6 Things Everyone Should Know About Jock Itch

First and foremost, unlike the common misinformation that jock itch only happens to athletes, you’re not immune! Jock itch can happen to anyone. The most common symptom is itchiness around the genital area (jock, inner thighs, balls, etc.). Even though it is not severe, jock itch can get extremely annoying and that’s why you need to know about these important 6 things.

1.  Jock itch is a type of fungal infection around the groin or inner thighs area. Its symptoms are itchiness and rashes similar to Athlete’s Foot.

The rashes are usually marked with a scaly texture of itchy bumps that might resemble blisters. The rashes might has a red or red-brown color.

Itchiness is the most common symptom of jock itch, but sometimes it doesn’t appear. In some cases, the infection only appears as red rashes. Keep in mind that it is normal for the rash to appear on one side of the body and not the other.

2. Men are usually the victims, but women can be affected too.

Jock itch is a lot more common than people think. Doctors’ report seeing people with jock itch infection on a weekly basis. Keep in mind that it does not discriminate based on gender so both men and women can be infected.

3. Jock itch fungus flourishes in moist environments.

Dermatophyte  & Candida are the most commonly types of fungus and yeast that cause jock itch, and they thrive best in environments that contain moisture. In other words, your sweat plays a big role in your likeliness of getting jock itch.That’s the reason why, as you would have figured by now, athletes tend to get infected with jock itch because they sweat excessively on a daily basis. On top of that, athletes usually wear tight clothes (gym clothes, wok-out clothes, etc.) that potentially hold and trap the sweat in the groin area.

It also explains why men tend to get jock itch more than women because they usually sweat more in that area. Men’s crotch area are usually more “crowded” than women therefore excessive build-ups of extra moisture can happen.

4.  Jock itch is contagious. It can even spread from your feet to your crotch.

Most of the time when people have jock itch, they already have some other fungal infection on their feet (athlete’s foot). It is very easy to transfer the fungus from your feet to your groin area especially with underwear.

Jock itch fungus can also transfer through physical contact with the affected area or objects. For example, sharing sheets, clothes, towels, athletic gears, etc. might lead to higher exposure to infection

5.  Go see a Dermatologist if you think you have jock itch.

There are other infections and allergies that have the same or similar symptoms as jock itch therefore seeing a dermatologist to clarify is very important.

6.  Over-the-counter anti-fungal topical cream and powder can help relieve the infection.

There are many products out there that can certainly help you fight fungal infection such as Lotrimin, Lamisil, or Fugacil. Maintaining the dryness over the infected area is also essential and can be done by using powder like Zeasorb.

Treatment on the foot is also needed to prevent recurrence