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Anybody can get athlete's foot. But some people are more likely to get it than others.

You're more likely to get athlete's foot if:^{1 2}

• Your feet sweat a lot
• You use shared changing areas (for example, at a gym or school)
• You live in a place where you share showers or baths with lots of other people (such as student dorms).
• You have cuts on your feet (cuts make it easier for the fungus to get in and grow).

Adults are more likely to get athlete's foot than children.³ And men are more likely than women to get athlete's foot.^{1 4} If you have diabetes, you're more likely to get some types of infection, including those caused by a fungus, such as athlete's foot.⁵ You're also more likely to get it if you have problems with your immune system.⁵ So if you have HIV infection or AIDS or if you're having treatment that weakens your immune system (chemotherapy, for example), you're more likely to get athlete's foot.

This information is for educational use only, and is not a substitute for prompt professional medical advice. Readers should always consult a physician or other professional for advice and treatment. ©BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2008. All rights reserved.