Author's details
- Hakim A Abubakre
- BA (Hons) International Business Management, Msc Digital Marketing.
Reviewer's details
- Dr. Khashau Eleburuike
- MBBS (Ilorin) MSc. Global Health Karolinska Institute.
- Resident doctor in family medicine in Northen Sweden.
- Date Published: 2025-06-15
- Date Updated: 2026-01-02
Erythrasma – A Common Skin Infection
Key Messages
- Erythrasma is a common, long-lasting skin infection caused by bacteria, especially in hot and moist environments.
- It often affects areas where skin touches skin, such as the groin, underarms, and between the toes.
- People with diabetes, obesity, older age, or weakened immune systems are at higher risk.
- The infection appears as pink, red, or brown patches that may itch, burn, or have a bad smell.
- Good hygiene, keeping skin dry, and using prescribed creams or antibiotics can treat and prevent erythrasma.
What Is Erythrasma?
Erythrasma (also called cutaneous erythrasma) is a long-lasting skin infection caused by a bacteria called Corynebacterium minutissimum. It is very common in Sub-Saharan Africa because of the hot weather and moist skin.
Many people have this infection but do not go to a clinic, and so it often gets ignored.
What Causes Erythrasma?
The bacteria grow in warm, wet areas of the body, especially where skin touches skin.
People are more likely to get it if they:
- Sweat a lot
- Are overweight or obese
- Have diabetes
- Have dark skin
- Are older
- Do not bathe regularly
- Live in shared spaces
- Have a weak immune system (like people living with HIV)
What Does It Look Like?
You may see:
- Pink, red, or brown patches
- Dry or scaly skin
- Wrinkled or soft skin
- Cracks between toes
- Itching or burning, especially in the groin
- A bad smell in some cases
On dark skin, it may look like a lighter patch with darker edges.
Common places affected:
- Underarms
- Groin (between the thighs)
- Under the breasts
- Between the buttocks
- Belly button
- Thighs
- Between the toes
It can also appear in folds of fat on the stomach or legs.
Men often get it in the groin, while women get it more often under the breast, groin and between the toes.
When Should You See a Health Worker?
Go to a clinic or hospital if:
- You have brown or reddish patches that itch or burn
- The patches are in moist or sweaty areas
- The rash is not going away with self-care
- You have diabetes or HIV
- The skin starts peeling or blistering
- You have a fever or feel unwell
- You have swelling or difficulty breathing
Self-Care and Treatment
What You Can Do:
- Wash daily with antibacterial soap
- Keep skin clean and dry
- Use baby powder in skin folds
- Wear light, loose, and clean clothes
- Eat healthy foods
- Lose weight if overweight
Medicines That Help (use as advised by a health worker):
Creams: antibiotic or steroid cream
Pills in the form of antibiotics
Always finish the full course of medicine, even if the rash improves early.
How to Prevent Erythrasma
- Bath or shower every day
- Dry skin well after bathing
- Wear cotton clothes that soak up sweat
- Change underwear and socks daily
- Avoid tight clothing
- Stay cool—avoid very hot or damp places
- Keep blood sugar under control if you have diabetes
- Maintain a healthy weight
Important to Know
Erythrasma is not:
- Witchcraft
- A curse
- A sexually transmitted disease
It is a common skin infection. With the right treatment, it can go away.
- World Health Organization (WHO) – Skin Diseases in Tropical Countries, 2023
- Hay RJ et al. (2014). Skin Diseases in Africa: Common Skin Infections and their Management
- Nweze EI, et al. (2022). Prevalence of superficial skin infections in Sub-Saharan Africa
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) – Bacterial Skin Infections Overview
- Cardillo, H., Kohler, J., Kriner, E. and Mehta, K., 2014, October. Applications of Wood’s Lamp technology to detect skin infections in resource-constrained settings. In IEEE Global Humanitarian Technology Conference (GHTC 2014) (pp. 548-554). IEEE.
