Athlete’s foot

Athlete's foot is a common fungal infection. It's simple to treat, but it spreads easily and may keep coming back.

The main sign of athlete's foot is an itchy, dry, red and flaky rash. You'll usually see it in the spaces between your toes.

In more severe cases, you may have:

• cracked skin
• blisters that may ooze or crust
• swelling
• a burning or stinging feeling on your skin
• scaling patterns around your sole, between your toes and on the side of your foot

Talk to your local pharmacist about treatments for athlete's foot. Your pharmacist can:

• give you advice on how to treat your symptoms
• suggest which medicine to take
• tell you whether you need to see a doctor about your symptoms

See a doctor if you have athlete's foot and:

• treatments from a pharmacy don't work
• you're in a lot of pain
• your foot or leg is hot, painful and red (the redness may be less noticeable on brown or black skin)
• the infection spreads to other parts of your body, like your hands
• you have diabetes
• you have a weakened immune system (for example, you've had an organ transplant or are having chemotherapy)

If you think you have athlete's foot, a pharmacist can help. They'll tell you if they think you should see a doctor.

If you do need to see a doctor, they'll examine your skin and ask about your symptoms. Sometimes other tests are needed. For example, the doctor may take a small scraping from the affected area so it can be analysed in a laboratory. This helps show what exactly is causing your symptoms.

If needed, your doctor may refer you to a skin specialist (dermatologist) for more tests and treatment.

Athlete's foot can usually be treated with an antifungal medicine from a pharmacy. There are different types, including:

• tablets
• creams
• sprays
• powders

These usually take a few weeks to work. You might need to try a few treatments before you find the one that works best for you.

Some antifungal medicines aren't suitable for everyone, including children. Check the label or speak to your pharmacist for advice.

If your symptoms don't improve after using treatments from a pharmacy, speak to a doctor. You may need to take other antifungal tablets, or a steroid cream (alongside an antifungal cream).

You can catch athlete's foot from another person who has the infection. It spreads easily if you walk barefoot where someone with athlete's foot has walked before, for example in a changing room at a swimming pool or gym.

You can also pick it up by touching the affected skin of a person who has it.

You're more likely to get athlete's foot if your feet are wet or sweaty, or if the skin on your feet is damaged.

There are a few steps you can take to stop athlete's foot from spreading.

• change your socks every day
• dry your feet carefully after washing, particularly between the toes
• use a separate towel to dry your feet
• wash your towels and bedding regularly

• Don't walk barefoot in changing rooms at the gym or swimming pool
• Don't scratch the affected area, as it could spread the infection to other parts of your body
• Don't share personal items like a towel, clothing or bed linen if someone has athlete's foot
• Don't wear the same pair of shoes for more than 2 to 3 days in a row
• Don't wear shoes that make your feet hot and sweaty