From healthcentral.com
These two skin conditions can cause considerable discomfort, but their triggers and treatments are not the same
Key Takeaways
- Jock itch is a contagious fungal infection, while inverse psoriasis is a noncontagious immune-related condition.
- Inverse psoriasis often looks smooth, shiny, and red in skin folds, while jock itch is scaly and ring-shaped.
- Jock itch is triggered by heat, moisture, and contact with infected people or surfaces, including shared towels.
- Jock itch is often treated with antifungal creams and keeping the area cool and dry; psoriasis needs different medications.
- See a dermatologist if groin itching persists or doesn’t improve after two to three weeks of antifungal treatment.
An itch below the belt is never a comfortable feeling, but deducing what’s causing it can sometimes take a little sleuth work. Both inverse psoriasis and jock itch can occur in the genital area and cause extreme discomfort. But despite a shared sensation of itch and pain, there are big differences between the two conditions, including how they are treated. We asked top dermatologists how to differentiate between jock itch and psoriasis, plus how to get them both under control.
What Is Jock Itch?
“Jock itch is caused by the same fungal infection that causes athlete’s foot or ringworm,” says Chris Sayed, M.D., an associate professor of dermatology at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. This infection (no worm is involved) is very common and can occur anywhere on your body, he adds.
Your risk of getting the fungal infection that causes jock itch increases in hot and humid weather. According to the American Academy of Dermatology Association, if you have a ringworm infection in the groin area, it may first appear as a red (brown or grey in dark skin) rash with swelling and itch in the crease where the leg meets the body. The infected skin often feels scaly with a raised border and sometimes appears as a roundish patch. Jock itch is contagious and commonly spreads through skin-to-skin contact or an infected surface or shared towel.
What Is Inverse Psoriasis?
Psoriasis is also a skin condition that can show up anywhere on the body, including in the genital area. The cause of psoriasis is not known exactly, but experts believe it has to do with an overactive immune system due to a complex interplay between genetics (it tends to run in families), environment (cold and dry weather can be a trigger for example), and lifestyle choices (such as smoking).
Inverse and plaque psoriasis are the two most common types of the skin condition you may see in the genital area. About one in three people with psoriasis develop inverse psoriasis. According to the National Psoriasis Foundation, inverse psoriasis appears as bright red lesions in body folds (purple-ish, brown, or darker in dark skin) and may appear smooth and shiny. Psoriasis is not contagious—you can’t catch it from another person, regardless of the severity of the condition.
Inverse Psoriasis vs. Jock Itch
While psoriasis and jock itch can both cause redness, itch, and discomfort, there are a few key differences between these two conditions. Psoriasis is a chronic, whole-body disease related to irregularities in the immune system that can lead to other more serious conditions such as cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. While psoriasis symptoms can be managed, there is no cure for the condition.
Jock itch is a temporary condition, caused by a fungus that has invaded the outer layer of the skin. Jock itch is contagious, while psoriasis is not. Jock itch is also more common in men than women, with men being three times more likely to get jock itch than women. It is also rare for a child to have jock itch.
Psoriasis occurs fairly equally between the two genders, according to the American Journal of Clinical Dermatology. Psoriasis is more common in children—every year, 20,000 children under 10 are diagnosed with psoriasis. Given their vastly different origins, different treatments are also required for each condition.
Symptoms of Inverse Psoriasis vs. Jock Itch
Despite their shared itchy, painful presentation, psoriasis and ringworm infections have symptoms that are unique to each. Knowing what they are can help you identify which one you might be dealing with. (Always see your dermatologist for an official diagnosis.)
Symptoms of inverse psoriasis include:
Shiny, smooth, discoloured (brown, pink, purple or red) rash
Cracks in your skin creases
Itchiness
Moist patch of skin
Symptoms of jock itch include:
Burning and itching
Skin irritation and colour changes
Scales and flakes
May appear in the shape of a ring
Because psoriasis is a chronic, systemic condition, while jock itch is a temporary situation, they are typically triggered by different things. In both cases, however, the environment can play a role.
Triggers of inverse psoriasis include:
Dysregulated lipid metabolism
Dysregulated sex hormones
Imbalance of skin and gut microbiota
Lifestyle
Medications
Psychological stress
Skin trauma
Weather
Triggers of jock itch include:
Contact with an infected surface or clothing
Having ringworm on another body part
Sexual contact with an infected person
Tight pants or underwear
Warm and moist environment
Psoriasis treatment will depend on the severity of the condition. If the inverse psoriasis is mild, your doctor may recommend a steroid cream that you apply at home as directed. For harder to treat inverse psoriasis in and around the genitals, your doctor may recommend a systemic medication, meaning treatment that works throughout your body to regulate your immune system. These medications may come in a pill that you take orally, or in an injection that you administer at home or in a doctor’s office.
Can You Prevent Psoriasis and Jock Itch?
The sort-of good news: Jock itch can be prevented, and psoriasis—while not preventable—can be controlled, says Shoko Mori, M.D., a dermatologist at Northwell Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City.
“Tinea cruris, or jock itch, can be brought on by heat and humidity, so trying to minimize sweat and moisture in the groin area can be helpful,” Dr. Mori says. “Patients with a fungal skin infection of the feet, also called athlete’s foot, or the nails can unknowingly spread the infection to their groin area, causing jock itch, so it is also important to treat the infection if it is present elsewhere on the body.”
Meanwhile, although psoriasis cannot be prevented, “there are many treatment options, so seeing a board-certified dermatologist to evaluate any rash in the groin area is very important,” he says.
When to See a Doctor
It can be tricky to know when to see your doctor for either condition, but according to Dr. Sayed, if the itch doesn’t improve in a few weeks, it’s a good idea to make an appointment with your provider.
“When you are uncertain about a rash, or a rash you thought to be jock itch hasn’t improved within two to three weeks of an antifungal cream, it is worth having it evaluated with some simple diagnostic tests in the clinic,” he says. “It’s important to make sure something like inverse or genital psoriasis isn’t being missed.”
Outlook
Tinea cruris, or “jock itch” and inverse psoriasis can look very similar—they can both be itchy, red, and uncomfortable,” says Dr. Mori. However, important differences in treatment make it mission critical to tell them apart.
Jock itch is a temporary, fungal condition that needs a different type of treatment than psoriasis. A whole-body, inflammatory disorder, psoriasis requires a treatment that can bring down an overactive immune system. Sometimes this is a steroid cream, but depending on the severity, it could be a pill or injection. A dermatologist can help you determine the cause of your discomfort and recommend treatment that can get you quickly and comfortably back in the game.
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