Examples

These antifungal medicines are put directly on the skin (topical). They are available as creams, lotions, solutions, gels, sprays, ointments, swabs, or powders. One medicine may be available in many forms. Your health professional will help you decide which form is best for you.

How It Works

All of these medicines kill fungi. However, you most likely will use terbinafine for a shorter amount of time than the others; see the medicine label for specific instructions. In general:

• Terbinafine is used for 1 to 2 weeks.
• Other medicines are used for 4 to 6 weeks.

If you stop treatment early, even after symptoms are gone, an athlete's foot infection will likely return. It is very important to use the medicine for the entire time directed.

Why It Is Used

Nonprescription antifungal medicines are usually the first medicines used in treating mild and moderate athlete's foot. If treatment is not successful, or if you have a severe case, prescription antifungals are used.

How Well It Works

Nonprescription antifungal medicines are effective in curing athlete's foot for most people.

Terbinafine requires a shorter course of treatment (1 week) than miconazole and clotrimazole (4 to 6 weeks). Both types of medicine produce similar cure rates.¹ While terbinafine costs more than the other two, you need less of it to successfully treat a fungal infection.

One summary of research reports that there is little evidence on how well one nonprescription medicine works compared to another.²

Side Effects

Topical antifungals rarely cause side effects. Stop using the medicine if it results in severe blistering, itching, redness, dryness, or irritation.

See Drug Reference for a full list of side effects. (Drug Reference is not available in all systems.)

What To Think About

Among topical medicines, creams may be best used on mild-to-moderate non-oozing infections, lotions on oozing infections, powders and sprays to prevent reinfection, and gels and ointments for long-term moccasin-type infections.³

It is not known whether these medicines harm a fetus or pass into breast milk. If you are pregnant or breast-feeding, consult your health professional.

Complete the new medication information form (PDF)(What is a PDF document?) to help you understand this medication.

Citations

1. Crawford F (2005). Athlete's foot and fungally infected toe nails. Clinical Evidence (14): 1–5.

2. Crawford F, et al. (2005). Topical treatments for fungal infections of the skin and nails of the foot. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (2). Oxford: Update Software.

3. Weinstein A, Berman B (2003). Topical treatment of common superficial tinea infections. American Family Physician, 65(10): 2095–2102.

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