If you have an itchy red ring on your skin that keeps growing, or a rash in the groin or between your toes that just will not settle, you are not alone. In Pune, especially through the sticky months and the monsoon, fungal skin infections are one of the most common reasons people walk into our clinic. They are uncomfortable, they can be embarrassing, and they have a frustrating habit of coming back.
Here is the reassuring part. These infections usually respond well when they are treated correctly and the treatment is finished properly. The trouble is that most people stop the treatment too early or reach for the wrong cream, and that is exactly when the problem returns, often worse than before. Let me walk you through what is really happening on your skin and how to deal with it properly.
What these infections actually are
Ringworm, jock itch and athlete's foot are all caused by the same family of fungi. There is no worm involved in ringworm at all. The name simply comes from the shape, a red, scaly ring with a clearer patch in the middle, often itchy at the edge. Depending on where it lands, we call it by different names.
- Ringworm (tinea corporis): red, ring shaped patches on the body, arms, neck or back.
- Jock itch (tinea cruris): an itchy, red rash in the groin and inner thighs, common in men and in anyone who sweats a lot.
- Athlete's foot (tinea pedis): itching, peeling and cracking between the toes, sometimes with a burning feeling.
Why they spread so easily in Pune
Fungus loves warmth, moisture and skin that stays damp. Our climate gives it all three. A long day on a two wheeler, back to back office shifts in tight clothes, a sweaty commute on New Airport Road, and then a quick change without properly drying the skin, this is the perfect setting for fungus to settle in the groin, the feet and the folds of the body.
It also passes from person to person and from surface to skin. These are the everyday ways it commonly spreads:
- Sharing towels, clothes, combs or footwear with someone who has an infection.
- Damp clothes and inner wear that do not dry fully in humid weather.
- Walking barefoot in shared bathrooms, gyms or changing areas.
- Scratching one patch and then touching another part of the body, which spreads it further.
- Tight, synthetic clothing that traps sweat against the skin.
How to prevent them (and stop them spreading at home)
Prevention is mostly about keeping your skin cool and dry. None of this is complicated, but doing it consistently makes a real difference.
- Dry your skin fully after a bath, and pay attention to the feet, the toes and the body folds.
- Wear loose cotton clothes and change inner wear daily, more often if you sweat heavily.
- Do not share towels, clothes, footwear or personal items with anyone.
- Wash affected clothing and towels separately and dry them completely in the sun if you can.
- Keep your feet dry, change out of damp socks, and let closed shoes air out.
- Treat everyone in the household who has symptoms at the same time, otherwise it keeps passing back and forth.
The two mistakes that make it come back
Fungal infections respond to treatment, but only when that treatment is the right one and it is completed fully. Two very common mistakes explain most of the cases we see returning again and again.
The first is stopping too soon. The itching often settles within a few days, and people assume they are cured and put the cream away. But the fungus in the deeper layers of the skin is still alive. The infection needs the full course of the right anti-fungal, exactly as your doctor advises, to actually clear. Stop early and it commonly grows back.
The second, and the more damaging one, is using over the counter steroid combination creams. Many popular creams sold across the counter mix an anti-fungal with a strong steroid. The steroid gives quick relief from itching, so it feels like it is working, but it actually calms the skin's defences and lets the fungus spread wider and deeper. This is one of the biggest reasons fungal infections in India have become so stubborn and hard to treat. Please do not pick a cream off the shelf on your own. Let the treating doctor decide what your skin needs.
When to see a doctor
A small, early patch may respond to simple measures, but you should get it checked rather than experimenting on your own if any of the following is true:
- The patches are spreading, multiplying or covering a large area.
- It keeps coming back after you finish treatment.
- It is not improving despite regular care, or it is getting worse.
- You have already used a steroid combination cream on it.
- You have diabetes or a weak immune system, which makes these infections harder to shift.
A fungal infection is not usually an emergency, but some warning signs point to something more than a simple fungus. If the skin becomes hot, swollen and painful, if the redness spreads quickly, or if you develop pus, red streaks or a fever, that can signal a bacterial infection that needs prompt medical attention. In that situation do not wait, and if it feels serious or is worsening fast, go to the nearest hospital or emergency department rather than waiting for clinic hours. To have a stubborn or spreading patch looked at during the day, call or WhatsApp the clinic on +91 70287 22200.
At the clinic our general physician can examine the skin, confirm what is going on and start you on the right approach. Because we do not have a dermatologist on site, stubborn, widespread or repeatedly returning cases are referred onward to a skin specialist so you get the focused care your skin needs. Either way, the aim is the same, correct diagnosis first, then the full and proper course.
If you are dealing with an itchy patch, a groin rash or peeling feet that will not settle, come in and let us look at it before it spreads. I am Dr. Deepak Gaikwad, general physician at Prudent International Health Clinic in Viman Nagar (DNK Square, Office 503, New Airport Road, Sakore Nagar). We are open all 7 days, 9 AM to 9 PM, with no lunch break and walk ins welcome. To book or ask a question, call or WhatsApp us on +91 70287 22200.
