Home SkinJock Itch How Long Does Jock Itch Last?

How Long Does Jock Itch Last?

by Dr. Joe Morales

How long does jock itch last especially if the infection is not treated? What about after treatment? Jock itch affects the creases of the thighs, mostly the upper section. This male yeast infection can cause a lot of itch and discomfort and can take longer to go away if left untreated. Here are the questions we are going to answer.

  • How long can jock itch last if not treated?
  • How long does jock itch yeast infection take to heal?
  • How long does jock itch take to go away?
  • How long does jock itch last after treatment?

How long can jock itch last if not treated?

Can jock itch last months and years

Jock itch yeast infection can last for months if left untreated.

While jock itch infection in men is quite common and not even classified as a sexually transmitted infection, some people may be too embarrassed to seek treatment. They fail to give any attention to it in the hope that the fungus will go away. A lot of people wait until the infection is really bad before seeking treatment. A common question in such situations would be: How long will jock itch last if not treated?

Left untreated, jock itch can last a long while and even have long-term effects. It could also have devastating effects. Symptoms of severe jock itch are also likely to develop. These include

  • Oozing blisters
  • Burning sensations on the groin, inner thighs and around the anal areas
  • Permanent skin discoloration is also possible
  • It can also get so bad as to affect one’s ability to undertake daily chores
  • Jock itch scars from scratching.

Can jock itch last for years or months?

Without treatment, jock itch may go away for a while but come back. This leads to recurring cases. With time it becomes chronic. Jock itch lasts for as long as it is left without treatment. In a few cases, jock itch lasting for years or jock itch infection lasting for months is reported. Whenever the environment is suitable, the fungus will grow and a new infection is experienced. The more that you take having it, the longer the infection will take before clearing up or healing for good.

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This will necessitate that one sees a dermatologist since over the counter products may not work. While there, a combination treatment will be given which may include prescription strength topical creams and oral medication. These should be used as directed to ensure the infection clears up.

How long does jock itch last after treatment?

How long will male yeast infection last after treatment? How well jock itch responds to treatment is determined by the patients’ immunity, how well they take care of themselves during the period of treatment and how severe the condition is. In most cases, treatment using topical creams is meant to last even after the rash is gone. This is up to two weeks.

Topical prescription antifungal creams can get rid of jock itch yeast faster

Topical prescription antifungal creams can get rid of jock itch yeast faster.

In mild cases, jock itch will go away within the course of treatment. If it lasts after medication, the doctor prescribes multiple treatments including prescription creams for male yeast infection and oral medicines. If these do not work, treatment is continued. As such, jock itch should not last after treatment as it ought to be treated until it is gone to avoid recurrence.

How long does jock itch take to heal for good?

The form of treatment administered on jock itch is dependent on how severe the condition is. With early treatment, jock itch can be cleared up with over the counter products but severe cases could take longer. This brings us to the question: How long does jock itch take to heal?

  • The symptoms of jock itch can be cleared up within two to four weeks. This though will only happen when treatment products are used as instructed. With over the counter products, manufacturer instructions have to be followed to the letter.
  • For severe cases of jock itch, over the counter medications may not work. Prescription creams could take as short as two weeks as well. However, the doctor will know best how much time the course of medication should be used.

How long will it take to get rid of jock itch naturally? Home remedies take longer to work. This could be anywhere from a month to a few months. How effective they are will depend on the condition’s severity. It is advisable to only try these on mild cases of jock itch and seek other forms of treatment for moderate and severe cases.

Although the itch may appear gone in a period shorter than the recommended amount to take it, you should ensure that you complete the dosage as instructed. While the infection may appear gone, there is a possibility of the fungus recurring. You should, therefore, complete the course of medication issued in order to heal the male yeast infection. However, in case the medication causes irritation, usage should be discontinued. A visit to the doctor would be important if after proper usage no change is seen.

How long does jock itch take to go away?

There are a number of factors that influence how long it takes for jock itch to go away. These include:

How well instructions are followed: How fast the infection goes away will depend on how well one follows the instructions. Where it says the application should be done even after the rash has gone, this should be done. The number of times for oral drugs must be followed as well.

Severity or chronic jock itch: While mild infections can clear up within two weeks, moderate infections could take up to a number of months. The time for healing takes even longer in severe cases which could last up to one year.  It is therefore advisable to seek treatment at the earliest opportunity.

How long have you had it? The more one spends without giving the itch attention, the longer it will take for it to clear up. You should not feel embarrassed about getting treatment to avoid it from becoming severe.

A form of treatment used: Home remedies take longer to work than the conventional medical treatments. If you want the itch gone fast, it is best to seek medical attention from a health professional.

Personal care and hygiene: Where you are undergoing treatment but do not observe personal hygiene, the infection may not go away. Other than the undergoing jock itch treatment, one has to avoid public facilities such as pools, bath regularly, clean clothes well and avoid skin to skin contact with infected people. This will keep the fungus away and ensure fast healing.

With these in mind, how long does jock itch last or take to go away? How long it takes will be determined by the above factors. This could be anywhere between two weeks to a number of years. To ensure it goes away fast, one should learn to avoid recurrence and practice personal care.

References and sources

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7 comments

Anu Dec 22, 2016 - 6:34 am

CAn i use clotrimazole cream for jockitch ?

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Chirag Vatiya May 20, 2017 - 3:35 am

I am suffering from this Jock itch since last 6 months and i have been told 4 differemt creams from doctors but still couldn’t help myself. Now it becomes more and more difficult so give me some suggestions.

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Mike Dee May 25, 2017 - 3:33 pm

I just got jock itch…mild, but annoying. I am one week in and itch is gone and healing. WHat I did… shower 2x day, use anti-bacterial soap on infected area, also use selsen Blue shampoo(zinc) on infected area. Rinse. Towel dry area…pat..do not rub. next..apply rubbing alcohol..it will sting. pat dry again. next….use cotton ball and liberally apply pink calamine lotion(full of zinc to dry out). Also..drink a lot of water only . Stop drinking alcohol completely. take garlic and L-Lysine supplements. Eat yogurt daily.

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Grant Jun 8, 2017 - 8:17 am

All cotton loose fitting boxers, and powder. May sound crazy but corn starch works well. No creams, they don’t keep you dry.

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Mike Sep 20, 2018 - 5:23 am

I’ve had what I first thought is jock itch straight through the last 26 years. As of late I worried it’s EMPD a type of cancer that mimics jock itch. Reason being for change in my mind is, it’s spreading and feels like a deep pain. Yes there’s the severe itchiness etc etc. It’s been brutal having this for over a 1/4 century. I’ve tried every steriod cream, topical creams, powders, several regiments of pills with topical to no avail, even up to 6 weeks at a time. It’s so bad on my left inner thigh that it’s grapefruit sized and doesn’t stop there. Another clue to it quite possibly being Extra Mammary Paget’s Disease is the fact that it’s resistant to any form of treatment.

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Carl David Jun 24, 2019 - 12:59 pm

1 No touching! Very hard I know but…
2 Really no touching! Ever.
3 No creams powders or treatment stuff at all
4 Don’t wear cotton boxers that are loose but have no stretch
Those ones rub as there is no give as they pull under the crotch
like doing “the floss” they will rub on that area when you sit or walk or whatever. If the area is
inflamed then it will not get better.
5 Do wear boxers that are kind of stretchy loose but keep things in place without rubbing.
6 Don’t wear really tight underwear.
7 After going to the toile wash with water use a very very tiny amount of soap nearly nothing just a trace and make sure you
rinse off ALL the soap.
8 Keep things totally dry. This is key. So use a clean towel then use some toilet tissue to make sure it is bone dry.
Every time without fail. Really make it
dryer than you think but don’t touch or rub or scratch.
Take extra care after bathing showering. Don’t stay in the bath or shower very long just get it done.
9 Socks on first as you have fungus on your feet that will transfer to your boxers.
10 Eat well. Sleep well and get rid of the stress in your life to help strengthen your immune system.

I really hope this works for some of you out there! Disclaimer, this is what worked for me YMMV

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JayCeezy Aug 25, 2021 - 8:02 pm

A lot of people don’t know this, but they are making a sequel to ‘Edward Scissorhands.’ He gets jock itch!

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