What could be mistaken for jock itch?

Things that can look like jock itch include: Psoriasis, eczema or allergic reactions2 Bacterial or yeast infections,4 which thrive in the same warm, moist conditions Contact dermatitis,4 often triggered by soaps, detergents, or fabrics. If your rash looks unusual, hurts, or isn't responding to antifungal jock itch treatment, see a doctor. Not every groin rash is jock itch.

Is jock itch contagious and is it the same as athlete's foot?

They're both fungal infections, just in different parts of the body, and both are contagious. For example, the fungus from your feet can be transferred to your groin if: You touch your feet, then your groin You use the same towel on your feet and your inner thighs You put on underwear and your feet touch the fabric (put socks on first)

Young guy feeling confident and getting ready after resolving jock itch

Grooming

DOES JOCK ITCH SMELL? THE AWKWARD TRUTH & WHAT TO DO

You showered. You're clean. So why does it still smell funky down there? If your groin has a weird, musty odor along with itching, redness, or discoloration, it might be more than just regular irritation. Enter: jock itch.

Yes, it’s annoying, but you don’t have to keep dealing with it. Once you know what jock itch is, what causes it, and what to do about it, clearing it up (and keeping it from coming back) is pretty simple.

What Is Jock Itch?

Despite the name, you don’t have to be an athlete to get jock itch. It's a common and contagious skin infection caused by a type of fungus. It can show up on your inner thighs, butt crease and groin. In medical language, it’s called tinea cruris.¹

So what causes jock itch? This fungus thrives in warm, sweaty conditions, especially in skin folds, so tight underwear that traps moisture and skin that isn’t dried properly after cleansing can lead to jock itch. Gym showers and locker rooms are prime real estate for it.

It can even transfer from another part of your body, like if you already have athlete's foot (another fungal infection), and touch your infected feet and then your groin.¹ Once the fungus finds a warm, damp spot, it settles in and gets to work.

Why Does Jock Itch Smell?

That funky odor happens when sweat, body oils, dead skin cells, fungus and bacteria all mix together in a warm, covered area. The smell is usually musty, sour, or just plain off.²

Regular sweat smell fades once you shower and towel-dry. Jock itch smell tends to hang around, or come back fast, because the fungus causing it is still active on your skin.

Jock Itch vs. Regular Sweat Smell

You don’t need to freak out every time your groin smells a bit stronger. The trick is knowing when it’s more than that. Normal groin sweat usually:

Smells stronger after workouts or long, hot days
Fades after a shower with a good body wash
Doesn’t come with a visible rash or intense itching

But sometimes the smell sticks around even when it's not jock itch either. If you’re wondering “Why does my groin smell even after I shower?” and there’s no redness or rash, you might be dealing with:

Trapped sweat under tight clothes
Not washing or rinsing the area well
Re‑wearing sweaty underwear or shorts

Annoying, but not necessarily jock itch. Here’s how to spot the difference:

Infographic explaining the difference between jock itch and regular sweat

Jock itch symptoms

Jock itch usually announces itself pretty clearly once it gets going. The typical signs to watch for are:

A red or reddish‑brown rash in the groin folds, inner thighs, or butt crease
Itching or burning that gets worse with sweat and friction
A slightly raised or scaly edge around the rash
Peeling, cracking, or flaking skin
Musty or sour odor that doesn’t go away fully after showering

If you have both an itch and a rash, plus a smell that keeps coming back, that is classic jock itch territory, but only your doctor can confirm it and recommend over-the-counter or prescription treatments.

How to Get Rid of Jock Itch Smell

Once you know what's causing it, getting rid of it is pretty straightforward. It comes down to three things: clean it properly, treat the fungus, and back it up with habits that keep it from returning.

Step 1: Clean the area like you mean it

Start with the basics:

Wash daily with a gentle body wash and warm water
Get into the folds of skin around your inner thighs and groin
Rinse well so there is no leftover product sitting on your skin
Pat the area completely dry with a clean towel before putting on underwear

Step 2: Use antifungal jock itch treatment

Jock itch needs an antifungal to actually clear it, not just a good cleanse, because it won’t just go away. Don’t try to use body spray to mask the smell or apply antiperspirant to your groin to “fix it”. That’s only going to burn and make things worse.

Most over-the-counter treatments from your pharmacy use active ingredients like clotrimazole, miconazole, or terbinafine.¹For cases of mild jock itch, you could already see an improvement after a couple of days of using antifungal treatment, and most cases tend to clear up in about two to three weeks.

It’s important to complete the course, because the fungus could still be hanging around, so it’ll just show up again.³

Step 3: Support the treatment with smart habits

While the antifungal cream is doing its job, help it out by:

Showering after workouts or getting sweaty in the summer heat
Changing into clean, dry underwear after you wash
Avoiding tight, synthetic fabrics that trap heat and sweat
Sleeping in loose boxers so the area can breathe
Washing your workout gear regularly so you’re not putting fungus back on your skin

How to Keep Jock Itch from Coming Back

Once you’ve managed to beat jock itch, your main mission is to make sure it stays gone. The same habits that helped clear it up are worth turning into a permanent routine. The ones we mention in the section above.

Because if you keep doing what you were doing before, you run the risk of another infection. The guys who never deal with it twice are usually the ones who keep the routine going long after the itching stops.

When to See a Doctor About Groin Odor or Jock Itch

Most regular jock itch clears up with over‑the‑counter antifungal products. But some situations deserve another professional look.

See a doctor or dermatologist if:

The rash doesn't improve or clear up after finishing a full course of antifungal treatment
It spreads or looks infected
You feel sick along with the rash
The rash shows up soon after sexual contact and doesn’t respond to treatment

With proper antifungal jock itch treatment, mild jock itch often starts to improve within a few days and clears in about 2 to 3 weeks. If you stop treatment early because it “looks fine,” the fungus can hang around and come back. Keep going and finish the course.

Things that can look like jock itch include:

Psoriasis, eczema or allergic reactions²
Bacterial or yeast infections,⁴ which thrive in the same warm, moist conditions
Contact dermatitis,⁴ often triggered by soaps, detergents, or fabrics.

If your rash looks unusual, hurts, or isn’t responding to antifungal jock itch treatment, see a doctor. Not every groin rash is jock itch.

They’re both fungal infections, just in different parts of the body, and both are contagious. For example, the fungus from your feet can be transferred to your groin if:

You touch your feet, then your groin
You use the same towel on your feet and your inner thighs
You put on underwear and your feet touch the fabric (put socks on first)

Ordinary jock itch is a fungal skin infection, not a classic sexually transmitted infection. But there is a strain called TMVII that’s tracked by The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) because it can spread more easily and may need specific medical attention.⁵ If your rash is new, intense, clearly linked to recent sex, don’t try to fix it yourself. See a doctor.

Jock itch is common, frustrating, but totally fixable. If your groin smells off, itches, or looks red, don’t ignore it. See your doctor, clean the area well, use antifungal treatment, and keep things dry and breathable. Handle it early and you can get back to feeling fresh and confident fast.