What Causes Athlete's Foot and How Do You Treat It?
What Causes Athlete's Foot and How Do You Treat It?
By Sylke Bommel · Updated July 2026 · 7 min read
Key Takeaways
- Athlete's foot, or tinea pedis, is a fungal skin infection that affects an estimated 10% of the population, most often starting between the toes.
- The species Trichophyton rubrum causes roughly 70% of cases, thriving in warm, damp environments like locker rooms and inside shoes.
- The classic signs are itching, stinging, and cracked or peeling skin, most often between the fourth and fifth toes.
- Daily topical treatment on clean, dry feet is the standard first step for most cases.
- People with diabetes or a weakened immune system should watch closely for spreading redness or swelling and involve a professional early.
What Is Athlete's Foot?
Athlete's foot, known clinically as tinea pedis, is a fungal infection of the skin of the foot that most often begins in the moist skin between the toes.
It gets its common name from how easily it spreads in shared, damp spaces such as locker rooms, showers, and swimming pool decks, though anyone can develop it regardless of athletic activity. The infection typically starts small, with itching and peeling between the toes, and can spread to the sole and sides of the foot if untreated.
Athlete's foot affects an estimated 10% of the population, making it one of the most common fungal skin infections.
What Causes Athlete's Foot?
Athlete's foot is caused by dermatophyte fungi that feed on keratin in the outer layer of skin, with Trichophyton rubrum responsible for roughly 70% of cases.
These fungi are picked up through direct contact with contaminated surfaces, most often bare feet on wet floors in communal showers, gyms, and pool areas. Once picked up, the fungus needs a warm, moist environment to grow, which is exactly what the inside of a closed shoe provides after a day of sweating.
Tight, non-breathable footwear, excessive sweating, and prolonged moisture between the toes all create the conditions dermatophytes need to establish an infection.
Who Is Most at Risk for Athlete's Foot?
Adult men, people with diabetes, and anyone who regularly wears occlusive or tightly fitting shoes face a higher risk of developing athlete's foot.
People who use communal showers, gyms, and swimming facilities are exposed to the fungus more often, and prolonged shoe wear without letting feet fully dry between uses adds to the risk. Diabetes deserves particular attention, since reduced circulation and slower healing can allow a fungal infection to progress to a more serious skin infection if it is not addressed.
Signs and Symptoms of Athlete's Foot
Athlete's foot most commonly appears as itchy, cracked, peeling skin between the toes, though the pattern can vary.
| Interdigital Type (most common) | Moccasin Type |
|---|---|
| Between the toes, especially the outer two | Soles and sides of the whole foot |
| Itching, peeling, cracking | Dry scaling, thickened skin |
| Can feel damp or macerated | Can resemble very dry skin or eczema |
Less commonly, small fluid filled blisters can appear on the sole, which tend to be itchy and sometimes painful.
How Do You Treat Athlete's Foot?
Treating athlete's foot starts with a daily topical antifungal routine on clean, dry feet, since the fungus needs consistent disruption to clear.
Most cases respond to topical treatment applied for about four weeks, even if the itching improves sooner, since stopping early is a common reason the infection returns. Only more extensive or treatment resistant cases typically require an oral antifungal, which is prescribed and monitored by a physician.
Imperial Feet's Athlete's Foot Treatment is formulated with aloe vera, sweet almond oil, calendula, and chamomile to work at the site of the fungal infection while soothing and nourishing skin that is often irritated from the infection itself. Applying it to clean, thoroughly dried feet, especially between the toes, helps it reach the areas where the fungus is most active.
How to Prevent Athlete's Foot From Coming Back
Preventing athlete's foot means keeping feet dry, keeping shoes breathable, and avoiding bare feet on shared wet surfaces.
Drying carefully between the toes after every shower, alternating shoes so each pair fully dries out, choosing moisture wicking socks, and wearing sandals in communal showers and pool areas all reduce the odds of picking up or re-growing the fungus. Anyone who also has toenail fungus should treat both together, since the same organism moves easily between skin and nail.
70%
Trichophyton rubrum accounts for approximately 70% of tinea pedis (athlete's foot) cases, per StatPearls (NIH National Library of Medicine).
When to See a Podiatrist for Athlete's Foot
- ✓The skin is very red, swollen, or warm to the touch
- ✓You have diabetes, poor circulation, or a weakened immune system
- ✓Blisters, oozing, or an odor develop
- ✓The infection spreads beyond the toes to the sole or sides of the foot
- ✓There is no improvement after about 4 weeks of consistent topical treatment
⚠️ Important: if you have diabetes, poor circulation, or a weakened immune system, see a podiatrist before self-treating athlete's foot, since these conditions raise the risk of a more serious skin infection.
Athlete's Foot Treatment
Athlete's Foot Treatment combines aloe vera, sweet almond oil, calendula, and chamomile to work at the site of the fungal infection while soothing skin that is often irritated and dry from the infection itself.
View Athlete's Foot TreatmentFrequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to get rid of athlete's foot?
Most cases of athlete's foot improve within a few weeks of consistent daily topical treatment, though the full course is typically about four weeks. Stopping as soon as itching subsides is one of the most common reasons the infection returns shortly after.
Is athlete's foot contagious?
Yes, athlete's foot spreads easily through direct contact with contaminated surfaces such as locker room floors, shared showers, and pool decks, and can also spread to other people through shared towels, mats, or footwear. Wearing sandals in communal wet areas lowers the risk.
Can athlete's foot spread to toenails?
Yes, the same dermatophyte fungi that cause athlete's foot can spread from the skin to the toenails, leading to toenail fungus. Treating both the skin and nail infection at the same time helps prevent the fungus from moving back and forth between them.
Why does athlete's foot keep coming back?
Athlete's foot often recurs because fungal spores survive in shoes and socks even after the skin infection clears, or because treatment was stopped too early. Rotating shoes to let them dry, changing socks daily, and completing the full treatment course all reduce reinfection.
What is the difference between athlete's foot and dry skin?
Athlete's foot typically causes itching, redness, and cracking concentrated between the toes, while ordinary dry skin tends to be more evenly distributed without the itch. When in doubt, a podiatrist can confirm the cause with a simple skin scraping.
Clinical Sources
- Nigam PK, Syed HA, Saleh D. Tinea Pedis. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023 Oct 29. PMID: 29262247.
- DermNet NZ. Tinea pedis (fungal foot infection). dermnetnz.org/topics/tinea-pedis
- Mayo Clinic. Athlete's foot, Symptoms and causes. mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/athletes-foot/symptoms-causes/syc-20353841
- Mayo Clinic. Athlete's foot, Diagnosis and treatment. mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/athletes-foot/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20353847
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Owner, Imperial Feet — Third-Generation Foot Care
Sylke Bommel is the owner and third-generation leader of Imperial Feet, the Dutch professional foot care brand her grandfather founded in 2001. Raised in Aruba and based in Haarlem, just outside Amsterdam, she has led the brand's international expansion for over a decade, growing Imperial Feet from a single Dutch distributor to a professional range used by pedicurists, podiatrists, and pharmacies in more than 20 countries, including the United States.
Editorial note: Sylke writes from the perspective of a foot care brand owner and formulator, not a medical practitioner. Content is educational and does not replace individual medical advice from a qualified foot care professional.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not replace individual medical advice from a qualified foot care professional. If you have diabetes, poor circulation, or a persistent infection, consult a podiatrist before self-treating.
