Overview
Tinea cruris, commonly referred to as jock itch, is a fungal infection in
the groin area, affecting mostly adult men. It's caused by a type of fungus
called dermatophytes. It grows in a circle on your skin and often looks
like a ring. Due to irritation, the skin becomes red. Some people think the
infection looks like there is a worm under the skin. Because of this, this infection
is often referred to as "ringworm," although no worm is actually involved.
The fungi are commonly found on the skin surface and nails and are usually quite
harmless. Under certain conditions, however, they can multiply dramatically,
causing irritation and surface tissue damage.
You don't have to be athletic to get jock itch. Infections caused by these
organisms go by the medical name tinea. Tinea pedis is athlete's
foot; tinea capitis is ringworm of the scalp. Jock itch is tinea cruris,
from the Latin word for leg. They are all caused by dermatophytes - only the
area infected differs.
Classic jock itch affects the inner thighs and lower buttocks, not the genitalia
themselves. If the scrotum is inflamed, it's probably due to a different
yeast condition called candidiasis, and a physician should be consulted.
Causes
Dermatophytes like to grow on skin that's moist and warm and thrive in areas
where skin comes into contact with other skin, such as the groin or between
the toes. Overweight men are more likely to develop jock itch if they sweat
a lot or have folds of touching skin. Tight clothing and hot, humid weather
are other risk factors.
Men who play sports and use a male athletic guard are particularly prone to
tinea infection. Sweaty equipment left in a locker makes an ideal environment
for tinea to grow. The fungi can lie on towels, floors, carpets, and toilet
seats. Sharing towels, combs, and shoes can easily transmit fungal infections.
Since the same dermatophytes can cause different types of tinea, it is not uncommon
for someone with athlete's foot to get jock itch by towelling his feet before
his groin.
Symptoms
Tinea is often painful or itchy, but not in every case. There are visual
clues to help identify a fungal infection. These include:
- inflammation of the groin, anal area and upper thigh, sparing the genitals
themselves
- slightly raised patch
- sharp borders
- expanding or spreading, with clearing in the centre
- dry or scaly blisters, occasionally oozing or crusting
- abnormally dark or light skin
- skin redness or inflammation
Fungal infections often spread out in a circle leaving normal-looking skin
in the middle. At the leading edge of the infection the skin is raised, red
and scaly.
Treatment
Tinea cruris is considered a mild condition and is usually treated with
medications that often do not require a prescription. It should easily clear
up after about two weeks with topical use of an antifungal cream, powder, or
lotion applied to the affected area two or three times a day. Antifungal creams
and powders such as clotrimazole, miconazole, or tolnaftate, available without
prescription at the pharmacy, are effective against most dermatophytes. It's
important to continue use after the infection has disappeared for as long as
the instructions recommend.
If inflammation persists for much more than two or three weeks despite antifungal
medication, a doctor should be consulted. A doctor may prescribe a different
topical medication, or possibly an antifungal medication to treat the infection.
Following these tips will help to both relieve and prevent jock itch:
- Wear loose-fitting clothing and underwear.
- Change underwear often, especially after sweating.
- Shower as soon as possible after exercising.
- Use talc on the groin area to keep it dry.
- Wash exercise clothes after each use.
- Sleep in the nude.
- Don't use deodorant soaps.
- Don't sit around in a wet bathing suit.
- Don't use another person's towel or clothes.
- After showering, put socks on first. If underpants are put on first, foot
fungus can rub off into the underwear, causing jock itch.
Other tips:
Any number of conditions (e.g. eczema, lice, candidiasis, scabies, and seborrhea)
can make the groin area itch, but a doctor can determine what is causing the
problem. A doctor may scrape a small piece of irritated skin and examine
it under a microscope. Sometimes, a doctor may send a skin sample to a laboratory
to determine what is causing the skin irritation.
When a man sees his doctor about jock itch, he may be asked what sort of exercise
he does, or what clothes he wears, or if he has any pets. Tinea can easily recur
after treatment if the source of infection is not removed, so it's important
to know where it came from.
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