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Despite the name, jock itch isn’t exclusive to athletes. It’s just one way a type of contagious mold, called ringworm, can infect a person’s skin. In fact, anywhere on the body that a person has skin, hair, or nails, can host a ringworm infection. The good news is an effective treatment can be found for only a few dollars at a local drug or grocery store.
What is jock itch?
Jock itch, or tinea cruris, is a fungal infection of the outer skin on the groin, buttocks, and inner thighs. The infection is caused by several species of molds, called dermatophytes, which feed off proteins in the outer skin layers. These molds can infect any part of the body, not just the groin, including the feet, nails, and scalp. Dermatophyte infections are collectively called ringworm or tinea.
Jock itch is a contagious disease. Dermatophyte spores can be spread from person to person or from one part of the body to another. Skin-to-skin contact can spread spores, but most commonly spores are spread to the groin area on unwashed towels, washcloths, underwear, workout clothes, and bedsheets.
Jock itch is commonly an “auto-infection,” that is, the dermatophytes are spread from to the groin from other areas of the body. For instance, athlete’s foot (tinea pedis), easily caught from floors in locker rooms or showers, is a common source of jock itch infection. The dermatophytes infecting the foot can spread the groin area on the hands or even on a pair of underwear. The underwear brushes the skin as it’s pulled over the feet, picks up spores, and the spores then infect the groin area.
The groin is an ideal environment for dermatophytes because of sweating, skin chafing, and skin folds. Sweating and skin folds create the warm, moist areas that molds thrive in. Skin chafing damages the outer skin, allowing dermatophytes to more easily take root.
Athletes are particularly vulnerable to jock itch because they sweat, wear tight clothes, and are often infected with athlete’s foot. Other risk factors for jock itch include
- Excessive sweating
- Bad hygiene
- Athlete’s foot or other ringworm infections
- Participation in contact sports
- Living in a humid climate
- Excess weight
- A compromised immune system
- Uncontrolled diabetes
Jock itch is a common complaint, but many people treat it at home and never see a doctor. The best guess is that tinea infections occur in around a billion people a year, making ringworm one of the world’s most common skin infections. Jock itch, in particular, is three times more common among men than women in part because moisture gets trapped in the skin folds between the scrotum and the area under the scrotum. It is also more common in adolescents, probably because they are more likely to participate in sports.
About 90% of jock itch infections are cured in two to four weeks, usually with an antifungal cream, gel, spray, or powder. Many people, however, will experience frequent jock itch infections because of lifestyle, hygiene, or untreated ringworm on other parts of their body.
How is jock itch diagnosed?
A healthcare professional diagnoses jock itch by a physical examination. Many patients, however, diagnose themselves and treat the infection with store-bought creams or sprays.
The symptoms of jock itch are readily identifiable
- Redness or rash in the groin, inner thighs, buttocks, genital area, or around the anus
- Clear borders around the skin rash that sometimes include blisters
- Possible clearing within the middle of the red rash
- Itchiness, stinging, burning, or pain in the affected area
- Possible flaky skin
A general practitioner usually treats jock itch, but more extensive or complicated infections will require a dermatologist. The physician will base the diagnosis on the appearance of the infection but may examine the skin with a small, hand-held microscope. If there’s any doubt, the doctor may take a skin scraping and examine it under a microscope to confirm the presence of the molds.
Jock itch treatment options
Jock itch is treated with topical antifungal medications. Patients will also need to make hygiene and lifestyle changes to keep the infected area clean and dry.
Medications
Topical antifungal medications are enough to cure jock itch in two to four weeks. Most patients (80-90%) will be completely cured using store-bought antifungal creams, gels, sprays, or powders. For extensive or chronic infections, oral (“systemic”) antifungals will be prescribed for four to eight weeks. Because jock-itch is often caused by other ringworm infections on the body, such as athlete’s foot, all ringworm infections need to be treated at the same time.
Lifestyle changes
To help cure jock itch, patients need to keep the affected area clean and dry both during and after treatment by
- Wearing loose-fitting clothing and underwear
- Washing the area regularly
- Showering immediately after sweating or physical activity
- Not using the same washcloth or towel on other parts of your body
- Drying the skin completely after washing
- Not scratching or rubbing the area
Jock itch medications
Jock itch treatment usually begins with over-the-counter topical antifungals, but particularly stubborn infections may be treated with antifungal pills.
Topical antifungals
Store-bought topical antifungals clear up most jock itch infections. They work pretty quickly, eradicating the fungus in about two to four weeks. Topical azole antifungals, such as clotrimazole, miconazole, econazole, ketoconazole, and oxiconazole require twice-daily administration for two to four weeks to do the job.
Allylamine topicals, such as terbinafine, butenafine, and naftifine, only require once-daily administration and clear up the infection faster. However, they cost more. For some infections, a doctor may prescribe ciclopirox, a standard, broad-spectrum antifungal cream that is very effective against dermatophyte infections. Ciclopirox cream is also available over-the-counter.
Oral antifungals
Oral antifungals are more effective but have serious side effects. A doctor may prescribe oral antifungals if the infection is extensive or not clearing up with topical antifungals. In those rare cases, the doctor will prescribe either Lamisil (terbinafine) or Sporanox (itraconazole).
What is the best medication for jock itch?
Topical allylamine antifungal creams are the preferred therapy because they only require a once-a-day application and resolve the infection quickly. However, many patients will use topical azole antifungals because of the lower price. They are as effective as allylamines, but they require a twice-a-day application over a longer period to eradicate the infection.
| Best medications for jock itch | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drug Name | Drug Class | Administration Route | Standard Dosage | Common Side Effects |
| Lamisil AT (terbinafine) | Allylamine antifungal | Topical | Apply 1% cream once a day to the affected area | Burning, irritation, redness |
| Naftin (naftifine) | Allylamine antifungal | Topical | Apply 1% gel or cream once a day to the affected area | Itching, burning, redness |
| Lotrimin Ultra (butenafine) | Allylamine antifungal | Topical | Apply 1% cream once a day to the affected area for two weeks | Burning, itching, redness |
| Lotrimin AF (clotrimazole) | Azole antifungal | Topical | Apply a thin layer of cream over the affected area twice a day | Burning, stinging, redness |
| Desenex (miconazole) | Azole antifungal | Topical | Cover the affected area once in the morning and once in the evening | Irritation, burning, maceration |
| Loprox (ciclopirox olamine) | Hydroxypyridone antifungal | Topical | Gently massage 0.77% cream into the affected and surrounding skin areas twice daily, in the morning and evening | Itching, burning, worsening of symptoms |
| Lamisil (terbinafine) | Allylamine antifungal | Oral | One 250 mg tablet per day | Headache, fever, cough |
| Sporanox (itraconazole) | Imidazole antifungal | Oral | One 100 mg capsule twice daily | Nausea, rash, diarrhea |
Many of the standard dosages above are from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Dosage is determined by your doctor based on your medical condition, response to treatment, age, and weight. Other possible side effects exist. This is not a complete list.
What are the common side effects of jock itch medication?
Jock itch is treated with topical or oral antifungal medications. While topical antifungals rarely cause side effects, oral antifungals are reserved only for the most stubborn or extensive jock itch infections because of their side effects.
Topical antifungals typically have few and only very mild side effects, usually burning, itching, stinging, or skin irritation wherever the medication is applied. Allergic reactions are a problem and could be severe enough to require medical attention.
Oral antifungals affect the whole body and have significant, commonly-experienced side effects such as headache, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and nausea. Oral antifungals with the most severe side effects (fluconazole and griseofulvin) are never used for jock itch, but both itraconazole and terbinafine can cause severe allergic reactions in some patients.
What is the best home remedy for jock itch?
Jock itch can be successfully eradicated with store-bought antifungal medications. They are effective, inexpensive, and have minor and rarely experienced side effects. Rubbing alcohol, a common home remedy for jock itch, is almost as effective as antifungal medications but will produce side effects such as irritation, redness, and dry skin. It is also toxic and can be absorbed through the skin, so it is not advised as a jock itch treatment.
Other home remedies, such as apple cider vinegar, tea tree oil, licorice root, oil of oregano, coconut oil, and others have not been scientifically demonstrated to help cure jock itch. Honey, beeswax, and Ajoene gel (garlic) have been shown in at least one study to cure jock itch, but these results have not been verified.
Natural remedies are always problematic for contagious infections because, if they don’t work, they raise the risk of spreading the infection to other people.
The best home remedies for jock itch, then, involve applying store-bought antifungal medications, keeping the infected area clean and dry, and taking precautions not to spread the infection.
Use over-the-counter antifungals
Jock itch is most effectively treated with over-the-counter antifungal creams, gels, ointments, sprays, or powders.
Wash the groin area regularly
Wash the affected area several times a day and dry it thoroughly with a clean, unused towel. Make sure any washcloth or towel you use is immediately washed in hot water.
Wear loose-fitting and dry clothing
Dermatophytes thrive in warm, moist environments, so avoid tight-fitting underwear and clothes. Immediately remove wet or sweaty clothes, dry the groin area, and put on new, dry clothes.
Change and wash clothes regularly
Clothes and sheets are the most effective way to spread the infection or re-infect yourself. Change clothes every day and wash them in hot water to kill the dermatophyte spores. Consider changing underwear more than once a day. Sheets and blankets are also covered in spores after a single night’s sleep, so they should be washed in hot water every day.
Avoid scratching
Although jock itch causes an itchy rash, scratching risks spreading the infection around the groin, to other parts of the body, or to other people. Use anti-itch medications that do not contain steroids to relieve the itching and burning.
Frequently asked questions about jock itch
How long does it take to clear up jock itch?
Topical antifungal medications usually clear the infection in two to four weeks. Over-the-counter allylamines (terbinafine, naftifine, and butenafine) clear the infection more quickly than medications such as miconazole or clotrimazole
Is jock itch an STD?
Jock itch is not a sexually-transmitted disease, but a fungal infection of the groin that is usually caught from objects contaminated with fungal spores, such as clothes, sheets, towels, or washcloths. Jock itch can also be spread from fungal infections on other parts of the body, such as the feet or nails.
Can rubbing alcohol cure jock itch?
Isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol), bleach, and concentrated hydrogen peroxide will kill the dermatophytes that cause jock itch. However, these are harsh chemicals that will damage the skin and possibly poison the body when absorbed through the skin. It is not a good idea to continually apply these chemicals to an infection on the surface of the skin.
How do you get jock itch rash?
Jock itch is spread from person-to-person or from one part of the body to another through skin-to-skin contact, towels, bedsheets, clothing, and other objects. Athlete’s foot is one of the most common ways to get jock itch. It’s easy for people to catch athlete’s foot from the gym, bathroom, or shower floors, and then they spread the infection from their feet to their groin area simply by putting on underwear. The underwear rubs against the feet, picks up dermatophyte spores, and warmth and moisture in the groin area do the rest.
Is there a pill to cure jock itch?
Pills are usually not given for jock itch. Instead, jock itch is treated with antifungal powder, creams, gels, lotions, or sprays that are applied directly to the infected skin. In rare cases, a jock itch infection can stubbornly hold on or the person might have another condition (such as diabetes or a compromised immune system) which makes it harder to clear the infection. In those cases, a daily pill will be prescribed for anywhere from six to eight weeks. Side effects, however, are common and unpleasant.
What is the fastest way to cure jock itch?
Over-the-counter topical antifungal medications with terbinafine, naftifine, or butenafine can clear up the infection in two or three weeks with once-daily application.
How long does it take for Lotrimin to work on jock itch?
Lotrimin is a topical antifungal brand-name medication that can cure jock itch in two to four weeks depending on the active ingredient.