Types of fungal skin infections
There are several different types of fungal infection that can affect your skin and nails.
Athlete’s foot
This is a really common infection. Around seven in 10 people have athlete’s foot (tinea pedis) at some point in their lives. It’s caused by a fungus that grows in the skin between your toes and on the soles of your feet. It grows easily here because the area gets moist when your feet sweat.
The skin between your toes can become itchy, flaky and red, with painful cracks, or fissures. The sole of your foot can also become itchy, thickened and scaly. You might get blisters too.
Athlete’s foot is more likely if your footwear makes your feet sweaty and you’re in a warm, humid environment. You can catch it by walking barefoot on damp, contaminated floors such as in communal bathing or swimming areas. After scratching the affected area, you can spread the infection to other parts of your body.
Nail infections
Fungal nail infections can affect any part of your nails. Toenails are much more likely to be affected than fingernails. The infection causes nails to discolour and become rough and crumbly. Your nail may also get thicker.
You’re more likely to get a fungal nail infection if you have other fungal infections, such as athlete’s foot. They’re also more common if you’re older, have another medical condition such as psoriasisor diabetesor if you bite your nails.
Ringworm
Despite its name, ringworm is an infection with a fungus not a worm. It gets its name because it often causes a ring-shaped rash. Ringworm infections are very common and can affect different parts of your body.
Ringworm on your body
This is most common on parts of your body that are exposed, such as your arms, legs or trunk. It causes a red, scaly, ring-shaped rash. You can catch ringworm by touching somebody who already has it or by touching contaminated items such as clothing or bedding. Animals, including cats and dogs, can also carry the ringworm fungus.
Ringworm in your groin
Ringworm in your groin causes an itchy, red rash in your groin and around the top of your legs. Also called ‘jock itch’, it’s more common in men. You’re more likely to get it if:
- your skin in this area often gets warm and damp
- you’re very overweight
- you often wear tight clothing
- you have diabetes
You’re most likely to get ringworm in your groin if you have other fungal infections. For example, about half of people who are affected also have athlete’s foot. You can spread it to other parts of your body by scratching. You can also pass it to others by direct contact or by sharing towels or clothing.
Ringworm on your scalp
You can get this at any age, but it mostly affects children. Scaly patches develop on your scalp and may be itchy. In some people, the patches become inflamed and red and have pus-filled spots. You may also develop a pus-filled area on your scalp; this is called a ‘kerion’.
You can get ringworm on your scalp by sharing a contaminated hairbrush or clothing used by somebody with the infection.
Candida (yeast) infections
Candida is a yeast, which is a kind of fungus. It may live harmlessly inside your digestive system or vagin*. But if conditions are right, candida can multiply and start to cause symptoms. These yeast infections most often appear around your genitals (vagin* or penis), in your mouth or where you have folds of skin. A common name for candida infections is ‘thrush’.
Thrush makes the affected area sore and itchy. The skin is usually red and moist, and small pus-filled spots may appear. In women, vagin*l thrushcan cause itchiness and a white discharge. Thrush in the mouth most often affects babies and older people (particularly if you have false teeth or a medical condition that lowers your resistance to infection). It appears as white patches, which leave a red mark if you rub them off.
Pityriasis versicolor
This is caused by a type of yeast called Malassezia, which usually lives harmlessly on the skin. It typically affects teenagers and young adults. Pityriasis versicolor causes patches of scaly, discoloured skin that are sometimes mildly itchy. It most commonly appears on your back, chest or upper arms but it can be in other areas. Patches can be pink, brown or red, or may be paler than the surrounding skin. You may notice this especially after being in the sun because the affected area doesn’t tan as much as the rest of your skin.
