Common Foot Rashes: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatments

A rash on top of your foot or anywhere on your foot can have several causes. Common foot rashes include fungal or bacterial infections, allergic reactions, contagious skin conditions, and more.

Although foot rashes may have similar characteristics, they require different treatments. It’s important to determine what type of foot rash you have so you can get the right treatment. See your healthcare provider for a proper diagnosis. If your rash worsens or persists, let your healthcare provider know.

Athlete’s Foot

Athlete’s foot, also called tinea pedis, is a common foot infection caused by a fungus. The rash most commonly occurs between the toes.

Symptoms

The most common symptom is cracked, flaking, peeling skin between the toes or on the side of the foot. Other symptoms can include:

• Red and itchy skin
• Burning or stinging pain
• Blisters that ooze or get crusty

Chronic athlete’s foot causes a scaly rash that can be mistaken for dry skin or eczema, with a “moccasin” type look, where the skin on the bottom and sides of your feet is dry and scaly.

The top of the foot is usually unaffected in athlete’s foot.

Causes

As the name implies, athlete’s foot is common among athletes because the fungus is often found in warm, damp areas around pools and in public showers. Athlete’s foot is often passed from foot to foot in locker rooms.

Factors that increase your risk for athlete’s foot include:

• Sweating a lot
• Keeping your feet wet for long periods or not changing out of sweaty socks
• Wearing plastic-lined, closed-toe shoes

Treatment

If you think you have athlete’s foot, treat it sooner rather than later. The longer you wait, the worse and more itchy the rash will become.

Mild forms of athlete’s foot can usually be treated with over-the-counter anti-fungal powder or cream. You should apply the medication twice a day.

If the infection doesn’t clear up, your healthcare provider may prescribe an oral anti-fungal medication.

For preventative measures, always ensure that your feet are dry before you put on socks or shoes.

If you recurrently get fungus infections, clean and sanitize your socks and sneakers or purchase new ones to avoid reinfection from fungus spores. And if you are getting it from public showers or lockers, wear flip-flops to protect your feet whenever you might be potentially exposed.

Poison Ivy, Poison Oak, and Poison Sumac

Poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac rashes are blistering skin rashes caused by coming into contact with the oily sap found on these common plants.

Symptoms

The main symptom of poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac rashes is an itchy and blistering rash that can emerge any time from a few hours to several days after exposure to the plant oil.

Signs of a severe reaction that require immediate medical care include:

• Difficulty breathing or swallowing
• A rash around one or both eyes, near your mouth, or on your genitals
• Swelling on your face, especially if an eye swells shut
• Itching that worsens or makes it impossible to sleep
• Rashes on most of your body
• A fever

Causes

Poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac plants have a type of oil in their leaves, stems, roots, and fruit called urushiol. If you are sensitive to it, which most people are, you can get a rash on areas of skin that come into contact with any part of these plants or with the oil (if the oil gets on fabric, for example).

Treatment

If you have a poison ivy, poison oak, or poison sumac rash that isn’t too severe, it will usually go away on its own in one to three weeks without treatment. In the meantime, the best treatment is to relieve the itching so you aren’t tempted to scratch the rash, which can lead to infection.

A few ways to treat a rash from a poisonous plant include:

• Take short, lukewarm baths. To ease the itch, add colloidal oatmeal or one cup of baking soda to the running water. Taking short, cool showers may also help.
• Use calamine lotion or hydrocortisone cream. These over-the-counter products can alleviate the itch.
• Apply cool compresses to the itchy skin. You can make a cool compress by wetting a clean washcloth with cold water and wringing it out so that it does not drip. Then, apply the cool cloth to the itchy skin.
• Consider taking antihistamine pills. These pills can help reduce itching. You should not apply an antihistamine to your skin, as doing so can worsen the rash and the itch.

If you have a severe reaction, your healthcare provider will prescribe a steroid ointment or oral prednisone.

If you think your skin has been exposed to poison ivy, immediately wash off the exposed area with warm water and soap to remove the urushiol. Make sure you wash any clothes or sheets that you might have touched before you washed the oil off your skin. After you do this, you may still develop symptoms, but your reaction to the oil may be less severe if you are exposed to it for less time.

Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease

Hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) is a common viral infection that usually affects children under the age of 5. While less common, it is also possible for older children and adults to catch HFMD.

Symptoms

The first symptoms of HFMD are usually:

• Fever
• Reduced appetite
• Sore throat
• General feeling of being unwell

In one to two days, a rash on the soles of the feet and palms of the hands may develop, as well as painful sores inside the mouth.

Not everyone experiences all of the symptoms of HFMD. Some people may not have symptoms at all.

Causes

HMFD is most commonly caused by an enterovirus called coxsackievirus A16.

The viruses that cause HFMD can be found in the feces, saliva, phlegm, and nasal mucus of an infected person, as well as in the blister fluid from an HFMD rash. You can get HFMD by coming in contact with these substances or by breathing in droplets carrying the germs.

Treatment

There is no specific treatment for HFMD and no vaccine to prevent it. Hand washing is the best strategy for prevention.

You may need symptomatic treatment, including pain medication for comfort, and fluids to avoid dehydration.

Cellulitis

Cellulitis is a serious bacterial skin infection that can affect any part of your body, including your foot. This infection occurs when bacteria enter through a break in the skin.

Symptoms

The main symptom of cellulitis is a painful rash with red, warm, swollen, or tender skin that may blister and then scab. You may also develop a fever, chills, or swollen lymph nodes from the infection.

Sometimes a small abscess (pus pocket) can produce a bad-smelling odor.

Causes

Cellulitis is most commonly caused by streptococcal or staphylococcal bacteria entering the skin through any skin injury. On your feet, bacteria can also enter through ingrown toenails.

Treatment

Cellulitis can spread quickly and needs to be treated right away. A healthcare provider may swab your skin or do a blood test to find out what kind of bacteria is causing the infection.

You will be treated with oral antibiotics in mild cases, or intravenous antibiotics in severe cases. Your healthcare provider will ask you to monitor the size of the rash to ensure it is clearing up and doesn’t continue spreading after treatment.

Cellulitis can worsen. It can progress to a limb-threatening infection or may enter the bloodstream, potentially causing a life-threatening infection called sepsis.

Dyshidrotic Eczema

Dyshidrotic eczema is eczema on the feet, toes, palms, and fingers. It is more common in women than in men. Other names for dyshidrotic eczema include foot-and-hand eczema, vesicular eczema, and palmoplantar eczema.

Symptoms

While all forms of eczema cause itching and redness, dyshidrotic eczema has some unique features, including:

Causes

People with contact dermatitis, atopic dermatitis, or a close family member with dyshidrotic eczema are most at risk for developing the condition.

It can be triggered by a number of things, including stress or moisture from excessive sweating or prolonged contact with water. Consuming or touching nickel, cobalt, or chromium salts can also trigger dyshidrotic eczema.

Treatment

Treatment for dyshidrotic eczema can include soaking the feet (or hands) in cool water several times a day before applying a rich moisturizer or skin barrier repair cream.

In more severe cases, a healthcare provider may drain the blisters or give a Botox injection in the affected area to reduce sweating. You may be prescribed topical steroids, topical calcineurin inhibitors (TCIs), or phototherapy to clear the rash.

Shoe Contact Dermatitis

Shoe contact dermatitis is a rash caused by an allergic reaction to your shoes or socks.

Symptoms

Shoe contact dermatitis is generally an itchy and peeling rash on the balls of the feet, bottoms of the toes, or heels. The rash may also blister.

The shape can be symmetrical on both feet because the material is often in the same location in both shoes.

Causes

A number of possible allergy-triggering substances can be present in the materials used to make your shoes. The allergens can be found in any part of footwear, including rubber, adhesives, leather, dyes, and metals.

Treatment

If you have an allergic reaction to your shoes, the first thing you should do is minimize your contact with the allergen. This can be frustrating, especially if you’ve just purchased the shoes, but it’s important to avoid further irritation. The reaction will only worsen if you keep wearing the shoes.

Once you stop wearing the shoes, the reaction will typically clear up on its own. A cool compress and anti-itch cream, such as hydrocortisone or calamine, can make you feel more comfortable,

Scabies

Scabies is a skin condition caused by mites (Sarcoptes scabiei). It is very contagious and can quickly spread from person to person in areas of close physical contact, such as a school or hospital.

Symptoms

Symptoms of scabies include intense itching and a pimple-like skin rash that can affect various parts of the body, including the feet. Symptoms can take three to eight weeks to develop, but sometimes symptoms can start a few days after contact. During this time you can transmit scabies to others.

Causes

Scabies is caused by coming into skin-to-skin contact with someone who has scabies. It can also be spread by touching or sharing clothing, towels, or bedding with someone who has the condition. It can sometimes be sexually transmitted.

Treatment

Treatment is recommended for the person who has scabies, and also for anyone living in their household, sexual partners, and anyone else they regularly have skin-to-skin contact with.

The steps for treatment include the following:

• Decontaminate bedding, clothing, and towels. This can be done by washing in hot water and drying in a hot dryer, by dry cleaning, or by sealing items in a plastic bag for 72 hours. Mites will die after a couple of days without skin contact.
• Use a prescription scabicide (permethrin) lotion or cream, applying it from head to toe to kill the mites and their eggs.

Everyone being treated should get treatment at the same time to prevent re-infestation. If itching still occurs more than four weeks after treatment, it may be necessary to repeat the treatment steps.

How to Prevent Foot Rashes

Different methods must be used to prevent different types of rashes.

To avoid fungal infections:

• Keep your feet clean, dry, and cool.
• Do not go barefoot in public pools or areas where feet are exposed to wet, damp environments where fungus can thrive.
• Air out shoes by alternating footwear every two to three days.
• Change socks regularly and avoid socks made with fabric that doesn’t dry easily, such as nylon.
• Dry your feet before putting on shoes or socks.

Learn to recognize poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac, so you can avoid these plants. Cover your skin if you are in an area where these plants are common.

For contagious rashes such as HFMD and scabies, practice good hygiene.

• Avoid sharing towels or materials that can transmit infections
• Be careful about intimate contact
• Wash your hands
• Teach kids general stay-healthy practices to prevent passing illnesses on

To reduce the risk of cellulitis, take care of any open wounds. Also be aware that certain behaviors, including intravenous drug use and body piercings or tattoos, can increase the odds of developing cellulitis.

For conditions that are triggered by allergies or sensitivities, prevention requires you to avoid shoes or socks made with materials that irritate your skin.

Summary

You can develop a rash on your foot due to a skin infection, as is the case with athlete’s foot and cellulitis. You can also develop a rash on your foot due to an allergic reaction, as is the case with contact dermatitis.

Most common skin rashes that affect your feet can be treated with over-the-counter or prescription medication. If you develop a rash on your foot, it’s important to treat it as soon as possible so that it does not get worse or spread to someone else if it’s contagious.