Ringworm Athletes Foot

athletes foot
Ringworm Athletes Foot

Tinea is the fungus that causes ringworm, athletes foot and jock itch. Even though, they can be extremely uncomfortable athletes foot infections are usually not serious.    Ringworm athletes foot infection is a red skin rash that forms a ring around normal-looking skin.  Touching an infected person, damp surfaces such as shower floors, or even pets can easily pass on the athletes foot infection.  Conventionally ringworm athletes foot is passed on from damp places where people often walk barefoot, such as showers or bathhouses, Athlete’s foot or tinea pedis, in medical terms, is a fungal infection of the skin.  Athletes foot infection shows such symptoms as scaling, flaking, and itching of affected areas.   While normally affecting the feet, the condition can spread to other areas of the body.  These include but are not limited to the groin.

Causes of Athletes Foot

Ringworm Athletes foot and other such maladies are caused by superficial fungal infections of the skin, known as dermatophytes, are some of the most common self-treatable trivial medical conditions. As opposed to more serious fungal conditions, such as candidiasis or sporotrichosis, dermatophytes are limited to the upper layer of skin, where they subsist on the dead skin cells called keratin.   In most cases, they are easy to eradicate. Anyone can get it but as the name suggests, athletes foot is common in male athletes. Using public showers and locker rooms will greatly increase the odds of a person getting Athletes foot. Fungi grow best in steamy locker rooms filled with damp towels, sweaty workout clothes, and wet floors.  While extremely annoying, athletes foot usually is not serious, but something to be concerned about is coming down with a secondary bacterial infection that can sometimes accompany the fungal infection.  These secondary complications may develop as such things as breaks in the skin, open sores, ulcers.

Signs and Symptoms of Athletes Foot


There are various signs and symptoms of athlete’s foot but chances are they will not all appear together. The following are some of athletes foot signs itching, stinging itching and burning between your toes, itching, stinging and burning on the soles of your feet, itchy blisters, cracking and peeling skin, especially between your toes and on the soles of your feet, excessive dryness of the skin on the bottoms or sides of the feet, toenails that are thick, crumbly, ragged, discolored or pulling away from the nail bed.  Good hygiene is important in the prevention of Athletes foot. Ringworm athletes foot can be treated by an assortment of pharmaceutical and other treatments. For a detailed information, visit your preferred dermatologist specializing in athletes foot.