Fungal Rash

Last reviewed by Dr.Mary on October 3rd, 2018.

What exactly are Fungal Rashes?

Fungal rash on the skin occurs when there is an overgrowth of abundant bacteria leading to the cause of fungal infection.


Fungal rashes of the skin are not infectious and are not severe. But often, deep infections triggered by fungal rashes can lead to some problems which can be very serious.

Many people cringe at the very thought of having a fungal infection or rash when in reality, we all have many types of fungi which live on our skin all the time. Most of these times these fungi do not cause any problems, but sometimes a fungus will change and then cause an infection. Fungal infections are some of the most common infections that people experience.

Fungal Rash Symptoms

The symptoms of rashes caused by fungus depend on the area of the body which is infected as well as the type of the fungus. These rashes should not be mixed up with other infections of the skin such as psoriasis or eczema.

Some symptoms of fungal rashes include:

  • Can be itchy
  • Some scaly
  • If the rash is on the scalp, it can cause hair loss
  • Generally blazing red
  • Can extend across a huge area
  • Colour is concentrated at the centre and lacks distinctive borders

Smaller lesions which are more defined can be present on the outside perimeters of the area of the rash. This rash can burn or itch. The rash is more generally seen through the buttocks but can also spread into the thighs as well as the area of the groin.

Although most fungal rashes are very common and individuals get them regularly, they are still tough to identify. This is owing to the likeness of the symptoms and also because there are so many similar types of fungal rashes – making the diagnosing of the kind of rash not always an easy task.

Jock itch or “tinea cruris” is a type of ringworm but the label is distorted because it has zero to do with worms. Instead, it is a fungal infection which distresses the outer layers of the skin in the groin and buttocks area. It is itchy, red and inflamed.

The second kind of fungal rash is “tinea versicolor” which is a fungal skin rash which distresses the oily parts of the upper body, the back and chest areas. Its appearance is flat, brownish and often scaly.

The third is ringworm which is a fungal skin infection most commonly seen in children. It appears as redness with a blistering look and extends in ring-like arrangements.

Lastly is Athlete’s Foot which is fungal contamination touching the feet and appears red and itchy.

Fungal Rash Causes

There are many problems that can end in a fungal skin rash. Some of these include:

  • Immune system which is weak
  • Individual has diabetes
  • The individual is going through cancer therapy
  • Individual has HIV/AIDS

It has been noticed that the skin which is moist tends to cause more fungal rashes than dry skin. This is probably because fungi love to grow in damp places. Also, a cut on the skin can also raise the chances of skin rash caused by fungus. Infections from inside the body could create more severe problems.

Individuals who are most probable to develop fungal rashes are likely to be those who:

  • Sweat a lot during the night
  • Unable to go to the toilet without help
  • Have a loss of mobility
  • Use different skin care products which aggravate the skin
  • Are incontinent

Those individuals who are incontinent really can develop problems because of the moisture which gets confined to the skin and thus causes skin damage.

Fungus in addition to yeast infections has zilch or little to do with cleanliness – people who are spotless get them. No matter what their status, fungal rashes are also not caught by cats, dogs, or other animals nor are they spread in showers, gyms, locker rooms or pools. In most cases, they are not highly contagious at all between people.

Fungal Rash Treatment

Treatment of fungal rashes or infection usually is very straightforward. Utmost effective antifungal creams are obtainable at the drugstore without a prescription. These include:

  • 1% terbinafine – such as Lamisil
  • 1% clotrimazole – such as Lotrimin and Mycelex

If these fail, prescription ointments may aid, and these include:

  • 2% ketoconazole – Nizoral
  • 1% econazole – Econazole

In extensive cases or when toenails are infected, Lamisil which is terbinafine may be able to help.

When a fungus has frequently been treated without any help, it is time to contemplate the option that it was never really a fungus to start with but rather some eczema that should be handled entirely in a different way.

Fungal Rash Pictures

Fungal rash on back on arm
  1. This article says Fungal rashes cannot be spread from person to person….I went to the Doctor because of a spreading rash I had all over my body,we found out it was fungal,I have Lupus so this made sense. What doesn’t make sense is that a week later my children are breaking out now? with the same rash. What could it be/ Obviously fungal rashes ARE contagious person to person….the question is…what kind of Fungal rashes do this?

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