Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsHow You Get ItRisk FactorsSymptomsDiagnosisTreatmentPrevention
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
How You Get It
Risk Factors
Symptoms
Diagnosis
Treatment
Prevention
Jock itch (tinea cruris) is a common, preventable fungal infection mainly affecting the groin, inner thighs, and buttocks. These are warm parts of the body where moisture can accumulate, providing the ideal environment for the fungi to grow.
Jock itch is so-named because it commonly affects athletes who pass the fungus to others in locker rooms through wet towels and clothing. You can also get it if you haveathlete’s footand touch your foot and then your groin. People who sweat heavily or live in moist, tropical climates are also vulnerable.
Jock itch rarely goes away on its own. Most infections can be cleared with the twice-daily application of an over-the-counter (OTC)antifungalcream or ointment for one to three weeks. If these don’t help, a prescription antifungal cream or oral antifungal drug may be needed.
Verywell / Ellen Lindner
What Is Jock Itch and How Is It Spread?
Other, less common fungi can also cause jock itch, including strains ofEpidermophyton, Nannizzia,Paraphyton, andLophophyton.The fungi are collectively known asdermatophytes. and the infection they cause is referred to asdermatophytosis.
The fungi that cause jock itch thrive in warm, moist environments. It is both highly contagious and robust, able to penetrate and persist in the uppermost layers of the skin. Once an infection is established, it can spread as fungal spores are shed onto surrounding skin.
The common routes of transmission for jock itch include:
Risk Factors for Jock Itch
Jock itch can affect anyone but is more common in certain groups, including:
Jock itch is more common in the summer, though it can occur at any time of year.
Signs and Symptoms of Jock Itch
This is because fungal growth follows the pattern of moisture in the groin. Moreover, if skin on both sides of a skin fold presses against each other, it can even cause a rash with a symmetrical, mirrored pattern.
Common symptoms of jock itch include:
Can Jock Itch Affect My Penis and Scrotum?Jock itch rarely affects thescrotumorpenis. If those areas are affected, it is more likely due toCandida albicans, the same fungus that causesvaginal yeast infections.
Can Jock Itch Affect My Penis and Scrotum?
Jock itch rarely affects thescrotumorpenis. If those areas are affected, it is more likely due toCandida albicans, the same fungus that causesvaginal yeast infections.
How Jock Itch Is Diagnosed
The KOH test involves the application of a chemical called potassium hydroxide (KOH) to a skin scraping, which dissolves all cells except fungi. This makes it easier to view the fungus under the microscope. Special stains such as Parker’s blue ink can the fungus even more visible.
AWood’s lamp, commonly used to diagnose other fungal skin infections, is less helpful with jock itch. This is becauseTrichophytonfungi do not fluoresce and change colors when exposed to ultraviolet light like other fungi do.
Skin Conditions Jock Is Mistaken For
If there is any doubt as to whetherT. rubrumis involved, a skin scraping can becultured(grown) in the lab to confirm the diagnosis, This will help differentiate it from skin conditions with a similar appearance, such as:
How to Get Rid of Jock Itch
Four OTC topical antifungals are commonly used for this:
Apply the cream or ointment to the rash and surrounding skin, twice daily, washing your hands immediately after. With consistent use, the rash will generally clear in one to three weeks. Continue application one week after the rash has fully cleared to ensure it is completely gone.
Many people with jock itch also have athlete’s foot and can use the same cream or ointment for both. However,athlete’s foot treatmentcan take longer to resolve.
Note that some of these OTC antifungals are available as powders and sprays, which are generally reserved for the treatment of athlete’s foot rather than jock itch.
Home Remedies
In addition to over-the-counter treatments for jock itch, there are a few things you can do at home to manage the infection:
Prescriptions
Most cases of jock itch are easily treated with OTC antifungals. However, certain fungal types are harder to treat, as are people who are severely immunocompromised.
In such cases, topical antifungals may need to be combined with a course of oral antifungals. These include drugs like:
Diflucan and Grifulvin are typically used daily for two to four weeks, while Sporanox and Terbinex are typically used once daily for one to two weeks.
When to See a Healthcare ProviderIf jock itch does not improve after a week of OTC treatments, see your healthcare provider for stronger medications. You should also see a doctor if the rash develops blisters.A severe case of jock itch may require treatment withcorticosteroids, such ashydrocortisone, to reduce inflammation. Even so, do not use steroids unless under medical supervision. The inappropriate of steroids can impair the immune system and further promote fungal growth.
When to See a Healthcare Provider
If jock itch does not improve after a week of OTC treatments, see your healthcare provider for stronger medications. You should also see a doctor if the rash develops blisters.A severe case of jock itch may require treatment withcorticosteroids, such ashydrocortisone, to reduce inflammation. Even so, do not use steroids unless under medical supervision. The inappropriate of steroids can impair the immune system and further promote fungal growth.
If jock itch does not improve after a week of OTC treatments, see your healthcare provider for stronger medications. You should also see a doctor if the rash develops blisters.
A severe case of jock itch may require treatment withcorticosteroids, such ashydrocortisone, to reduce inflammation. Even so, do not use steroids unless under medical supervision. The inappropriate of steroids can impair the immune system and further promote fungal growth.
How to Prevention Jock Itch
There are several simple things you can do to prevent jock itch from occurring or recurring, including:
Summary
Jock itch can be diagnosed under the microscope with a KOH test that helps isolate the fungus from other cells in a skin scraping. Most cases of jock itch can be effectively treated with over-the-counter topical antifungals, but difficult cases may also need a course of oral antifungals.
6 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Sahoo AK, Mahajan R.Management of tinea corporis, tinea cruris, and tinea pedis: a comprehensive review.Indian Dermatol Online J. 2016;7(2):77-86. doi:10.4103/2229-5178.178099Jartarkar SR, Patil A, Goldust Y, et al.Pathogenesis, immunology and management of dermatophytosis.J Fungi (Basel),2022 Jan;8(1):39. doi:10.3390/jof8010039Ely JW, Rosenfeld S, Seabury stone M.Diagnosis and management of tinea infections.Am Fam Physician. 2014;90(10):702-10.Shaikh S, Nellore A.Cutaneous fungal infections in older adults.Clinics Geriatric Med.2024;40(1):131-46. doi:10.1016/j.cger.2023.09.008Mount Sinai.Wood’s lamp examination.Alberta Health Services (Canada).Jock itch: care instructions.
6 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Sahoo AK, Mahajan R.Management of tinea corporis, tinea cruris, and tinea pedis: a comprehensive review.Indian Dermatol Online J. 2016;7(2):77-86. doi:10.4103/2229-5178.178099Jartarkar SR, Patil A, Goldust Y, et al.Pathogenesis, immunology and management of dermatophytosis.J Fungi (Basel),2022 Jan;8(1):39. doi:10.3390/jof8010039Ely JW, Rosenfeld S, Seabury stone M.Diagnosis and management of tinea infections.Am Fam Physician. 2014;90(10):702-10.Shaikh S, Nellore A.Cutaneous fungal infections in older adults.Clinics Geriatric Med.2024;40(1):131-46. doi:10.1016/j.cger.2023.09.008Mount Sinai.Wood’s lamp examination.Alberta Health Services (Canada).Jock itch: care instructions.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Sahoo AK, Mahajan R.Management of tinea corporis, tinea cruris, and tinea pedis: a comprehensive review.Indian Dermatol Online J. 2016;7(2):77-86. doi:10.4103/2229-5178.178099Jartarkar SR, Patil A, Goldust Y, et al.Pathogenesis, immunology and management of dermatophytosis.J Fungi (Basel),2022 Jan;8(1):39. doi:10.3390/jof8010039Ely JW, Rosenfeld S, Seabury stone M.Diagnosis and management of tinea infections.Am Fam Physician. 2014;90(10):702-10.Shaikh S, Nellore A.Cutaneous fungal infections in older adults.Clinics Geriatric Med.2024;40(1):131-46. doi:10.1016/j.cger.2023.09.008Mount Sinai.Wood’s lamp examination.Alberta Health Services (Canada).Jock itch: care instructions.
Sahoo AK, Mahajan R.Management of tinea corporis, tinea cruris, and tinea pedis: a comprehensive review.Indian Dermatol Online J. 2016;7(2):77-86. doi:10.4103/2229-5178.178099
Jartarkar SR, Patil A, Goldust Y, et al.Pathogenesis, immunology and management of dermatophytosis.J Fungi (Basel),2022 Jan;8(1):39. doi:10.3390/jof8010039
Ely JW, Rosenfeld S, Seabury stone M.Diagnosis and management of tinea infections.Am Fam Physician. 2014;90(10):702-10.
Shaikh S, Nellore A.Cutaneous fungal infections in older adults.Clinics Geriatric Med.2024;40(1):131-46. doi:10.1016/j.cger.2023.09.008
Mount Sinai.Wood’s lamp examination.
Alberta Health Services (Canada).Jock itch: care instructions.
Meet Our Medical Expert Board
Share Feedback
Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
What is your feedback?
