Understanding Tinea Manuum

Photo by Jorge Rojas on Unsplash

Written by Hannah Simpson, BSN, RN 

Overview 

Many people are familiar with athlete’s foot, but fewer people are familiar with a condition known as tinea manuum. Tinea manuum and athlete’s foot are the same fungal infection, but they affect different parts of the body. Athlete’s foot, as the name implies, affects the feet. Tinea manuum affects the hands. 

Tinea manuum is a ringworm infection. Ringworm is the general term that describes a kind of fungus that can infect many parts of the body. Despite the name, the infection is not caused by a worm. Instead, tinea manuum is caused by a type of fungus known as a dermatophyte (1). Dermatophytes feed off keratin, which is a protein found in skin (2). This type of fungus is highly contagious. Infection can occur from touching a contaminated surface, such as another person with a tinea manuum infection. It can also be contracted from touching animals or even soil (3). 

What are the symptoms of tinea manuum?

The main symptoms of tinea manuum include dry, scaly patches on the hand that may be itchy. The scaly patches may have a circular pattern. The infection may affect the back of the hands, the palms, or between fingers. One or both hands may be affected. 

How is tinea manuum diagnosed? 

To diagnose tinea manuum, a healthcare professional will perform an assessment of the skin. The provider will take a close look at the affected skin, as well as any other parts of the body that are involved. A classic presentation of a dermatophyte infection is an infection of two feet and one hand. 

The best way to diagnose tinea manuum is by viewing a skin scraping under a microscope. This allows a healthcare provider to differentiate between a fungal infection and eczema, since both conditions can present with similar symptoms. 

How is tinea manuum treated? 

Tinea manuum is treated with antifungal medications. There are several different types of antifungal medications available. Some are applied directly to the skin. These are called topical antifungals and are often available over the counter. 

Sometimes stronger medications are necessary and a healthcare provider may prescribe oral systemic antifungals. Oral systemic antifungals treat the whole body and are taken in pill form. Systemic antifungals may be prescribed if the fungal infection is found in multiple parts of the body. An example of this would be if both the feet and a hand are infected, or if the nails are infected along with the hands (1). Taking systemic antifungals does increase the risk of side effects, such as gastrointestinal upset or headaches (4). It’s important to take the full dose of the medication. Sometimes symptoms will clear up before the end of the prescription, but stopping the medication before taking the full course could lead to the infection coming back. 

The antifungal medication typically takes several weeks to fully clear the infection. It is also important to note that if a patient also has athlete’s foot, that infection must also be treated at the same time or tinea manuum will return. 

Tinea manuum can be mistaken for eczema. This is problematic because the treatment for eczema, often a corticosteroid, can make tinea manuum worse. This is because corticosteroids suppress the body’s immune system. When the immune system is suppressed, it does not fight off infection as well. This gives the fungus that causes tinea manuum an environment where it will thrive. To prevent a possible misdiagnosis, healthcare providers must look at a scraping of skin under a microscope. 

Conclusion 

Tinea manuum is a fungal infection of the hands. It is caused by the same type of fungus that causes athlete’s foot and typically presents with itchy, scaly, dry hands. It is treated with antifungal medications either in cream or pill form. Always consult a healthcare provider for concerns regarding the care and treatment of tinea manuum.

References 

1. Chamorro MJ, Syed HA, House SA. Tinea Manuum. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2026. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK559048/ PubMed PMID: 32644474.

2. Merck Manual Consumer Version [Internet]. Overview of Dermatophytoses (Ringworm, Tinea) - Skin Disorders. Available from: https://www.merckmanuals.com/home/skin-disorders/fungal-skin-infections/overview-of-dermatophytoses-ringworm-tinea

3. Cleveland Clinic [Internet]. Tinea Manuum: Symptoms, Causes & Treatment. Available from: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/24063-tinea-manuum

4. Noble SL, Forbes RC, Stamm PL. Diagnosis and management of common tinea infections. Am Fam Physician. 1998 Jul;58(1):163–74, 177–8. PubMed PMID: 9672436.

Assessed and Endorsed by the MedReport Medical Review Board