Itchy, red skin may be the sign of athlete’s foot, a skin infection caused by a moldlike fungus. The fungus needs a warm, moist environment to live and often grows on the floors of locker rooms and public showers and in swimming pools and whirlpools. It also loves stinky old tennis shoes. When a foot comes in contact with the fungus, it becomes red and itchy. Sometimes, moist, white, scaly lesions or sores develop between the toes and spread to the soles of the feet.
In boys, sometimes athlete’s foot fungus spreads to the groin area, where it is called “jock itch.” The fungus sometimes spreads from one location to another as it is picked up on a bath towel, and the groin area, which is warm and moist, helps the fungus flourish.