Jock Itch

Medically Reviewed by Zilpah Sheikh, MD on May 30, 2024
Written by Lori M. King, PhD
7 min read

Jock itch is an infection caused by fungi called dermatophytes. Dermatophytes like to live in moist places on your body, such as your feet, groin, and armpits. The medical term is tinea cruris.

It’s a common problem for athletes who are assigned male at birth (AMAB), which is how it got its name. But you don’t have to play a sport or be a guy to get it. AMAB teens and young adults as well as people who have obesity, diabetes, or a weakened immune system are most likely to get it.

What does jock itch look like?

Jock itch usually infects your skin in the creases of your groin, over your inner thighs, and in your butt crack. Depending on your natural skin tone, your rash may look red, brown, purple, gray, tan, or white.

Your skin will likely look scaly or flaky and you may also have small bumps or blisters. Your rash may also look like a ring, with a clear center.

Jock itch usually affects the creases of your groin, inner thighs, and the skin around your anus.

Symptoms include:

  • A discolored, scaly, possibly ring-shaped rash with raised edges (Depending on your skin tone, your discolored skin may look red, brown, purple, gray, tan, or white. In some cases, the color change may be permanent.)
  • Itching and burning
  • Cracking, scaling, flaking, or peeling skin

Does jock itch smell?

Yes, jock itch can have a distinctive smell. The dermatophytes that cause your infection can cause a musty, moldy, or yeast-like smell. It may also smell sour. If you have a severe case of jock itch, the smell can be foul.

Jock itch is caused by fungi from three genera:

  • Trichophyton, especially Trichophyton rubrum, which causes most cases of jock itch around the world
  • Epidermophyton
  • Microsporum

These fungi need warm temperatures and moisture to grow. This is why you tend to get an infection in your groin, where you sweat a lot and your clothes trap the heat and moisture.

Is jock itch contagious?

Yes, jock itch is contagious. It can spread through skin-to-skin contact. You can get it through sexual contact with someone who has an infection. You can also get it from contact with an infected surface, such as by sharing towels or clothes with an infected person.

You can also spread the infection from one area of your body to another. For instance, you can get jock itch if you have athlete's foot and touch your groin after touching your feet. Or if you dry your feet and groin with the same towel.

You may be more likely to get jock itch if you:

  • Wear tight clothes that irritate your skin and trap heat and moisture around your groin and legs.
  • Sweat a lot around your groin.
  • Wear a wet bathing suit for a long time.
  • Share damp towels or sweaty clothing with other people.
  • Use the same towel to dry infected skin and uninfected skin.
  • Have close contact with someone who has jock itch.
  • Have obesity or overweight .
  • Have a weakened immune system or diabetes .

Can women get jock itch?

Yes, people who are assigned female at birth (AFAB) and women can get jock itch. It's rarer in people AFAB than in people who are AMAB.

Your doctor can usually diagnose jock itch by looking at your skin rash and hearing about your symptoms.

To confirm the diagnosis, your doctor may remove a small sample of skin (biopsy) and test it in the lab. The technician can add drops of potassium hydroxide to the skin cells to dissolve them. This will leave only fungal cells that they can see under the microscope. Or, they may stain your sample with a solution called the periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) stain that makes the fungi visible.

Jock itch doesn't typically go away on its own. And if you don't treat it, the infection can spread to your nails, hands, and feet. But medicines called antifungals can usually clear it up in a few weeks. These medicines are available in creams, ointments, gels, powders, and sprays.

You can buy the following over the counter (OTC):

  • Clotrimazole (Desenex, Lotrimin, Lotrimin AF) — available as a cream, lotion, ointment, or solution
  • Miconazole (Lotrimin AF Powder, Zeasorb Jock Itch) — comes in powder form
  • Terbinafine (Desenex Max, Lamisil AT Jock Itch) — comes as a cream, gel, or spray
  • Tolnaftate (Lamisil AF, Tinactin)— available in powder form

Your doctor can also prescribe antifungal pills, which usually have fluconazole, itraconazole, or terbinafine.

What is the fastest way to cure jock itch?

The fastest way to cure jock itch is to use an OTC antifungal cream, ointment, gel, spray, or powder. Make sure you read the medicine label and apply the medicine as directed. Talk to your doctor if you aren’t feeling better in 2 weeks. You might need a stronger prescription medicine.

To help the medicine do its work, keep the infected area, clean, dry, and cool. When you wash the infected area, dry yourself using a clean towel and then use a different towel for the rest of your body. Wear loose and breathable clothes.

A few home remedies may help you prevent jock itch, such as:

Apply essential oils to your skin in the areas where you might get an infection.

Try the following oils:

  • Tea tree
  • Bitter orange
  • Peppermint
  • Eucalyptus

These essential oils won't cure a fungal infection, but they can keep you from getting infected if you're prone to them. If you already have jock itch, you'll probably need to get an antifungal medicine to get rid of it.

Don't put essential oil directly on your skin. Instead, dilute it in a 1:10 ratio with another oil, such as coconut oil, before applying. For instance, add 1 drop of essential oil to 10 drops of coconut oil and mix. Also, you may have the best luck if you mix two to three different essential oils. For instance, mix tea tree and eucalyptus oils before diluting the mixture with coconut oil. Apply the oil to your skin with something clean and disposable, such as a cotton ball, to keep from spreading any fungus or bacteria around to other areas.

Eat more garlic in your diet.

Garlic has a molecule called ajoene, which can prevent germs from growing. While some research supports the use of garlic for its ability to keep germs from growing, more research is needed to fully understand if it's effective for jock itch and other fungal infections.

Good habits can lower your risk of getting jock itch:

Bathe. Shower or take a bath daily and again after playing sports or working out.

Stay dry. Pat your groin area dry with a clean towel. You may consider using an antifungal powder in your groin area to avoid getting an infection, especially when you know you're going to get sweaty.

Don’t share. Don’t let others use your towels or other personal items.

Wear clean clothes. Wash workout clothes or sports uniforms after each use. Change your underwear daily, or more often if you sweat a lot. Make sure you keep your athletic supporter or cup clean.

Don't wear tight-fitting clothes and underwear. They can rub and chafe your skin and make you more prone to getting jock itch. Consider switching to boxers if you wear briefs.

Other fungal infections, such as athlete’s foot (tinea pedis), can also spread to your groin and cause jock itch.

Take these steps to avoid that:

  • Treat the infection with an antifungal medicine for athlete’s foot.
  • Use a separate towel to dry your feet, or dry your groin before your feet.
  • Put on socks before wearing underwear so it doesn’t touch your bare feet.

Is it OK to scratch jock itch?

No, it's not a good idea to scratch the area. If you do, you can spread the infection to other areas of your body. Also, scratching can cause tears in your skin, which could lead to fungus and bacteria getting into your bloodstream. This can cause another infection on top of the jock itch.

Try applying a cold compress to help ease your itching without spreading it around. Make sure you put a clean towel over the area every time before you apply your compress.

Jock itch is an infection caused by fungi called dermatophytes. It's an itchy rash that thrives on warm, moist skin. Jock itch usually infects the skin in the creases of your groin, over your inner thighs, and in your butt crack. But you can buy an OTC antifungal medicine that will help you get rid of it. Keep the area clean and dry and don’t scratch to keep from spreading it to other parts of your body.

Is jock itch a form of sexually transmitted infection (STI)?

No, CDC doesn't consider jock itch a form of an STI. But it can spread from skin-to-skin contact, so you can get it from sexual contact or other close contact with an infected person. But you don't have to have sex with someone to get it.

Can jock itch heal itself?

No, not usually. If you have a very mild infection, you may get better by cleaning and drying the area extra carefully for a few weeks. You could also try applying essential oils to see if that helps. But most infections will need treatment with an antifungal medicine before they heal. Fortunately, you can buy an OTC antifungal medicine from your local pharmacy.