Itchy skin rash called mushrooms

[mrgator01]

My doctor told me I had mushrooms. I have had a very itchy rash on my inner thighs and my insides of my arms.
Can you tell me exactly what mushrooms is what causes this and is it contagious?
The treatment he gave me is two creams that I have to mix and put on twice a day/

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,

Yes,fungal infections of the skin can be caught from hot tubs,towels of other people,even by using the same locker rooms or other things. Wash your body daily and then dry thoroughly by pat drying,not rubbing.The damp skin is an ideal site for fungi to multiply.Also wear cotton underwears and change them twice a day and do not share other people’s towels.Application of local antifungal cream(terbinafine, clotrimazole, econazole, ketoconazole, miconazole) and oral antifungal drugs are the mainstay of treatment.

Hope it helps.Take care and regards.

[mrgator01]

I figured I got this from the hot tub where I am borading is this possible?

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,

I have never heard of a skin disease by the name of “mushrooms”.Maybe the doctor was saying that you are having a fungal infection and he must have cited the name of mushroom as it is also a fungus.From your symptoms also it sounds like fungal infection or tinea cruris.Other possibility could have been an itchy skin due to allergic reaction to mushrooms.But as far as I know there is no such disease by the name of mushrooms.

Hope it helps.Take care and pls do keep me posted if you have any additional queries.Kind regards.