Athlete's Foot (tinea pedis)

Athlete's foot, or foot ringworm (tinea pedis), is the most common fungal skin infection in humans and affects an estimated 70 percent of adults. It occurs mostly among teenagers and adult males. Many people will develop it at least once in their lives.

The fungi that cause athlete's foot and other types of fungal infections like to grow in moist, damp places, such as between the toes. Periods of excessive heat and humidity bring excess moisture and sweating to our bodies, creating the perfect setting for fungi to grow or fungal infections to develop.

Contrary to popular belief, walking barefoot in places like public showers, swimming pools and locker rooms is not the primary way to become infected with athlete's foot, but it can be a contributing factor. Tight shoes or socks, sweaty or damp feet and a warm climate present the perfect setting for the fungus that causes athlete's foot to grow.

Athlete's foot may affect different people in different ways. Symptoms may include cracked, blistered and peeling areas between the toes, redness and scaling on the soles, and intense itching. Athlete's foot may spread to other parts of the foot, including toenails. The fungal infection can also extend to other parts of the body, notably the groin (commonly referred to as jock itch) and underarms, by those who scratch the infection and then touch themselves elsewhere.

Proper treatment of a fungal infection depends on the correct diagnosis, which makes going to a physician important. Before treating what you think may be athlete's foot or some other fungal infection, check with your podiatrist or dermatologist, who can diagnose the condition and prescribe the correct course of treatment.

Should you choose to first self-treat your athlete's foot with an over-the-counter antifungal cream, be advised that athlete's foot is notorious for its high rate of recurrence. If you notice little or no improvement within two weeks of using an over-the-counter product, call your doctor to determine if a fungus is the cause of the problem.

Don't let it go untreated. Left untreated, athlete's foot can result in skin blisters and cracks that can lead to bacterial infections.

If you need a topical prescription product, your doctor may prescribe an antifungal cream such as ERTACZO^® (sertaconazole nitrate) cream 2%. In clinical trials, cutaneous adverse events occurred in 2% of patients receiving ERTACZO^® and in 2% of patients receiving vehicle. These reported adverse events included contact dermatitis, dry skin, application site reaction, and skin tenderness.