If the skin between your toes is cracked, white and itchy, it’s most likely athlete’s foot: a fungal infection treated with an over-the-counter antifungal cream applied daily for several weeks. The most common mistake isn’t picking the wrong product, it’s stopping too early, because the itching goes long before the fungus has been cleared.
What it actually is
Athlete’s foot, or tinea pedis, is a surface infection of the skin caused by dermatophyte fungi, the same kind of organism behind ringworm of the body or of the groin. It takes hold easily because these fungi feed on keratin and find closed shoes a warm, damp, ideal place to grow.
It usually turns up first between the fourth and fifth toes, the least ventilated spot, and can spread from there to the sole or the other toes.
How you catch it
You don’t need direct contact with another person. The fungi survive on damp surfaces and spread mainly through:
- Walking barefoot in swimming pools, shared showers, gyms or changing rooms.
- Sharing towels, socks or shoes with someone who is infected.
- Wearing closed, damp trainers for many hours at a stretch.
The CDC (the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) notes that these fungi spread through direct contact with damp surfaces such as shower and changing-room floors, and recommend wearing protective footwear in those places as a preventive measure.
The symptoms that identify it
| Sign | How it shows up |
|---|---|
| Itching and burning | Especially between the toes, worse in the heat |
| Cracked or flaking skin | Between the toes or along the edges of the foot |
| Redness | On and around the affected area |
| Blisters | Can appear on the sole, sometimes weeping |
| Smell | Absent unless there is a bacterial infection on top |
The interdigital form (between the toes) is the most common. There is also a “moccasin” form affecting the whole sole and the edges of the foot with thickened, dry skin, and a blistering form, which is less usual.
Treatment: which cream, and for how long
First-line treatment is a topical antifungal sold without prescription in pharmacies. According to the product information authorised by Spain’s medicines agency, the AEMPS, these are the two most common active ingredients:
| Active ingredient | How often to apply | Usual duration |
|---|---|---|
| Clotrimazole 1% cream | 2-3 times a day | 3-4 weeks |
| Terbinafine 1% cream | 1-2 times a day | 1 week |
Terbinafine works faster because it is fungicidal (it kills the fungus outright), whereas clotrimazole is fungistatic (it stops the fungus growing and lets the skin’s own turnover clear it), so it needs longer. Both are specifically indicated for tinea pedis in their official leaflets.
The point almost everyone skips: you have to keep applying the cream for the number of days given in the leaflet even if the itching stopped earlier. Stopping treatment the moment you feel relief is the most common reason athlete’s foot is back a few weeks later.
How to apply the cream properly
- Wash and dry your feet thoroughly, especially between the toes, before each application.
- Apply a thin layer covering the affected area and a little healthy skin around it.
- If the infection is between the toes, you can cover the area with a thin gauze, particularly overnight.
- Wash your hands afterwards so you don’t spread the fungus elsewhere.
- Don’t put other products (moisturisers, powders) on the same area at the same time unless your pharmacist tells you to.
How to stop it coming back
Athlete’s foot returns easily if the conditions that encouraged it haven’t changed. The best-supported preventive measures are simple and all come down to keeping the foot dry:
- Dry carefully between your toes after showering; that is where moisture lingers most.
- Change your socks daily and choose a fibre that wicks moisture away (cotton or technical fabrics), avoiding synthetics that hold it in.
- Rotate your shoes so each pair gets at least a full day to dry out between wears.
- Wear flip-flops in pools, gym showers and shared changing rooms.
- If you sweat heavily, an antiperspirant or antifungal powder in your shoes helps keep them dry.
- Disinfect or replace the shoes you were wearing during the infection, since spores can survive inside them.
When to see a doctor
Speak to your pharmacist or doctor, rather than carrying on by yourself, if:
- There is no clear improvement after two to four weeks of correct treatment.
- The skin swells, or there is pus or a strong smell, which can mean a bacterial infection on top.
- You have a fever, or redness is spreading quickly up the foot or leg.
- You have diabetes: any wound or infection on the foot should be assessed by a professional as soon as possible, given the risk of complications.
- You have a weakened immune system (through illness or treatment).
- Your toenails are affected too (thickened, yellowish or crumbling), since a nail fungal infection needs a different and much longer approach.
- Symptoms keep coming back despite correct treatment and prevention.
This article is for information only and does not replace assessment by a healthcare professional. If you have any doubt about your own case, speak to your pharmacist or doctor.
Sources: Patient leaflet, Terbinafina Pensa 10 mg/g cream — CIMA, AEMPS (in Spanish) · Patient leaflet, Canespie Clotrimazol 10 mg/g cream — CIMA, AEMPS (in Spanish) · Ringworm Basics — CDC · Healthy Habits: Foot Hygiene — CDC · Athlete’s foot — MedlinePlus, NIH