Athlete’s foot (tinea pedis) is a contagious, often reoccurring fungal infection. Various fungi can invade the skin and spread in warm, moist environments such as shoes and boots. Infections commonly begin between the toes, but the fungi can spread to the groin or underarms by touching the infected skin and other parts of the body, contaminated surfaces such as bathroom and shower floors, or materials such as bed sheets and towels.

Symptoms may include:

In the U.S., one out of every four people will suffer from athlete’s foot at some point in their life. Some podiatrists claim the number is even greater due to a group of people they refer to as “Silent Sufferers”. Silent sufferers are those who do not seek treatment or have tried various products to without success. They tend to live with the discomfort and embarrassment until their athlete’s foot worsens and they must seek medical attention. Left untreated, athlete’s foot can cause other health issues.