What is tinea?

Tinea is a common skin, scalp or nail infection caused by a fungus.

The tinea fungus grows well in warm, moist places. Parts of your body that are warm and moist are ideal places for tinea to grow. This includes:

• the feet
• the groin area
• the scalp
• under the breasts
• your toes and fingernails

Most tinea infections are mild. They can be treated.

What are the types of tinea?

Tinea can infect many areas of the skin and nails. The infection has a different name depending on where it occurs. The name also depends on the type of fungus.

The types of tinea include:

• nail infection (onychomycosis) — a fungus infection on your toes or fingernails
• athlete's foot (tinea pedis) — a fungus infection of the skin on your feet
• ringworm of the scalp (tinea capitis) — a fungus infection on your head
• ringworm of the body (tinea corporis) — a fungus infection on some part of your body
• jock itch (tinea cruris) — a rash in the moist, warm areas of your groin

What are the symptoms of tinea?

The symptoms of tinea depend on where the tinea is located on the body:

• Skin — red, flaky rash that can crack, split and peel. It may look scaly and can spread out in a defined red ring. This is called ‘ringworm'. The name can be confusing because this infection is not caused by a worm. You may also notice pustules (small raised blisters) around the edges of the ring.
• Feet — itchy, peeling, red blisters between your toes or cracked skin.
• Nails — discolouration and thick, crumbly nails.
• Groin — itchy, scaly and painful rash.
• Head — itchy, red areas on your scalp or bald patches.

CHECK YOUR SYMPTOMS — Use the Symptom Checker and find out if you need to seek medical help.

What causes tinea?

Anyone can get a tinea infection.

Tinea pedis (athlete's foot) is common. If your feet sweat a lot, you can develop this. People who play sport or wear runners (sneakers) often get athlete's foot.

You can catch tinea from the floors of showers and shared changing rooms. The tinea fungus can live on the floor and spread from one person's foot to another.

When should I see my doctor?

You should see a doctor if:

• you have tinea in several places over your body
• the tinea is on your head or nails
• treatment with antifungal creams doesn't work
• the tinea keeps coming back

You can also ask your pharmacist for advice about fungal infections. If necessary, they can refer you to a doctor.

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How is tinea diagnosed?

Your doctor will ask you about your symptoms and examine you. They may take a sample of the infected area for testing to find out which fungus is causing the infection.

Samples may involve:

• skin or scale scraping
• hair plucking
• nail clipping

It is important to confirm that the infection is tinea before starting antifungal treatment.

How is tinea treated?

Tinea is treated with antifungal medicines. These medicines usually come as a:

• cream
• ointment
• gel
• nail lacquer
• tablets

Here are some ways to treat tinea at home:

• Buy an over-the-counter tinea treatment from any pharmacy. Speak to your pharmacist if you have questions about what to buy.
• Follow the instructions on the packet carefully. It can take weeks or even months for tinea to clear up. It depends on the type of fungus causing your tinea infection and where it is on your body.
• Continue using the antifungal medicine as instructed. You need to keep using it even after the tinea seems to have gone.
• Wash your hands well after you have used the tinea treatment cream or gel.
• Keep the infected area clean and dry. Try to get some fresh air onto the area.
• Change your shoes, socks, stockings and undergarments each day.

You might need prescription tablets from a doctor. These are sometimes needed if the tinea has spread across your body. They are also used if the skin treatment has not worked or keeps coming back. Tablets might also be needed for tinea infection on the head or nails.

Side effects

All medicines can have side effects. Before using tinea medicines, you can ask your doctor or pharmacist about:

• the side effects of your tinea medicines
• their benefits
• what to do if you miss a dose
• what to do if you get side effects

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Talk to your doctor as soon as possible if you feel unwell when taking your medicines. Do not stop or change your medicines without talking to your doctor.

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What are the complications of tinea?

If tinea is not treated, it can cause complications.

Untreated tinea of the scalp can lead to permanent scarring and hair loss (alopecia). It can also cause swollen lymph nodes at the base of the skull.

The tinea fungus is contagious. If you have tinea, you must be very careful about surfaces that you touch to avoid spreading the fungus to other people.

Some people have an allergic reaction to the fungus itself. This can lead to painful bacterial infections.

Can tinea be prevented?

Good personal hygiene can help prevent you from getting a tinea infection. Keeping your body clean will also stop the infection from spreading to other areas.

There are several things you can do to avoid getting tinea:

• Tinea is contagious. It is important not to share towels, flannels, bathmats, treatment creams or shoes.
• Wear thongs when showering in a communal shower.
• Put wet shoes in the sun to dry properly.
• After washing, dry your skin thoroughly. It is especially important to dry between your toes, in your groin and under your breasts.
• Use antiperspirants to help control sweating.

As well as good hygiene, what you wear can also make a difference:

• Wear clothing made from natural fibres instead of synthetics. Natural fibres can help to reduce the amount of warm, moist skin areas.
• Wear socks and shoes made from natural materials, such as cotton. Try to choose footwear that keeps your feet cool and dry.
• Change your socks, tights or stockings and bra every day.
• Wash your socks and towels with hot water to kill the fungus.
• Make sure your feet are completely dry before putting on socks, stockings or tights.

If you have tinea, it's important to wash your hands well with soap and water after cleaning or touching the infected area. This can help stop the infection from spreading to other people.

If you have tinea on your scalp, your doctor may recommend using a special shampoo twice a week until you get the results of diagnostic testing back.

If your child has tinea, they should stay home from school or child care to reduce the risk of infection.

Resources and support

If you have questions about tinea, you can call healthdirect on 1800 022 222 at any time to speak to a registered nurse (known as NURSE-ON-CALL in Victoria) for more information and advice.

The Australasian College of Dermatologists has information on many skin conditions.

Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples can access more information about tinea and other skin conditions in this booklet from the Healthy Skin Project.

The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) has a fact sheet on fungal infections of the skin and scalp.

The Queensland government has information on tinea, including signs, symptoms and treatment options.