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Athlete’s Foot

An itchy, peeling, sometimes burning fungal rash on the feet, often between the toes. It is common and catching, but usually clears with the right cream and a few simple habits — and it can spread to the toenails if it is left alone.

What is athlete’s foot?

Athlete’s foot is a common fungal infection of the skin of the feet. Its medical name is tinea pedis: “tinea” is another name for ringworm (which is a fungus, not a worm) and “pedis” means foot (Cleveland Clinic, CDC). It is most common between the toes, but it can also reach the soles, the sides and tops of the feet and the heels (Cleveland Clinic).

It is very common. Cleveland Clinic cites estimates that 3% to 15% of people have it at any one time, and that about 70% will have it at some point in their lives (Cleveland Clinic).

How does it spread?

The fungi that cause it like warmth and moisture — exactly what a foot gets inside socks and tight shoes all day (Cleveland Clinic). It passes from person to person through skin contact, flakes of skin, and shared surfaces such as locker-room, shower and pool floors, and through shared towels, socks and shoes (CDC, Cleveland Clinic, MedlinePlus). You are more likely to catch it if your feet are often wet or sweaty, if your shoes are tight, or if the skin on your feet is damaged (CDC, NHS).

What does it look like?

Cleveland Clinic describes four patterns: the toe-web type, the most common, usually between the fourth and fifth toes; the moccasin type, where skin on the soles, heels and edges of the feet thickens and cracks; the vesicular type, with fluid-filled blisters; and the rare ulcerative type, with open sores (Cleveland Clinic).

Who is more likely to get it?

Anyone can, but it is more common in men and in people over 60, and in people with diabetes, obesity, a weakened immune system, or wounds on their feet (Cleveland Clinic). Using public showers or locker rooms barefoot and heavy sweating raise the risk too (CDC).

How is it diagnosed?

A clinician can usually tell just by looking at your feet (MedlinePlus, Cleveland Clinic). If there is doubt, they may gently scrape off a little skin to look for fungus under a microscope — often with a quick office test called a KOH exam — or send it for a culture (MedlinePlus, American Academy of Dermatology). The CDC encourages clinicians to test suspected fungal skin and nail infections (CDC).

When it spreads to the toenails

Left untreated, athlete’s foot can spread to the toenails, the hands and the groin (Cleveland Clinic), and nail infections often begin after a foot infection (MedlinePlus). A fungal nail infection (onychomycosis) makes nails thick, brittle, crumbly or discolored, with white or yellow streaks or debris under the nail (MedlinePlus). The CDC estimates it affects around 14% of people, and it is especially common in older adults and in people with diabetes (CDC). Nail infections are harder to treat than skin infections (Cleveland Clinic) — see Conventional medicine below.

See a doctor promptly if:

Side by side

Six approaches compared

For every condition we look at the same six approaches: what each involves, what it typically costs, and what a patient can realistically expect.

ApproachWhat it involves Estimated costWhat to expect
Conventional medicine (AMA) Over-the-counter antifungal creams, sprays or powders (terbinafine, clotrimazole, miconazole, tolnaftate); prescription creams or antifungal pills for stubborn cases and nail infections; a dermatologist or podiatrist if it won’t clear. At one pharmacy: store-brand clotrimazole cream about $10 (1 oz), Lamisil AT terbinafine cream about $21 (1 oz), Tinactin tolnaftate spray about $11. Doctor visit: cost estimate being researched. A mild case usually clears in about two weeks; most cases within one to eight weeks. Keep using it as directed even after the skin looks clear. Nail infections are slower and harder to clear, and can come back.
Chiropractic Being researched — coming soon.
Acupuncture Being researched — coming soon.
Herbal medicine Tea tree oil applied to the skin — the herbal remedy with the most research for athlete’s foot. Cost estimate being researched. A little research suggests it may help, but it may not work as well as standard antifungals. It can irritate the skin, and it must never be swallowed.
Massage therapy Being researched — coming soon.
MBHA Wellness Coach Prevention habits: dry between the toes, breathable socks and shoes, rotating shoes, sandals in locker rooms and pool areas, no shared towels, treating the whole household, and daily foot checks for people with diabetes. Cost estimate being researched. Good habits help stop it from coming back and from spreading to your nails, groin and family — they work alongside treatment, not instead of it.

Approach 1 of 6

Conventional medicine (AMA)

Athlete’s foot doesn’t usually go away on its own, so it is worth treating (Cleveland Clinic, NHS). The good news is that the outlook with proper treatment is good (Cleveland Clinic).

1. Over-the-counter antifungals

Antifungal creams, sprays, gels and powders from the pharmacy are the usual first step. Look for one of these active ingredients: terbinafine, clotrimazole, miconazole or tolnaftate (Cleveland Clinic, MedlinePlus). A pharmacist can help you choose, and you may need to try more than one to find what works for you (NHS).

2. Prescription treatment

If it is severe, keeps coming back, or isn’t better after 2 to 4 weeks of self-care, see your doctor (MedlinePlus). A doctor or dermatologist can prescribe stronger creams, antifungal pills, or antibiotics if scratching has let bacteria in (MedlinePlus, American Academy of Dermatology). Antifungal pills used for athlete’s foot include terbinafine, itraconazole and fluconazole (Cleveland Clinic).

3. Fungal nail infection

Nail infections need a different plan. Over-the-counter creams and ointments usually don’t help, because they can’t get through the nail (MedlinePlus, American Academy of Dermatology). A dermatologist may confirm the diagnosis by looking at a nail sample under a microscope, then suggest:

Expect patience: even when treatment works, a clear new nail can take up to a year or longer to grow out. Medicines clear the fungus in about half of the people who take them, and it can come back (MedlinePlus, American Academy of Dermatology).

Who to see

Your primary care provider or a pharmacist is a fine place to start. A board-certified dermatologist is the next step if it isn’t improving or is getting worse (American Academy of Dermatology). A podiatrist (foot doctor) is another good choice: the American Podiatric Medical Association suggests seeing one if an infection doesn’t improve within two weeks of good foot hygiene. A podiatrist can confirm whether a fungus is the cause and prescribe creams or pills (American Podiatric Medical Association).

What it costs

How well it works — what to expect

A mild case usually clears in about two weeks with an over-the-counter product (American Academy of Dermatology), and with proper diagnosis and treatment most cases go away within one to eight weeks (Cleveland Clinic). Nail infections take much longer and can return (MedlinePlus).

Find a medical doctor in our directory

Approach 4 of 6

Herbal medicine

Tea tree oil, from the leaves of an Australian plant, is promoted for athlete’s foot and toenail fungus, applied to the skin (NCCIH).

What the research says

  • The U.S. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health says a small amount of research suggests tea tree oil may help athlete’s foot, but it may not work as well as standard treatments. For nail infections, there are too few good studies to draw any conclusion (NCCIH).
  • In a 2002 Australian trial of 158 people with athlete’s foot between the toes, a tea tree oil solution cleared the fungus in 64% of people using the stronger solution, compared with 31% on a dummy (placebo) solution. About 4% of people using tea tree oil developed moderate to severe skin inflammation, which settled quickly once they stopped (trial, Australasian Journal of Dermatology).
  • Reviews describe the benefit as modest and the studies as limited or of poor to modest quality; side effects were mostly minor, except with strong solutions (review, PubMed, systematic review, Frontiers in Pharmacology).
  • Garlic-derived ajoene has been studied too, but a 2025 review says it shows promise without strong trial evidence yet (review, PubMed).

In short: tea tree oil is a reasonable thing to ask about for a mild case, but a proven antifungal is the more reliable choice, and neither replaces a doctor’s visit when the warning signs above apply.

Safety. Never swallow tea tree oil — taken by mouth it can cause confusion, unsteadiness, inability to walk and coma (NCCIH). Keep it where children can’t reach it. On the skin it can cause redness, itching, swelling and allergic rashes (contact dermatitis), more likely if the oil is old or has been exposed to heat, light or air; people with sensitive skin should take extra care (NCCIH, Memorial Sloan Kettering). Repeated use of tea tree and lavender oils has been linked to breast enlargement in young boys (Memorial Sloan Kettering). Stop if your skin reacts. We don’t list strengths or doses here.

Approach 6 of 6

MBHA Wellness Coach

Athlete’s foot loves warm, damp feet, so the habits that keep feet clean, dry and aired out do a lot of the work. An MBHA Wellness Coach can help you build them into your routine — especially if it keeps coming back.

Keep feet clean and dry

Socks and shoes

Shared spaces and shared homes

Protect your nails

Treat athlete’s foot as soon as you notice it, because the same fungi can spread to your toenails. Keep nails short, disinfect clippers after each use, and watch for nails that thicken, split, change color or lift (American Academy of Dermatology).

If you have diabetes

Daily foot care matters even more. The CDC advises people with diabetes to check their feet every day for cuts, redness, swelling, sores and blisters; to wash them daily in warm (not hot) water and dry them completely; not to put lotion between the toes; to always wear socks with shoes and never go barefoot, even indoors; and not to wait for the next appointment if a problem such as athlete’s foot appears (CDC). A coach can help make the daily check a habit, but a coach is never a substitute for your diabetes care team.

Still being researched: Chiropractic, Acupuncture, Massage therapy. We add each approach once its costs and results are sourced. Are you a practitioner with experience treating Athlete’s Foot? Tell us.

Member stories

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This page is for education only and is not medical advice. Costs are typical U.S. ranges and estimates; yours will depend on your provider, location and insurance. Talk with your doctor before starting, stopping or combining any treatment. In an emergency, call 911. See our disclaimer.

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