call your doctor about a skin infection on your feet if: your feet have severe cracking scaling or peeling skin. you have blisters on your feet. you notice signs of bacterial infection including: increased pain swelling redness tenderness or heat. red streaks extending from the affected area. discharge of pus. fever of or higher with no other cause. the infection appears to be spreading. you have diabetes or diseases associated with poor circulation and you get athlete's foot. people with diabetes are at increased risk of a severe bacterial infection of the foot and leg if they have athlete's foot. your symptoms do not improve after 2 weeks of treatment or are not gone after 4 weeks of treatment with a nonprescription antifungal medicine. watchful waiting watchful waiting is a period of time during which you and your doctor observe your symptoms or condition without using medical treatment. you can usually treat athlete's foot yourself at home. but any persistent severe or recurrent infections should be evaluated by your doctor. when athlete's foot symptoms appear you can first use a nonprescription product. if your symptoms do not improve after 2 weeks of treatment or have not gone away after 4 weeks of treatment call your doctor. who to see health professionals who can diagnose or treat athlete's foot include: physician assistants. nurse practitioners. family medicine doctors. internal medicine doctors. dermatologists. podiatrists. to prepare for your appointment see the topic making the most of your appointment. webmd medical reference from healthwise this information is not intended to replace the advice of a doctor. healthwise disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information. © 1995-2011 healthwise incorporated. healthwise healthwise for every health decision and the healthwise logo are trademarks of healthwise incorporated.
i have or think i have athletes foot when should i contact my doctor?