This page is for non-emergency concerns. If you have severe or rapidly worsening symptoms (trouble breathing, chest pain, signs of stroke, severe allergic reaction, uncontrolled bleeding, fainting, confusion), call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.
Athlete’s foot can cause itching, scaling, cracking skin, and discomfort. We evaluate symptoms and recommend practical, safe treatment steps.
Itchy, Cracked Skin Between the Toes?
Athlete's foot (tinea pedis) is a fungal infection that often affects the moist skin between the toes. It may cause itching, peeling, redness, scaling or painful cracks, and sometimes affects the sole or sides of the foot. Shoes that trap moisture and exposure to shared damp surfaces can contribute, but not every itchy foot is caused by fungus.
Eczema, contact irritation and bacterial skin problems can resemble athlete's foot. A clinician can review the pattern and decide whether an antifungal approach is appropriate or further assessment is needed.
What Helps Distinguish Athlete's Foot?
Tell the clinician when the problem began, whether it affects one foot or both, whether the nails are involved and whether you have tried a cream before. Diabetes, circulation concerns, immune-system problems and open sores can change how urgently skin changes should be assessed.
Most routine athlete's foot cases respond to correctly used topical antifungal products, but treatment selection and duration vary. The clinic can discuss the evidence for these options and when a prescription or referral may be needed. Avoid applying steroid-only cream to an undiagnosed possible fungal rash because steroid products can disguise or worsen some fungal infections.
Keep Feet Dry Without Damaging the Skin
Wash and dry feet gently, particularly between the toes. Change damp socks promptly, rotate footwear so it can dry and wear shower shoes in communal wet areas. Avoid sharing socks, footwear or towels while the condition is being addressed. Scrubbing aggressively or peeling cracked skin may make irritation worse.
If the skin is very painful, increasingly red, swollen, warm or draining, do not assume it is harmless fungus; another infection may be present. A foot wound in someone with diabetes deserves prompt professional assessment.
Questions From Patients
Can athlete's foot spread to nails or other areas? Yes. Fungi can involve other parts of the body, including nails, and the treatment may be different.
Should I stop treatment as soon as the itching goes away? Follow the chosen product's complete instructions. Stopping early may make recurrence more likely.
Related reading: Ringworm elsewhere on the skin and other skin infection concerns.
Visit: Schedule or call (440) 624-4026. $75 seasonal Express Clinic medical exams (regularly $125) through March 1, 2027; additional products or services may cost extra.
Medical sources: CDC — Ringworm treatment; CDC — Foot hygiene.
This page is for non-emergency concerns. If you have severe or rapidly worsening symptoms (trouble breathing, chest pain, signs of stroke, severe allergic reaction, uncontrolled bleeding, fainting, confusion), call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.