Athlete’s foot is a infection that makes your feet scaly, dry, and itchy. You don’t have to be an athlete to get it, but it comes from a fungus that thrives in sweaty socks and damp locker rooms.
Athlete’s foot comes from the same fungus that causes ringworm, a circular itchy patch of skin that can show up anywhere on the body. Both are very contagious. Anyone can get athlete’s foot, but the name comes from the fact that it’s most common for athletes, whose feet are around a lot of warm, dank places like gym shower floors, yoga mats, and those sweaty tube socks. The medical name for it is tinea pedis.