Jock Itch Symptoms in Men and Women
Jock itch is a common skin disorder that affects the genital area. Though it’s often associated with athletes, anyone can be affected by this disease. The skin condition is caused by a fungus called dermatophytes that naturally live on the human body.
Though they don’t cause problems most of the time, this fungus can become problematic under the right conditions. Specifically, the fungus thrives in places that are warm and moist and usually find an ideal home in the genital area because the skin there tends to fit the criteria more often than not.
Jock itch is known by a couple of different names including crotch itch, Dhobi itch, gym itch, jock rot, tinea cruris and ringworm of the groin. It is colloquially called jock itch because it’s become associated with people who sweat a lot as is common with people who participate in sports.
Jock Itch Signs and Symptoms
Effectively treating jock itch requires that you first identify the disease. There are other fungal infections, such as Candidiasis, that share some of the same symptoms as tinea cruris. However, the treatments for these other infections are not necessarily the same, and you don’t want to waste time and money using a treatment that’s not going to fix the problem.
The most common signs and symptoms of jock itch are:
- Itching, burning, or chafing of the genitals, thighs, or around anus
- Red rash with raised scaly edges that’s circular in shape; the rash may also have bumps that are similar to blisters in appearance
- Reddish-brown or normal coloring in the center of the rash
- Oozing from the bumps/blisters at the edges of the rash
- Redness and inflammation in the groin, anal region, and/or thigh skin
- Skin that cracks, flakes, or peels
- Skin that’s abnormally dark or light; this may become permanent depending on the severity of the infection and your genes
- Black men and women may experience hyperpigmentation in the affected area
- White discharge from the vagina
- Breaks in the skin, open sores, and ulcers in severe cases
- Cellulitus in rare cases
Jock itch typically doesn’t smell bad, though some people have reported a cheesy odor. If there is a smell like fish in your groin area, you may be suffering from a yeast infection rather than (or in addition to) jock itch.
Most of the time, the infection will settle into the folds of the skin such as where the intersection where the thigh and groin meet. However, the rash and itching may spread to the penis shaft or scrotum in males and the mons pubis (the mound above the vaginal area), labia, and vagina in women. The infection may also spread to the anus.
The symptoms may worsen with exercise or other activities that cause the area to sweat and get hot. Over time, if the infection is not treated, the symptoms may worsen and damage the skin in ways that are extremely uncomfortable.
What Does Jock Itch Look Like?
Typically the infection will begin in the skin folds and creases and then spread to other parts of the groin area such as the scrotum. It usually starts as red or pink irritated skin that gradually becomes a circular rash bordered by small bumps or blisters. The center of the rash may look like normal skin or be reddish-brown in color, giving the entire area a ring-like appearance (hence why it’s called ringworm of the groin). It may be moist to the touch, particular at the edges where the blisters may ooze.
Who Gets Jock Itch?
Males get jock itch most often, but females can also develop it. The primary cause of developing the infection is allowing the area to stay moist for long periods of time. This can happen in any number of ways such as failing to thoroughly dry the area after showering, allowing sweat to sit for hours after participating in an activity, or poor hygiene.
Tinea cruris can affect healthy and ill people alike, but you’re more likely to get these infections if you have diabetes, an autoimmune disorder, or are obese. Yeast infections and other diseases involving bacterial overgrowth also increases your risk of getting jock itch. Wearing tight undergarments that irritate the genital area or doesn’t allow for adequate ventilation, hot and humid weather, excess moisture or sweating in the groin, friction or skin rubbing, skin allergies, and having ringworm on other parts of your body also make you more susceptible to developing this fungal infection.
As noted previously, the fungi that causes tinea cruris lives on the body but will only breed into an infection when the opportunity is right. However, you can also get jock itch from and spread it to others. The fungus can survive on dead skin cells, and these skin cells can transfer from person to person via skin-to-skin contact from activities such as sex or sharing infected clothing with others.
Do Women Get Jock Itch?
Yes. Women are as susceptible to getting jock itch as men and for the same reasons. While they can get the skin disorder from the same sources, there’s the additional risk of getting the disease from poor use of external feminine products like pads. Douching and using harsh cleaning products in the vaginal area also increases the risk of getting jock itch because they can kill good flora in the vagina that helps keep bacteria and fungus in check. Female athletes and other active women should take particular care to wear underwear that allows for adequate ventilation of the genital region to help keep it dry.
Can Jock Itch Cover the Whole Body?
No. Jock itch only affects the groin area. However, having jock itch can increase your risk of developing ringworm in other places on your body including the feet and hands. Failing to wash your hands after touching an infected part of the groin area can spread the fungus to other areas, where it can grow into other types of skin disorders such as ringworm of the scalp.
When to See a Doctor
This type of infection is easily treated at home using a number of remedies. If healing doesn’t occur within two to three weeks of starting treatments, however, it’s a good idea to see a doctor about your condition. As previously noted, jock itch shares many symptoms with other skin diseases and what you have may not be jock itch at all. Alternatively, the infection may be resistant to home remedies and require a stronger medication to eradicate.
You should also contact your family physician if you develop other symptoms, the infection continually returns, or the infection increases in severity.
How Long Does Jock Itch Last?
This depends on a few factors including your own health and wellness. In healthy people, this fungal infection will typically clear up within two weeks of consistent treatment with an antifungal product. However, it may take up to four weeks or longer if you have recurring infections, do not maintain good genital hygiene, or you have reduced immune function.
Tests and Diagnoses
The majority of the time, a doctor can diagnose jock itch by talking to you about your symptoms, evaluating your medical history, and examining the affected area. If the situation calls for it, though, the doctor may order some tests to be conducted to help determine if you have this infection.
One is a KOH exam which involves placing a skin scraping in potassium hydroxide (KOH) and looking at the solution under a microscope. Since the chemical kills all cells except for the fungus, this can let the doctor know if any are present. The doctor will either obtain the results within a few days of your visit if not while you’re actually as his or her office.
Alternatively, the doctor may collect a skin culture and send it to an outside lab for evaluation. Typically, the lab will place the sample in a dish and observe how it develops. If the fungus grows, the lab will return the results to the doctor. It can take up to three weeks to obtain the outcome of the testing.
If the infection recurs frequently, the doctor may question you about your habits to determine what could be causing it and suggest some ways you can reduce or eliminate your risk of getting the disease again.
Difference Between Herpes and Jock Itch
Sometimes jock itch is mistaken for herpes and vice versa. In its early stages, herpes does have some symptoms in common with jock itch. However, these two diseases are very different.
Herpes is a sexually transmitted disease– a virus that affects the person internally but produces external symptoms. It differs from jock itch in that it can lay dormant for long periods of time, and a person may not know he or she has herpes until their first outbreak which may occur some months or years after being infected with the disease.
The outbreaks manifest in stages over about three weeks. In genital herpes it begins as genital itching but advances to a rash, sores, crusting, and then a return to normal-looking skin. During this time, you may also experiencing burning, stinging, and swelling and the sores may blister and ooze.
Jock itch looks like a rash with bumps at its edges. However, herpes looks like a collection of festering heat blisters and will form crusty scabs when they pop. While jock itch can infect the penis, it often doesn’t. On the other hand, herpes will form indiscriminately on the penis and vaginal tissues.
Unfortunately, there is no cure for herpes. Treatment typically focuses on minimizing symptoms and preventing the spread of the disease to others.
What Does Jock Itch Look Like?
Properly diagnosing jock itch (tinea cruris) is important to treating it effectively. There are a few other skin infections that can cause the same type of skin rashes associated with jock itch, so knowing what it looks like can go a long way towards diagnosing it correctly.
Most people will suffer from jock itch at least once in their lifetimes. Jock itch, or tinea cruris, is a skin infection that affects the groin area. It is characterized by a red raised rash that typically forms in the folds of the skin (between the thigh and groin area) but may also develop on the inner and upper thighs, buttocks, anal area, abdomen, and even the armpits. Men and teenage boys are disproportionately affected by jock itch, hence the name. However, women and teenage girls can also develop the infection, particularly if they are physically active.
Jock Itch Signs and Symptoms
The primary sign that you may have jock itch is the formation of a rash in the groin area. This rash may be red or purple in appearance, in the shape of a ring, scaly around the edges, and contain pimples or pustules. In men, the rash may appear on the scrotum and pubic area but not the penis. In women, the rash typically forms in the crevices between the thigh and groin but not the inner folds of the vagina. Women need to be particularly careful about correctly diagnosing jock itch because the condition shares symptoms with other common vaginal skin infections like candidiasis.
The fungus that causes jock itch does not smell, but may produce an unpleasant odor if it comes into contact with bacteria and sweat. Many people with tinea cruris also report uncomfortable itching, burning, or chafing in the groin. The affected skin may crack, peel, or flake.