1. Foot Problems Slideshow Pictures
2. Medical Pictures Athlete's Foot Image Collection
3. Ringworm Slideshow Pictures

Medical Author:

Gary W. Cole, MD, FAAD

Gary W. Cole, MD, FAAD

Dr. Cole is board certified in dermatology. He obtained his BA degree in bacteriology, his MA degree in microbiology, and his MD at the University of California, Los Angeles. He trained in dermatology at the University of Oregon, where he completed his residency.

View Full Profile

Medical Author:

Nili N. Alai, MD, FAAD

Nili N. Alai, MD, FAAD

Dr. Alai is an actively practicing medical and surgical dermatologist in south Orange County, California. She has been a professor of dermatology and family medicine at the University of California, Irvine since 2000. She is U.S. board-certified in dermatology, a 10-year-certified fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology, and Fellow of the American Society of Mohs Surgery.

View Full Profile

Medical Editor:

William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

Dr. Shiel received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from the University of Notre Dame. There he was involved in research in radiation biology and received the Huisking Scholarship. After graduating from St. Louis University School of Medicine, he completed his Internal Medicine residency and Rheumatology fellowship at the University of California, Irvine. He is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology.

View Full Profile

In this Article

• Athlete's foot facts
• What is athlete's foot?
• What are the symptoms and signs of athlete's foot?
• What does athlete's foot look like?
• Is athlete's foot contagious?
• What else causes foot rashes?
• What is the treatment for athlete's foot?
• What home remedy can I use for athlete's foot?
• How can I treat athlete's foot in pregnancy?
• When should I seek medical care?
• What are possible complications of athlete's foot?
• What kind of doctor treats athlete's foot?
• How can I prevent future athlete's foot infections?
• Pictures of Foot Problems - Slideshow
• Medical Pictures Athlete's Foot Image Collection
• Pictures of Ringworm - Slideshow
• Patient Comments: Athlete's Foot - Causes
• Patient Comments: Athlete's Foot - Cure
• Patient Comments: Athlete's Foot - Symptoms
• Find a local Dermatologist in your town
• Athlete's Foot Index

Athlete's foot may be contagious from person to person. Some people may be more susceptible to the fungus that causes athlete's foot while others are more resistant. There are many households where two people (often husband and wife or siblings) using the same showers and bathroom for years have not transmitted the fungus between them. The exact cause of this predisposition or susceptibility to fungal infections is unknown. Athlete's foot seems more contagious in moist, warm environments like public swimming pools, locker rooms, and yoga studio floors.

There are many possible causes of foot rashes. Additional causes include irritant or contact dermatitis, allergic rashes from shoes or other creams, dyshidrotic eczema (skin allergy rash), psoriasis, yeast infections, and bacterial infections.

Your physician can perform a simple test called a KOH, or potassium hydroxide for microscopic fungal examination, in the office or laboratory to confirm the presence of a fungal infection. This test is performed using small flakes of skin that are examined under the microscope. Many dermatologists perform this test in their office with results available within minutes. Rarely, a small piece of skin may be removed and sent for biopsy to help confirm the diagnosis.