What Is Tinea Cruris?

By amara

Article Sources

Article Sources

• 1. Mayo Clinic Staff. (2020, March 4). Jock Itch. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/jock-itch/symptoms-causes/syc-20353807
• 2. DermNet NZ. (2003). Tinea Cruris. https://dermnetnz.org/topics/tinea-cruris/
• 3. Pippin, M. M., Madden, M. L. (2020, June 25). Tinea Cruris. StatPearls [Internet]. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK554602/

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If you find a rash in or adjacent to your groin area, you may have tinea cruris. More commonly known as jock itch, this fungal infection often appears as a rash in areas of the body that tend to retain sweat and heat.¹Mayo Clinic Staff. (2020, March 4). Jock Itch. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/jock-itch/symptoms-causes/syc-20353807 The rash may start as a circular patch and radiate out to the inner thighs.

While tinea cruris is irritating and certainly not a problem you want to ignore, it is rarely considered a serious ailment. There is the possibility of certain complications, but with treatment and effective preventative measures to keep the problem from returning, you should be able to get rid of the rash.

1. Causes

The rash is caused by a dermatophyte fungus, which is a type of ringworm.²DermNet NZ. (2003). Tinea Cruris. https://dermnetnz.org/topics/tinea-cruris/ Trichophyton and epidermophyton are the most common causes of tinea cruris, but there are several fungi that can produce jock itch. This is the same type of fungus that causes athlete’s foot.

Like most fungi, dermatophyte species thrive in moist, warm places. This makes the groin area particularly vulnerable to jock itch. The greater number of risk factors you have, the more likely you are to contract tinea cruris.