# What happens if you take a bath when you have athletes foot

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-you-take-a-bath-when-you-have-athletes-foot/690326>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 8, 2014, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-you-take-a-bath-when-you-have-athletes-foot/690326 "2014-06-08T13:10:51Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\
**Post date:** [June 8, 2014, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-you-take-a-bath-when-you-have-athletes-foot/690326/1 "2014-06-08T13:10:51Z")

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Does that make it spread to everywhere else, only spread to certain areas or not make a difference.

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**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\
**Post date:** [June 8, 2014, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-you-take-a-bath-when-you-have-athletes-foot/690326/2 "2014-06-08T14:03:57Z")

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Not according to this WebMD [article](http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/guide/understanding-athletes-foot-basics)

“Athlete’s foot is mildly contagious. It can be spread through direct contact with the infection and by skin particles left on towels, shoes, or floors.”

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**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\
**Post date:** [June 8, 2014, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-you-take-a-bath-when-you-have-athletes-foot/690326/3 "2014-06-08T14:13:09Z")

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your foot gets wet.

do feet last.

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**Author:** ![voltaire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voltaire/32/313_2.png) [@voltaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voltaire)\
**Post date:** [June 8, 2014, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-you-take-a-bath-when-you-have-athletes-foot/690326/4 "2014-06-08T15:00:37Z")

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It really only gets a foothold (ha!) in places on the body that generally maintain the right temperature and humidity range. So, you might spread athletes foot to your crotch and get jock itch, but you won’t get it \* everywhere. \* But, I’d bet that the typical bathwater is too hot and too soapy for this to be a likely vector.

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**Author:** ![Peanuthead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peanuthead/32/360_2.png) [@Peanuthead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peanuthead)\
**Post date:** [June 8, 2014, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-you-take-a-bath-when-you-have-athletes-foot/690326/5 "2014-06-08T20:00:22Z")

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Punchline to an old joke: You think that’s strange? Why, I had a woman in here this morning with athlete’s vagina!