What are the symptoms of athlete's foot?

Written by Liu Gang
Dermatology
Updated on February 15, 2025
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Athlete's foot is caused by a fungal infection, and this disease is quite contagious and recurring. Generally, the earliest symptoms appear on the bottoms of the feet or between the toes, including itching, peeling, and blisters. If the symptoms are severe, there may also be erosion, exudation, or oozing. Athlete's foot is highly contagious and may spread to other parts of the body over time. It may also be transmitted to family members, and as the condition progresses, the toenails may gradually develop fungal nail infections. Therefore, once you have athlete's foot, you must actively seek standardized treatment, applying antifungal creams. Bath basins or foot towels at home should be used separately from those of other family members to prevent cross-infection. It is advisable to wear breathable shoes frequently, and shoes and socks that have been worn should be sun-dried and disinfected.

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Written by Qu Jing
Dermatology
2min 1sec home-news-image

Is peeling skin on the feet without itching athlete's foot?

Peeling of the skin on the feet without itching is considered to be a type of athlete's foot characterized by excessive keratinization, commonly occurring on the soles, toes, and heels. The affected skin appears dry, with clear hyperkeratosis, thickening, rough surface, scaling, and deepened skin lines. In winter, cracks can occur, possibly leading to bleeding and pain. This type of athlete's foot generally does not exhibit marked itching symptoms. Besides the hyperkeratinotic type, common forms of athlete's foot include the blistering scaly type and the macerated erosive type, both of which typically have more pronounced itching symptoms. The blistering scaly type often appears on the fingertips, sides of the feet, and toes. Initially, this condition presents as pinhead-sized blisters deep in the skin, with clear fluid and a thick, shiny wall, which are not easily ruptured. These blisters may be scattered or cluster and can merge into larger blisters. Tearing off the blister wall reveals a honeycomb base and a fresh red erosive surface. After several days, the blisters dry up, leading to a ring-like scaling, with lesions continuously spreading outwards. During stable phases of this condition, scaling predominates, and itching becomes more apparent. The macerated erosive type, also known as the interdigital type, is frequently observed between the toes, especially between the third and fourth or fourth and fifth toes, and is commonly associated with hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating) and prolonged wearing of rubber footwear. It is more prevalent in the summer and significantly itchy. If a secondary bacterial infection occurs, there may also be an unpleasant odor.

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Written by Liu Gang
Dermatology
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How to stop itching from athlete's foot?

Athlete's foot is a disease caused by fungal infection, which is contagious and recurrent. The main symptoms usually are blisters and sores appearing on the soles of the feet or between the toes, and the condition is quite itchy. Most people tend to scratch the blisters until they break open, leading to infection. Once occurrence is observed, it is essential to apply an official antifungal cream, which can help relieve the itchiness. If the itching is severe in a short period, hot water can be used to scald the affected area, but after scalding, it is still necessary to continue applying the cream. After recovery, it is important to regulate one's diet and lifestyle habits, avoid public baths and swimming, and refrain from consuming spicy and stimulating foods.

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Written by Du Rui Xia
Obstetrics
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Will having athlete's foot cause an infection during a water birth?

Giving birth in water does not increase the risk of infection; in fact, the rate of newborns carrying bacteria significantly decreases when birth occurs in water. The reason is that water can wash off the bacteria on the baby's body, and the birth takes place in a special tub where the water is flowing and free of bacteria. Before the birth, the doctor will disinfect the mother. In current practices, liquids are generally used to inhibit the growth of pathogens, so infections like athlete's foot are generally not caused during childbirth.

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Written by Zhu Zhu
Dermatology
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Are athlete's foot and foot odor the same thing?

Athlete's foot and tinea pedis are actually the same type of disease; they are the same thing. "Athlete's foot" is another common name for tinea pedis. Both are superficial fungal skin diseases caused by fungal infections of the skin on the feet. The treatment methods are the same, using antifungal medications. It is important to avoid sharing slippers, foot towels, or bath towels with others.

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Written by Xia Min
Traditional Chinese Medicine
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The difference between pitted keratolysis and athlete's foot

Palmoplantar pustulosis, corresponding to hand fungus in Western medicine, typically affects adults, but can be contracted by individuals of any age, both male and female. It often affects one hand, but can also spread to both. Symptoms are more severe with blistering in the summer, while in winter, dryness and pain are more pronounced. The characteristic lesions begin with blisters on the palms and between the fingers, with the skin on the palm becoming keratinized, flaky, and blistered. After repeated outbreaks, the skin on the palm thickens, becomes dry and cracked, painful, and hindered in flexibility, resembling a goose's foot, hence the name "goose's foot wind." Athlete's foot, equivalent to tinea pedis in Western medicine, is named for its symptoms of maceration and itchiness of the soles, accompanied by a distinctive odor. It primarily affects the spaces between the toes but can also appear on the soles of the feet. The main features are blisters between the toes, maceration, oozing, excessive keratinization, flaking, and itching. There are clear differences between these two conditions.