Athlete's foot

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Athlete's foot, tinea pedis

Tinea pedis; Fungal infection - feet; Tinea of the foot; Infection - fungal - feet; Ringworm - foot

The most common symptom is cracked, flaking, peeling skin between the toes. The affected area is usually red and itchy. You may feel burning or stinging, and there may be blisters, oozing, or crusting. In addition to the toes, the symptoms can also occur on the heels, palms, and between the fingers.

If the fungus spreads to your nails, they can become discolored, thick, and even crumble.

See also fungal nail infection.

The diagnosis is based primarily on the appearance of your skin. If tests are performed, they may include:

• Skin culture (fungi from flecks of skin are able to grow in the lab)
• Skin lesion biopsy (examination may show fungus under the microscope)
• Skin lesion KOH exam (skin scrapings in KOH show fungus under the microscope)

Review Date: 04/30/2005
Reviewed By: Jonathan Kantor, M.D., Department of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.