Preparing for an appointment

Your primary care doctor or a skin specialist (dermatologist) can diagnose athlete's foot. You don't need any special preparations for an appointment to diagnose athlete's foot.

What you can do

Before your appointment, you might want to write down a list of questions to ask your doctor. Examples include:

• What's the most likely cause of my symptoms?
• Are tests needed to confirm the diagnosis?
• What treatments are available?
• Is this condition temporary or long lasting?
• Is there a generic alternative to the medicine you're prescribing?
• Can I wait to see if the condition goes away on its own?
• What can I do to prevent the infection from spreading?
• What skin care routines do you recommend while the condition heals?

What to expect from your doctor

Your doctor is likely to ask you a number of questions, such as:

• When did you first notice your symptoms?
• What did the rash look like when it first started?
• Is the rash painful or itchy?
• Does anything seem to make it better?
• What, if anything, makes it worse?
• Does a family member also have athlete's foot?
• Have you spent time at swimming pools, locker rooms, saunas or other places where athlete's foot might be spread?