Do You Have Jock Itch?

Jock itch is medically called “tinea cruris”. The “tinea” refers to “fungus”, which is the cause of the jock itch infection. And the “cruris” refers to “legs”, which is not the exact location of the jock itch infection, but works just as well since jock itch is an infection that occurs in the inside of the upper legs.

Jock itch is a skin infection caused by various types of fungi which appear like molds. These jock itch fungi are described as “dermatophytes”, since they live on the dead cells of the skin. This implies that almost everyone has dermatophytes on the skin, but not everyone experiences jock itch. This is because the fungi that cause jock itch flourish only when the skin environment has become conducive to their growth.

A conducive skin environment for jock itch to develop is a warm, sweaty skin. The slightly higher temperatures encourage the jock itch fungi to multiply. While the sweat washes away the vital skin oils that are supposed to kill the fungi and prevent skin infections. In the case of jock itch, the fungi live and thrive in the groin, the anal area, and the inside of the thighs.

These parts of the body become specially sweaty and warm when a person is involved in physical sports. And when such athletes or jocks don’t wash often enough or share towels, they develop the jock itch. An athlete must suspect of having jock itch when he begins to experience an itching and burning sensation in and around the groin area.

To verify if an athlete indeed has jock itch, one should check for the presence of these symptoms of jock itch. The first jock itch symptom is the redness of the skin of the thigh, the area around the anus and the groin. This jock itch symptom is followed by the appearance of angry-red rashes.

Every jock itch picture shows that these rashes are usually circular in shape, and the edges of these rashes are distinctly raised. With the presence of these circular rashes of jock itch, an athlete will feel uncomfortable when walking or running. The athlete will also feel a sharp burning and persistent itching sensation. Another jock itch symptom is the cracking and eventual peeling off of the infected area of the skin.

Jock itch, however, is not an exclusive skin infection for athletes. That is, other people, even when they are not athletes, may also contract jock itch. They will experience the same symptoms of jock itch, such as the redness, the itching, the burning, and the chaffing of the skin. The people who are prone to jock itch are those who sweat profusely. People who are diabetic and obese are also prone to jock itch.

Fortunately, the symptoms of jock itch will disappear by themselves if a person has an excellent immune system. Over-the-counter fungal creams, sprays, and pills can be used to hasten the healing of jock itch. These remedies work best when the person with jock itch practices good hygiene. But for those who have compromised immune systems (people with diabetes, AIDS, or inherited skin diseases), a doctor should be consulted immediately.