What Is Antifungal Cream? Everything You Need to Know

Have to ever been diagnosed with a fungal infection? If so, you are not alone. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 75,000 Americans get hospitalized while nearly 9 million visit the outpatient department annually for the treatment of fungal diseases. In most of these cases, patients are prescribed antifungal agents in the form of creams, lotions, and even sprays. But what is antifungal cream and why is it so popular in its over-the-counter use?

In this article, we will address the question of what is antifungal cream and what it is used for. In addition, some of the well-known antifungal cream brands have also been linked for the reader’s convenience.

What is Antifungal Cream?

An antifungal cream is a topical medication that is used to treat fungal infections of the skin. These creams are of more than one kind and are different in their composition. Most of the antifungal creams are available as over-the-counter or OTC products. However, some of these can only be bought with a physician’s prescription.

Antifungal Creams: Composition, Types, and Uses

Antifungal creams can be classified into different types based on their availability as OTC or prescription-only products. In this section, let us dissect both one by one:

Over-the-counter (OTC) Antifungal Creams

Over-the-counter or OTC products are available in pharmacies and can be purchased without the physician’s prescription. These include the following items:

Clotrimazole

Clotrimazole OTC cream is an effective antifungal agent that works by damaging the fungal cell wall. As a result, fungal growth is slowed.

Uses

This type of product can be employed for the treatment of the following:

• Athlete’s foot and ringworm (twice daily for 4 weeks)
• Jock itch (twice daily for 2 weeks)
• Tinea versicolor (twice daily for 1 to 4 weeks)

In addition to learning about what is antifungal cream, keep in mind that vaginal clotrimazole cream is also available for the treatment of irritation or itching around the vaginal skin.

Side Effects

The common side effects of clotrimazole are the following:

• Itching
• Skin irritation
• Burning

Miconazole

While learning about what is antifungal cream, miconazole-based products are commonly used by the patients. The medication works by damaging the fungal cell wall which slows down its growth.

Uses

These OTC products are for vaginal use. In addition, while learning about what is antifungal cream, keep in mind that these can also be used for the treatment of the following:

• Athlete’s foot and ringworm (twice daily for 4 weeks)
• Jock itch (twice daily for 2 weeks)
• Tinea versicolor (twice daily for 1 to 4 weeks)

Side Effects

Miconazole can cause the following side effects in the patients upon long-term use:

• Rashes
• Skin irritation
• Burning

Terbinafine

Terbinafine is another option while learning about what is antifungal cream. The medication has the potential to kill fungal cells by preventing their formation.

Uses

Like the above-mentioned antifungal agents, terbinafine can also be used for the treatment of the following diseases:

• Athlete’s foot and ringworm (twice daily for 1 week)
• Jock itch (once daily for 1 week)
• Tinea versicolor (twice daily for 1 week)

Side Effects

While learning about what is antifungal cream, the side effects of these medications are also a concern. In the case of terbinafine, the common side effect is skin irritation.

Tolnaftate

Tolnaftate cream is also an OTC product that can treat as well as prevent fungal diseases. While learning about what is antifungal cream, keep in mind that its mechanism involves restricting the fungal growth that leads to the reduction of skin issues over a few days to a few weeks.

Uses

The uses of tolnaftate include the following:

• Athlete’s foot treatment and ringworm (twice daily for 4 weeks)
• Jock itch (once daily for 2 weeks)
• For the prevention of athlete’s foot (once or twice daily)

Side Effects

A major side effect of tolnaftate is skin irritation.

Butenafine

Butenafine cream is another OTC product to look into while learning about what is antifungal cream. The drug works by restricting the fungal cells from fully forming. This way, cell death occurs which leads to reduced fungal infection.

Uses

Butenafine is often employed for the treatment of the following diseases:

• Athlete’s foot between the toes (twice daily for 1 week)
• Jock itch and ringworm (once daily for 2 weeks)

Side Effects

Butenafine can cause the following side effects in the patients who use it regularly:

• Itching
• Stinging
• Burning

OTC vs. Prescription Antifungal Creams

While learning about what is antifungal cream, a question is often asked about its efficacy in comparison to prescription drugs. In general, OTC antifungal products are prepared to treat common mild infections to occur such as ringworm, athlete’s foot, as well as jock itch. Some of these products are also suitable for treating vaginal yeast infections.

However, some of the antifungal creams are also stronger and have efficacy against mild to moderate-level infections. This is because these products contain corticosteroids that add to their effectiveness against swelling, itching, or redness that is associated with a fungal skin infection. Common examples of these include certain combinations such as nystatin/triamcinolone, clotrimazole/betamethasone cream, etc.

Do I Need a Prescription-Strength Antifungal Cream?

While learning about what is antifungal cream, it is also essential to understand when you need to switch to a prescription product from the OTC one. The OTC antifungal agents mentioned in this article have a specified time duration for their use to treat certain infections.

However, if the infection persists after this duration, it is time to visit your healthcare provider. She or he might prescribe more potent antifungal creams to deal with the disease state. To simplify this, if you check any of the following boxes, it is best to consult a healthcare provider:

• Your fungal infection is covering the larger part of your body
• You are diabetic
• You are experiencing issues with your blood circulation
• You have a compromised or weak immune system
• You are unsure if you have a urinary tract infection (UTI) or a vaginal yeast infection
• You have ringworm on the scalp which is not improving after OTC antifungal creams
• You have fungal infection on the nails or beard where the application of an OTC antifungal cream is difficult

In addition, for some fungal infections, the OTC antifungal agents are not effective at all. In such cases, refer to your healthcare provider for a suitable medication prescription.

Antifungal Creams at Health Supply 770: Features and Specifications

Fungal infections account for a huge number of infections that require treatment either with OTC or prescription medications. Proper and timely treatment can not only treat the infection but can also prevent future fungal infections from happening.

When it comes to learning about what is antifungal cream, it is also essential to look into some of the products that many brands manufacture. Some of these well-known brands are also available at Health Supply 770 and have been detailed below along with their features and purchase links:

Tinactin Antifungal Foot Cream 15gm 0.5 oz

US$130.88

Product Details

Tinactin antifungal foot creams are over-the-counter medications that are effective against athlete’s foot as well as ringworm disease. The active ingredient in the product is tolneftate which is a known antifungal medication.

While learning about what is antifungal cream, the grammage of the product is also a concern. In the case of these Tinactin antifungal foot creams, each tube has 15 grams of the product that weighs around 0.5 ounces.

Moreover, as these Tinactin antifungal foot creams are available over-the-counter, these can be purchased without a prescription. Furthermore, the product is easy to use as the consistency of the cream is thick and it remains stable on the infected area.

In addition, these Tinactin antifungal foot creams are generally well-tolerated but can have a few side effects such as dryness, irritation, as well as redness. Despite being rare, feeling a stinging or burning sensation is also possible.

DermaRite 00234 Antifungal DermaFungal® 2% Strength Cream 3.75 oz. Tube (24/CS)

US$159.88

Product Details

DermaRite 00234 antifungal DermaFungal® 2% strength creams are non-prescription or over-the-counter antifungal products. These are highly effective for the treatment of jock itch, ringworm, athlete’s foot, as well as other superficial skin infections.

Moreover, these DermaRite 00234 antifungal DermaFungal® 2% strength creams also help in controlling the odor associated with fungal infections. The product forms a layer of moisture barrier on the skin that minimizes the risk of dryness.

Furthermore, these DermaRite 00234 antifungal DermaFungal® 2% strength creams have miconazole nitrate as its active ingredient. The product comes in a tube and has a 2% strength. While learning about what is antifungal cream, the volume of the product is a concern. In the case of these DermaRite 00234 antifungal DermaFungal® 2% strength creams, the volume of the container is 3.75 ounces.

DermaRite 00233 Antifungal DermaFungal® 2% Strength Cream 5 Gram Individual Packet (144/BX)

US$85.88

Product Details

DermaRite 00233 antifungal DermaFungal® 2% strength creams are OTC products that come in individually packed 5 grams. The cream is antifungal and can deal with mild to moderate skin infections.

While learning about what is antifungal cream, these DermaRite 00233 antifungal DermaFungal® 2% strength products have a strength of 2%. The product is manufactured in the US by DermaRite Industries.

53-6391 McKesson Antifungal CR 2% 4OZ Tube CS12

US$83.86

Product Details

53-6391 McKesson antifungal tubes contain miconazole nitrate at a strength of 2.0%. The product is effective for relieving skin issues like itching, cracking, scaling, and burning. Moreover, these 53-6391 McKesson antifungal tubes can also be applied on discomfort associated with jock itch as well as athlete’s foot.

In addition, these 53-6391 McKesson antifungal tubes can also be employed for the treatment of redness, soreness, irritation, as well as chafing.

Furthermore, these 53-6391 McKesson antifungal tubes are free from natural rubber latex that is a known irritant to the skin. Because of this, the product becomes safer for people with sensitive skin types.

While learning about what is antifungal cream, it is important to keep in mind that these topical products are sometimes not fully effective against all types of fungal infections. In such cases, it is important to consult a healthcare provider. Each tube of these 53-6391 McKesson antifungal tubes contains 4 fluid ounces (fl oz) or 118.3 ml of the miconazole nitrate antifungal cream.

*Note: The prices of these items mentioned in the article are taken from the Health Supply 770 website. These may vary over time.

The products mentioned in this article while learning about what is antifungal cream, along with many other medical supplies, can be purchased from Health Supply 770, a reliable name when it comes to medical products. They have a 30-day money-back guarantee and provide your products to you in the shortest possible time. Click the link at the end of the article to check the wide range of antimicrobial items.

Conclusion

Fungal infections affect a huge chunk of the population every year in the US. Most of these patients prefer to use a home-based antifungal remedy that is available over the counter for problems such as ringworm, athlete’s foot, and jock itch among others.

When it comes to learning about what is antifungal cream, it is important to choose a product that is suitable for your condition. Some of the OTC products can be used to treat fungal infections at home. However, some conditions require proper diagnosis and treatment with prescription medications to improve the condition.

Considering their importance, OTC antifungal creams should be kept in every household as well as in healthcare facilities for the management of fungal infections. For purchasing different types of antifungal creams, reliable vendors like Health Supply 770 should be approached. They ensure the provision of quality products along with satisfactory services.

References

https://www.cdc.gov/fungal/data-research/facts-stats/index.html