Jock Itch Treatment, Prevention, Causes, and Home Care Tips

Dr. Vindhya Veerula, Dermatologist, explains everything about Jock Itch, including its treatment, causes, and prevention.

WHAT IS JOCK ITCH? (0:21)
Now this is a type of a fungal infection that occurs in the superficial layers of the skin and it involves the thighs the buttocks and often the groin areas. It’s known as Tinea Cruris or Jock Itch. Now, this is a frustrating often irritating type of skin condition that can often be itchy.



WHAT CAUSES JOCK ITCH? (0:33)
It is a fungus known as Trichophyton Rubrum which is the most common one. Although, there are other type of species that can also cause jock itch. This commonly affects men, or athletes more than women but can affect women as well and is caused by moist environment which happens in the groin area frequently especially to those who work out a lot or are athletes and sweat a lot.



WHAT CAN YOU DO TO PREVENT AND TREAT JOCK ITCH? (1:02)
I am going to review few of the things you can do to prevent and also to treat jock itch. Now, a jock itch commonly is something that can be prevented by taking a shower, or making sure to cleanse the skin after working out or when sweating. If you’re prone to sweating specially in the area and you can’t shower right away, using powder can be helpful. There are certain over-the-counter remedies that can be used. Most of the times we are using different types of topical creams to treat this infection.
They usually go away after 2-4 weeks of treatment. So other things over the counter, there is Lamisil which is also called terbinafine. There are several other ones over the counter which are the types of anti-fungal creams and powders that can be used. I usually recommend using either a type of moisture absorbing powder like Zeasorb or baby powder or different things like that, that can absorb the heat and moisture and making sure that you shower right after working out or sweating. The other thing that’s helpful is using loose fitting clothing rather than tight clothes as this creates a moist environment



IS IT CONTAGIOUS? (2:19)
Jock itch is something that can be transferred to other people.
Jock Itch is also known as ringworm and it’s just ringworm that’s affecting the groin area and this is something that can be transmitted in moist environment such as gym or public pools, different things like that, like where you have heat and humidity.
So, a few tips that I usually recommend is if you’re prone to getting recurrent bouts of jock itch, often you can transfer it from other sources that you have in your skin and a common area this occurs is from the feet. So, having ringworm on your feet is called Tinea Pedis and you can frequently transfer the fungus from the feet to the groin after showering or putting on underwear.




HOW CAN YOU PREVENT RINGWORM FROM REACHING YOUR GROIN AREA? (3:07)
One little trick that I usually recommend is making sure after you shower you put your socks on then your undergarment and this can prevent transfer.




WHAT INCREASES THE RISK FOR JOCK ITCH? (3:19)
Although it cannot be transmitted to other individuals. Usually you have to have some other risk factors to get it and that’s going to be someone: Someone overweight or if you are an athlete or if you have diabetes or a suppressed immune system, you are more likely to get these types of rashes.



WHAT ARE THE TREATMENT OPTIONS FOR JOCK ITCH? (3:41)
Now, in terms of treatment, we touch base with some of the over-the-counter remedies. If these don’t work, often we have to do a prescription strength anti-fungal cream which is applied about once or twice a day up to 2-4 weeks. But sometimes we do need to use oral medication if your jock itch is more recalcitrant to treatment or with repeated bouts.
Something else I like to use is an anti- fungal type shampoo that can be used as a body wash in the shower. And this something else people can do as maintenance as well.

More at https://www.emedihealth.com/treat-joc...

Website: https://www.emedihealth.com

Don't forget to follow eMediHealth on:
  / emedihealth  
  / emedi.health  
  / emedihealth  
  / emedihealth