Athlete’s Foot (Tinea Pedis) – Symptoms
Athlete’s foot causes typical symptoms in those affected. The fungal infection initially appears between the toes and causes itching , scaling  and redness. Below you will find out how to recognize an infestation with athlete’s foot.
Recognize symptoms of athlete’s foot
The infestation with athlete’s foot almost always first appears in the spaces between the toes (interdigital mycosis), especially between the little and the fourth toe. The climate there is pleasant for mushrooms  – dark, cramped, sweaty and warm.
The affected skin softens (maceration), is red, itches or burns and flakes. It often tears painfully (rhagade). It is particularly critical that bacteria can easily penetrate through the changed skin and cause erysipelas , for example  .
Spread of the fungus on the foot
From the space between the toes, the fungus often spreads towards the sole and edge of the foot, more rarely towards the back of the foot. There it comes to reddening and flaking of the skin, in some cases small itchy blisters also form.
In addition, athlete’s foot can also affect the toenails and cause nail fungus.
Athlete’s foot: not only on the feet
Sometimes athlete’s foot also spreads to other parts of the body, such as the groin or armpits. In contrast to the yeast fungus Candida albicans, however, it remains on the body surface and does not grow in the intestine.
Incidentally, the fungus can also cause the same symptoms on the hands (tinea manum), for example in people who often have to wear gloves at work.
