What Causes Athlete’s Foot (Tinea Pedis), and What Does It Look Like?

Athlete’s foot (tinea pedis) is a fungal skin infection of the foot. The infection is common in athletes, but don’t let the name fool you — it can affect anyone. It spreads easily from person to person and causes bothersome symptoms, like intense itching and skin scaliness. The good news is that it’s also easy to treat. 

Causes of athlete’s foot (tinea pedis)

Athlete’s foot is an infection caused by fungi. Fungi are tiny organisms that thrive in moist, wet environments. Some fungi can naturally live on your skin, hair, and nails. 

The fungus that causes athlete’s foot can grow on any part of your body. It’s usually not a problem until it grows so much that it causes a skin infection. When it grows on your feet, it’s called tinea pedis. 

Athlete’s foot spreads easily between people through touching. This means that you can get it when you come into contact with someone else who has an infection. And if you touch your infected feet, you can spread it to other people and other parts of your body. 

Risk factors

Your risk of getting athlete’s foot also goes up when the environment is just right for the fungi to grow. This can occur if:

• You walk barefoot in wet, damp areas (like pools, locker rooms, or public showers).

• Your feet sweat frequently.

• You don’t change your shoes or socks when they get wet.

• You wear thick, tight shoes (like rubber boots).

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Signs and symptoms of athlete’s foot

Athlete’s foot leads to easily noticeable symptoms, including:

• Redness

• Itching

• Flaking of the skin

• White patches between the toes

• A burning or stinging sensation

• Blisters

• Discolored or thick toenails 

The symptoms that you experience may vary depending on where the infection is on your foot:

• Toe web infection usually leads to skin peeling and cracking between the fourth and fifth toes.

• Moccasin type infection may cause thick, cracked skin on the bottom of your foot near your heel. It sometimes leads to a foul odor.

• Vesicular type infection usually leads to blisters on the sole of your foot.

Images of athlete’s foot (tinea pedis)

Athlete’s foot can look like a red, brown, or white, peeling rash. Sometimes it can cause blisters and open sores. It often occurs on the bottom and sides of the feet or in between the toes.

Close-up of toes with white patches and open sores between the toes.

Blisters on the bottom of the foot caused by athlete’s foot.

How to diagnose athlete’s foot

A dermatologist or another healthcare professional can usually diagnose athlete’s foot by examining your rash and asking about your symptoms. Sometimes, they’ll need to run additional tests to confirm the diagnosis. They may take a skin scraping from the rash and look under the microscope to check for fungus. In rare situations, they may do a skin biopsy (take a small sample of skin), and send it to a lab for evaluation. 

Treatment for athlete’s foot

There are a range of treatments for athlete’s foot. And the good news is that many of them are over-the-counter (OTC) options. They can come in a variety of forms, such as powders, creams, gels, lotions, and sprays.

OTC medications

For mild cases, OTC medications include:

• Tolnaftate (Tinactin)

• Clotrimazole (Lotrimin)

• Terbinafine (Lamisil)

• Miconazole

Prescription medications

Prescription topical medications are also available. These might be necessary for someone who has more serious symptoms. They include:

• Miconazole 

• Clotrimazole / betamethasone (Lotrisone)

• Econazole (Ecoza, Spectazole)

• Ketoconazole 

• Sulconazole (Exelderm)

In some more severe cases, topical medication might not be enough. If you have tried the above treatments and they aren’t working, a healthcare professional may recommend an oral medication to clear the infection. You can use them along with topical medications. 

Oral medications include:

• Terbinafine (Lamisil)

• Itraconazole (Sporanox, Tolsura)

Make sure to complete the full length of treatment. Athlete’s foot can come back if you stop early. To help prevent it from coming back, continue the treatment 1 to 2 weeks after you see improvement. 

How long does athlete’s foot take to go away?

Mild cases of athlete’s foot usually go away within 2 weeks of treatment. But moderate to severe infections may take up to 4 weeks to fully clear. And infections involving the toenails (onychomycosis) usually need longer treatment courses with oral medications. 

How to prevent athlete’s foot

Athlete’s foot can easily spread, but there are ways to prevent it. Here are some foot-hygiene tips:

• Keep your feet clean and dry, especially between your toes.

• Wear loose-fitting shoes.

• Avoid shoes made of plastic or rubber.

• Wear shower shoes or sandals when you walk around pools, gyms, locker rooms, and public showers.

• Use clean, dry socks and replace them if they get wet.

• Alternate the shoes that you wear daily.

• Avoid sharing towels or shoes.

• Use a powder to keep your feet dry.

Why trust our experts?

Written by:

Cherilyn Davis, MD

Cherilyn Davis, MD, is a board-certified pediatrician in New York City. She has held local and national roles at the American Medical Women’s Association including board member of the physician division and physician chair of social media.

Edited by:

Alex Eastman, PhD, RN

Alex Eastman, PhD, RN, is a California-based registered nurse and staff medical editor at GoodRx, where he focuses on clinical updates and Latino health.

Reviewed by:

Maria Robinson, MD, MBA

Maria Robinson, MD, MBA, is a board-certified dermatologist and dermatopathologist who has practiced dermatology and dermatopathology for over 10 years across private practice, academic, and telehealth settings. She is a fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology and the American Society of Dermatopathology.

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