Fungal skin infections

Medical terms

Tinea pedis, tinea capititis, candida albicans, pityriasis versicolor

Common terms

Athlete’s foot, jock itch, thrush, ringworm, red scaly patches, tinea

Overview

Fungal and yeast skin conditions can be caused by excessive growth of a yeast on the skin. Warm, moist skin encourages fungal infections which is why they often occur on the feet or the groin. These conditions can be spread between humans and from animals.

Symptoms and signs

Symptoms depend on the underlying fungus and the part of the body affected. The fungus can infect just one area of the body or several areas. Infections of the scalp or beard can lead to hair loss. Fungal infections can sometimes be confused with other skin conditions such as psoriasis and eczema. Sometimes a skin scraping or nail clipping or hair fragment will be required to send to a laboratory to confirm the diagnosis and identify the fungus.

Treatment

Treatment may include prescription creams, lotions, medicated powders or topical treatments but often oral prescription medication is required.