Sign up
Log in
EspañolJock itch symptoms: What are the early signs of jock itch?
Overview: What does jock itch feel like?
Jock itch is a common fungal infection of the skin in the groin area. It primarily affects the skin on the inner thighs, pubic area, genitals, and intergluteal cleft (butt crack). Called tinea cruris, jock itch is caused by various contagious molds and is a form of ringworm. These molds colonize the outer layers of the skin and live off the proteins, so healthcare professionals call them “dermatophytes” (“skin plants”). Jock itch is common because the groin provides a warm, moist environment that allows dermatophytes to grow and thrive. As the name implies, jock itch is primarily distinguished by itchiness in the groin, but burning and pain in that area are also common symptoms. In addition to the itching and burning, jock itch also causes redness, a skin rash, or flakiness on the skin infected by the mold. Scratching the itch can contaminate the hands with fungal spores. In that way, the fungus can spread to other body parts.
Key takeaways:
Jock itch is a common health condition that can affect anyone regardless of age, sex, race, or ethnicity.
Early signs of jock itch include itchiness, rash, and redness in the groin, buttocks, or upper thighs.
Jock itch usually has no serious symptoms requiring immediate medical attention. However, some people may need medical advice from a healthcare provider if symptoms don’t resolve with treatment, the infection keeps coming back, or the pain is severe.
Jock itch is caused by an infectious fungus called dermatophytes. You may risk developing jock itch symptoms if you are an athlete, play contact sports, sweat a lot, wear tight clothes, live in a humid climate, have athlete’s foot, or have a weakened immune system. Other risk factors include bad hygiene, obesity, and uncontrolled diabetes.
Jock itch is usually self-diagnosable but will require a diagnosis if it does not respond to over-the-counter antifungal treatments.
Jock itch generally requires treatment. Jock itch symptoms typically resolve with home treatment within two to four weeks.
Treatment of jock itch may include topical antifungal medications and lifestyle changes. Read more about jock itch treatments here.
Untreated jock itch could result in complications like spreading the infection to other parts of the body, reinfection, bacterial skin infections, and a deeper skin infection by the fungus.
Use coupons for jock itch treatments like Lamisil AT (terbinafine), Naftin (naftifine), Lotrimin Ultra (butenafine), Desenex (miconazole), and Lotrimin AF (clotrimazole) to save up to 80%.
What are the early signs of jock itch?
The early signs of jock itch are an itchy rash or redness in the groin area or upper thighs. As it progresses, the affected area may increase in size. The skin may get flaky, scaly, or cracked.
Other jock itch symptoms
Jock itch symptoms are typical of a fungal infection, but they’re located on the skin around the groin. These areas include:
Genitals
Scrotum
Upper inner thighs
Pubic area
Around the anus
Butt crack
The affected skin will have signs and symptoms such as:
Itchiness
Burning
Pain
Redness
Rash
Flakes or scales
Blisters or bumps
Oozing
Clearly defined borders
Jock itch vs. yeast infection symptoms
Both jock itch and yeast infections are fungal infections. However, jock itch is caused by several types of mold and multicellular plants that grow in thread-like structures, while yeast infections are caused by Candida yeast species. Candida yeast species are single-celled plants and spread by dividing, like bacteria. However, Candida infections of the skin are relatively uncommon. Candidiasis usually affects the vagina, vulva, mouth, or penis. The location of the infection, then, is one clue. Remember that Candida skin infections are possible, especially in skin folds. A yeast infection can affect the same skin areas as jock itch. The symptoms are similar to jock itch, so confusing the two is easy. Some topical antifungals can treat either condition.
| Jock itch | Yeast infection | |
| Shared symptoms |
|
|
| Unique symptoms |
|
|
When to see a doctor for jock itch symptoms
Jock itch can be self-diagnosed and treated at home with over-the-counter antifungal creams or ointments. However, see a healthcare provider if:
Over-the-counter treatments don’t improve the symptoms after one or two weeks of application
The rash or symptoms worsen with treatment
The infection keeps coming back
Pain and discomfort become severe enough to interfere with daily functioning
See a healthcare provider if the infection doesn’t respond to treatment. Jock itch can be mistaken for other skin conditions such as yeast infections, psoriasis, eczema, or seborrheic dermatitis.
Healthcare professionals typically diagnose jock itch based on the skin's physical appearance and a patient’s medical history. If there’s doubt, the clinician can easily verify the infection by scraping the skin, treating it with potassium hydroxide (KOH), and looking at it under a microscope. The fungus’s filaments will be readily visible. For recurrent fungal infections, the clinician may culture the fungus to identify its type.
Complications of jock itch
The most common complication of jock itch is spreading the infection to other body parts. Jock itch is often an athlete’s foot infection that has spread to the groin. The most common way of spreading a tinea infection is by contaminating the hands and nails when scratching the affected skin. Spores can spread to any other part of the body.
Other complications of jock itch include:
Secondary bacterial infections (usually due to skin injury due to scratching)
Recurrent jock itch
A deeper tinea infection of the skin
How to treat jock itch symptoms
Most people can treat jock itch successfully at home. Over-the-counter topical antifungal creams, lotions, gels, ointments, sprays, or powders usually clear up the infection in two to four weeks. The most successful are allylamine antifungals like terbinafine and azole antifungals like clotrimazole.
Lifestyle changes can help antifungal treatments succeed. It’s very important to keep the affected area dry and free of irritation. Dry off completely after showering or bathing. Do not wear tight-fitting clothes. Avoid clothing that rubs or irritates the area.
A healthcare professional may prescribe oral antifungal drugs such as terbinafine, itraconazole, and fluconazole for stubborn or recurrent infections. People with a weakened immune system may also require oral antifungals. Unlike topical antifungals, oral antifungals are more likely to cause adverse effects like nausea, diarrhea, headaches, and heartburn. They’re also more likely to cause serious side effects.
RELATED: Jock itch treatments and medications
Signs jock itch is getting better
Topical treatment usually works at eradicating a jock itch infection. Itching and burning will gradually improve over a few days. The redness and rash may take a few weeks to clear up. See a healthcare professional if symptoms don’t improve after a week or two of treatment. The problem isn’t a tinea infection, or the fungus may require stronger drugs.
Once all the symptoms have cleared up, it’s a good idea to keep applying the medicine for at least a week. Once a person has jock itch, the risk of a second infection increases. One way to prevent that is to treat the infection fully.
Most importantly, use topical antifungals correctly
In most cases, the most successful treatments for jock itch are over-the-counter topical antifungal medicines. These medications will only succeed if used correctly. They do come with instructions, but here are a few tips that can help treatment succeed:
Don’t pay attention to the sales copy or brand name on the drug; instead, look at the generic name or active ingredient
Choose products whose active ingredient is “-fine” or “-azole”
Research suggests that terbinafine and naftifine have high cure rates; unfortunately, they may be more expensive than other creams or lotions
The medication usually needs to be applied once or twice a day for two weeks at a minimum
Don’t skip applications
Continue applying the medicine for at least one week after all symptoms have cleared up
Apply the medicine to the affected area and about an inch beyond on all margins
Always keep the affected area dry and clean
Dry off completely after a shower, bath, or swimming
Always change into clean clothes after exercising
Wear loose-fitting clothing and workout clothes
Avoid tight-fitting clothing, such as athletic supporters, that rub or irritate the affected area
While treating the infection, always wash clothes and bedclothes frequently during and after treatment. Tinea spores can live for months or years, depending on the moisture in the environment. This includes unwashed clothing, towels, bedding, and other surfaces.
FAQs about jock itch symptoms
What causes jock itch to flare up?
Tinea infections thrive in warm, moist areas of the skin. Keeping the area dry and clean can help reduce itchiness and burning of jock itch.
Can jock itch spread in the shower?
Tinea infections can spread in the shower, but only if the infection or fungal spores are on skin that touches shower floors or surfaces. Jock itch primarily spreads from person to person through contaminated hands, skin-to-skin contact, and contaminated objects like towels, clothing, and bed sheets. Many people get jock itch from an existing tinea infection on the foot, called athlete’s foot or tinea pedis. They scratch their feet or toes, get fungal spores on their hands, and then spread the infection to their groin.
Is jock itch contagious to women?
Women can get jock itch. It’s less common than in men. As with men, women can acquire jock itch from an existing athlete’s foot infection.
What’s next? Additional resources for people with jock itch symptoms
Test and diagnostics
Diagnosis and management of tinea infections, American Family Physician
Tinea cruris, StatPearls
Treatments
Jock itch treatments and medications, SingleCare
Tinea cruris, StatPearls
Topical treatment of common superficial tinea infections, American Family Physician
Scientific studies and clinical trials
Topical antifungal treatments for tinea cruris and tinea corporis, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
More information on related health conditions
Athlete’s foot treatments and medications, SingleCare
Ringworm treatments and medications, SingleCare
Types of foot fungus and how to treat them, SingleCare