat athlete's foot if your symptoms don't bother you and you have no health problems that increase your chance of severe foot infection, such as diabetes. But untreated athlete's foot that causes skin blisters or cracks can lead to severe bacterial infection. Also, if you don't treat athlete's foot, you can spread it to other people.

Severe infections that appear suddenly acute usually respond well to treatment. Long-lasting chronic infections can be more difficult to cure. Toenail infections onychomycosis that can develop with athlete's foot tend to be more difficult to cure than fungal skin infections. If you have athlete's foot, dry your groin area before your feet after bathing.

Also, put on your socks before your underwear. This can prevent fungi from spreading from your feet to your groin, which may cause jock itch. For more information about jock itch, see the topic Ringworm of the Skin. You can usually treat athlete's foot tinea pedis yourself at home by using nonprescription medicines and taking care of your feet. But if you have diabetes and develop athlete's foot, or have persistent, severe, or recurrent infections, see your doctor.

Nonprescription antifungals include clotrimazole Lotrimin , miconazole Micatin , terbinafine Lamisil , and tolnaftate Tinactin. These medicines are creams, lotions, solutions, gels, sprays, ointments, swabs, or powders that are applied to the skin topical medicine. Treatment will last from 1 to 6 weeks. If you have a vesicular blister infection, soak your foot in Burow's solution several times a day for 3 or more days until the blister fluid is gone.

After the fluid is gone, use an antifungal cream as directed. You can also apply compresses using Burow's solution. To prevent athlete's foot from returning, use the full course of all medicine as directed, even after symptoms have gone away. You may choose not to treat athlete's foot if your symptoms don't bother you and you have no health problems that increase your risk of severe foot infection, such as diabetes.

But an untreated athlete's foot infection causing skin blisters or cracks can lead to severe bacterial infection. Also, if you don't treat athlete's foot infection, you can spread it to other people. Antifungal medicines that are used on the skin topical are usually the first choice for treating athlete's foot tinea pedis. They are available in prescription or nonprescription forms. Nonprescription medicines are usually tried first.

For severe cases of athlete's foot, your doctor may prescribe oral antifungals pills. But treatment with this medicine is expensive, requires periodic testing for dangerous side effects, and does not guarantee a cure. When you are treating athlete's foot, it is important that you use the full course of the medicine.

Using it as directed, even after the symptoms go away, increases the likelihood that you will kill the fungi and that the infection will not return. Nonprescription antifungals are usually tried first. These include clotrimazole Lotrimin , miconazole Micatin , terbinafine Lamisil , and tolnaftate Tinactin.

Prescription antifungals may be tried if nonprescription medicines do not help or if you have a severe infection. Some of these medicines are topical antifungals, which are put directly on the skin.

Examples include butenafine Mentax , clotrimazole, and naftifine Naftin. Prescription antifungals can also be taken as a pill, which are called oral antifungals. Examples of oral antifungals include fluconazole Diflucan , itraconazole Sporanox , and terbinafine Lamisil.

Some topical antifungal medicines work faster 1 to 2 weeks than other topical medicines 4 to 8 weeks. All of the faster-acting medicines have similar cure rates. Oral antifungal medicines are typically taken for 2 to 8 weeks. Tea tree oil or garlic ajoene may help prevent or treat athlete's foot tinea pedis fungi. Burow's solution is helpful for treating blisterlike vesicular infection.

Roh MD - Dermatology. Author: Healthwise Staff. If it's not treated, the infection can spread to your toenails and cause a fungal nail infection. Athlete's foot is unlikely to get better on its own, but you can buy antifungal medicines for it from a pharmacy. They usually take a few weeks to work. They're not all suitable for everyone — for example, some are only for adults. Always check the packet or ask a pharmacist.

You might need to try a few treatments to find one that works best for you. Check with a pharmacist, doctor, or nurse, or read the leaflet that comes with the medication carefully. Dosages may be different for children. Some antifungals should not be taken during pregnancy, while others may interfere with the male and female reproductive systems. Individuals who are pregnant, or planning to have children, should check with a doctor.

If the skin is very sore and there is a lot of swelling, the doctor may recommend using hydrocortisone. Low-dose hydrocortisone medications can be bought OTC or online — higher doses will require a prescription.

The child should not walk barefoot while at school. Early treatment significantly reduces the risk of complications. The nail becomes thick, opaque, whitish, and crumbly. There may be pain and inflammation in the skin under the nail. Untreated toenail infections may eventually lead to more pain and problems wearing shoes, or even walking.

Secondary bacterial infection: If this develops the foot may become painful, hot, and swollen. Infected lymph system: The infection can sometimes spread to the lymph system. Lymphangitis is an infection of the lymph vessels, and lymphadenitis is an infection of the lymph nodes. Cellulitis: This is a bacterial infection deep in the skin. Skin, fat, and soft tissue may be affected. Untreated cellulitis can lead to serious complications, such as septicemia blood poisoning or bone infection.

A fungus is one of a wide range of living organisms, some of them beneficial to health, others less so. Find out more about the health and harms of…. Share on: Facebook Twitter. Show references AskMayoExpert. Tinea pedis. Mayo Clinic; Accessed June 8, Thompson DA. Athlete's foot. In: Adult Telephone Protocols. American Academy of Pediatrics; High WA, et al. Special considerations in skin of color. In: Dermatology Secrets. Elsevier;