Athlete's Foot

Skin and Nail Conditions· Also known as: tinea pedis, foot fungus, foot ringworm, fungal foot infectionUpdated Oct 2026

Reviewed by Andrew Schox, BSc(Hons) PGradDipPod MPod, October 2026

At a Glance

Athlete's foot (tinea pedis) is a fungal infection of the skin of the foot. It is common and affects people of all ages. The main symptoms are itchy, flaky, red skin and white cracks, often between the toes or on the sides of the foot. You can catch it from other people or from damp floors in places like changing rooms. It can usually be treated with creams, sprays or powders from a pharmacy, but it can come back.

What is it?

Athlete's foot (tinea pedis) is a fungal infection of the skin of the foot. It is caused mainly by a group of fungi called dermatophytes, which feed on the top layer of your skin. It often shows up between the toes or on the sides of the foot.

It is common, and people of all ages get it. You may also hear it called foot ringworm or foot fungus.

Who does it affect?

Anyone can get athlete's foot, from children to older adults. Some things are linked with a higher chance of getting it: older age, being male, carrying extra weight, low education or income, a physical disability, and having sweaty feet in closed-in footwear. Walking on contaminated floors in shared places is also linked with it. These are links, not proven causes.

People with diabetes, poor blood flow to the legs (peripheral vascular disease) or a weakened immune system need to take extra care. Athlete's foot can break the skin, and bacteria can then get in and cause a skin infection such as cellulitis. Bacterial infection is quite often found alongside athlete's foot.

Signs and symptoms

Athlete's foot makes the skin itchy, flaky and red. Sometimes it causes blisters, and white cracks can appear, especially between the toes and on the side of the foot. It can affect one foot or both.

It usually shows up in one of three ways:

The most common type is between the toes. The skin is red, with silvery-white scaling and peeling, and it can look soggy and white. It is most often found between the fourth and fifth toes (the two smallest).

The second type spreads over the sole, heel and sides of the foot. It looks like fine, powdery scaling on red skin. It tends to be mild and long-lasting.

The third type causes blisters. In more severe cases, larger blisters can form. It can look like a blistering rash from other causes.

One review also describes a fourth, ulcerating type. It is seen more in people with poor blood flow to the legs, diabetes or a weakened immune system.

On brown or black skin, redness can be harder to see. Look for scaling, cracking and itch as well.

What causes it?

The fungi that cause athlete's foot grow well in warm, dark, damp places, and feet are ideal. The most common one is called Trichophyton rubrum.

You catch it from tiny flakes of infected skin shed by other people and, in some cases, animals. It spreads by touching infected skin or touching contaminated surfaces or objects. Spread within a family is the most common route. You can also pick it up by walking barefoot on damp floors, such as in changing rooms, showers and around swimming pools.

Shoes and socks that make your feet hot and sweaty give the fungus a place to thrive, especially in summer.

How is it diagnosed?

Your podiatrist or GP will usually look closely at your feet. They check between all your toes, and on your soles, heels and the sides of your feet. They look for blisters, cracking and oozing. They may also ask about your health, such as whether you have diabetes.

Many different fungi can cause athlete's foot, so how the rash looks doesn't show which fungus it is. If the diagnosis is uncertain, or the rash isn't responding to treatment, a sample can be tested in a laboratory, where it is looked at under a microscope and grown in a culture. In children, the diagnosis is usually made by looking at the feet, and a laboratory test is often used to confirm it. It can be harder to tell by eye on darker skin.

Treatment

Most athlete's foot can be treated with creams, sprays or powders from a pharmacy. It isn't yet known which product, how long to use it, or which way of applying it works best. A pharmacist can help you choose.

Looking after it at home

Start with a pharmacist, who can advise on a cream, spray or powder. Check with your pharmacist or GP first if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, if the person being treated is a child or an older person, or if you take other medicines.

Keep your feet as cool and dry as you practically can. Take care with shoes and socks that make your feet hot and sweaty.

If your skin hasn't started to get better after a week of treatment, get it checked rather than carrying on the same way. The rash may be something else.

Other options

See your GP if pharmacy treatments haven't worked, or if you are in a lot of pain or discomfort. Tell them what you have used, for how long, and whether you have used any steroid cream.

Your GP may reconsider the diagnosis. They may also prescribe tablets that fight fungus (oral antifungals). These have side effects, most often in the gut, and they can interact with other medicines. Some need regular blood and liver tests during treatment, for example every 4 to 6 weeks. Don't start or continue them without medical advice.

If the skin is soggy, broken or smells foul, bacteria may be involved as well. This needs assessment, and treatment with an antibacterial medicine.

Recovery

Athlete's foot can usually be treated with pharmacy products. It can keep coming back, though, and for some people it becomes long-lasting or recurring.

You can catch it again from household contacts, or from contaminated surfaces or objects. Keeping your feet cool and dry and looking after your skin helps. It isn't clear yet how long it usually takes to clear.

Preventing it

Wear thongs or similar footwear in changing rooms and showers. Avoid walking barefoot in shared wet areas.

Avoid hot, sweaty footwear where you can. If someone in your home has athlete's foot, remember it spreads by contact with infected skin and with contaminated surfaces or objects.

When to see a podiatrist

Book an appointment if

It hasn't started to get better after a week of treatment, pharmacy treatments haven't worked, you are in a lot of pain or discomfort, or it keeps coming back. See your GP, or book an appointment with your podiatrist to have your feet checked. It is also worth getting it checked if you aren't sure what the rash is.

Seek prompt assessment if

Your foot or leg is hot, painful and red (redness may be harder to see on brown or black skin). This can be a more serious infection, so see your GP or another doctor today. If your GP can't see you today, go to an urgent care clinic or an after-hours GP. If you have a foot infection and also feel very unwell, with confusion or slurred speech, severe shivering or muscle pain, severe breathlessness, mottled or discoloured skin, or little or no urine, this could be sepsis: call your local emergency number. The skin weeps, crusts or oozes pus, or the infection spreads to other parts of your body, such as your hands. See your GP soon. You have diabetes, poor blood flow to your legs or a weakened immune system (for example after an organ transplant or during chemotherapy). See your GP early, and today if the skin is broken or weeping, or redness is spreading.

Frequently asked questions

Should I use a steroid cream on athlete's foot?

Creams that combine an antifungal with a steroid are generally discouraged, because the steroid can thin the skin or cause effects in the rest of the body. Use one only if a clinician has advised it. If a rash gets worse after a steroid cream, it may be a fungal infection or something else, so get it checked.

Can children get athlete's foot?

Yes. In children it is most often found between the toes. It usually spreads through direct contact with infected skin flakes from someone in the household. A child with athlete's foot may also need their toenails checked, because the fungus can spread to them.

Can athlete's foot spread to my toenails?

Yes, the fungus can spread from the skin of the foot to the toenails. If your toenails look different, mention it to your podiatrist or GP when you have your feet checked.

What else could the rash be?

Other skin problems can look like athlete's foot, including psoriasis on the soles and blistering skin reactions. An antifungal cream on a rash that isn't fungal will probably not help, and may make it worse. If there is no improvement after a week, ask your GP to reconsider the diagnosis.