How Does Antifungal Cream Work to Treat Infections?

In the United States, nearly 4,900,000 people visit the outpatient department for the treatment of ringworm infections as reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The cost of this treatment exceeds $800 million which adds to the overall burden on the health department. Therefore, topical antifungal creams have been introduced that are available over the counter. But the patients often ask how does antifungal cream work and what are its uses as well as side effects.

In this article, we will address the question of how does antifungal cream work when it comes to treating infections. In addition, some of the well-known antifungal cream brands have also been linked for the reader’s convenience.

What are Antifungal Creams?

Antifungal creams are topically used products that can treat fungal infections affecting the skin. These products come in both over-the-counter (OTC) as well as prescription-only forms. As different antifungal medications are incorporated into different excipients to make antifungal creams, these differ in their mechanisms of action.

How Does Antifungal Cream Work?

When it comes to learning about how does antifungal cream work, it is important to look into their composition. The following section covers some of the OTC antifungal medications in terms of their mechanisms of action:

Clotrimazole

Clotrimazole creams are known to slow down the growth of fungal cells by interacting with their cell walls. This is done by blocking the synthesis of ergosterol which is an essential component of fungal membrane. This way, the membrane becomes permeable resulting in leakage of the contents. As a result, cell death occurs.

In addition, when it comes to learning about how does antifungal cream works, keep in mind that clotrimazole also blocks the synthesis of phospholipids as well as the crucial cellular respiration processes.

Miconazole

Miconazole, another commonly used antifungal agent, also affects the synthesis of ergosterol. However, the mechanism is different. Miconazole is known to inhibit the CYP450 14α-lanosterol demethylase enzyme that changes the production of ergosterol and subsequently changes the composition and permeability of the cell membrane.

Terbinafine

Terbinafine is an antifungal agent that acts on an enzyme called squalene epoxide. It is known to play a crucial role in the synthesis of the fungal cell wall. When the enzyme gets blocked by terbinafine, accumulation of the squalene molecules starts weakening the cell wall which leads to fungal cell death.

Tolnaftate

Like terbinafine, tolnaftate also works by blocking the squalene epoxide enzyme in the fungal cells. This leads to the hindered production of ergosterol which is a vital component of the fungal cell wall. Resultantly, the cell wall becomes highly permeable and ultimately leads to cell death.

Butenafine

When it comes to learning about how does antifungal cream work, remember that butenafine, a synthetic antifungal agent, is also a squalene epoxide enzyme blocker that prevents the conversion of squalene into chemical substances that further form ergosterol. This way, fungal cell membranes are not formed.

Antifungal Creams: Uses and Applications

While learning about how does antifungal cream work, it is also important to look into their other characteristics as well apart from the mechanism of action. In this regard, the above-mentioned antifungal agents have the following uses, dosage recommendations, as well as side effects:

Antifungal Medications	Uses	Dosage	Side Effects
Clotrimazole	Athlete’s foot and ringworm Jock itch Tinea versicolor	Twice daily for 4 weeks Twice daily for 2 weeks Twice daily for 1 to 4 weeks	Itching Skin irritation Burning
Miconazole	Athlete’s foot and ringworm Jock itch Tinea versicolor	Twice daily for 4 weeks Twice daily for 2 weeks Twice daily for 1 to 4 weeks	Rashes Skin irritation Burning
Terbinafine	Athlete’s foot and ringworm Jock itch Tinea versicolor	Twice daily for 1 week Once daily for 1 week Twice daily for 1 week	Skin irritation
Tolnaftate	Athlete’s foot and ringworm Jock itch For athlete’s foot prevention	Twice daily for 4 weeks Once daily for 2 weeks Once or twice daily	Skin irritation
Butenafine	Athlete’s foot between the toes Jock itch and ringworm	Twice daily for 1 week   Once daily for 2 weeks	Itching Stinging Burning

Side Effects of Topical Antifungal Agents

When it comes to learning how does antifungal cream work, their possible side effects should also be considered. Some of these issues that are common to occur after topical antifungal cream use include the following:

• Redness
• Burning or stinging sensation
• Skin irritation
• Edema
• Pruritis or itching
• Dryness of the scalp
• Skin tenderness and pain
• Pimple-like bumps

Some other side effects which are rare to occur are:

• Troubled breathing
• Severe skin reactions such as cracking or peeling
• Severe dizziness
• Rash
• Appearance of hives
• Itching or swelling
• Urticarial or itchy, raised welts on the skin
• Allergic reaction

CDC Recommendation

The CDC recommends choosing topical antifungal products that do not contain corticosteroids. This is because corticosteroids are known to cause many side effects that are associated with the use of topical antifungal creams.

Frequently Asked Questions

While learning about how does antifungal cream work, patients often ask questions about their efficacy, usage, as well as resistance. The following section addresses some of these essential questions regarding the antifungal agents:

1.      Who should not take topical antifungal medications?

Anyone with a known allergy to a topical antifungal agent or an excipient should avoid using the creams containing that ingredient. In addition, when it comes to learning about how does antifungal cream work, keep in mind that topical miconazole-based formulations should be avoided among children under the age of 2 due to the possible side effects.

2.      Can I use topical antifungal agents during pregnancy or breastfeeding?

Generally, topical antifungal agents are considered safe during pregnancy as well as breastfeeding. This is because topical formulations are less likely to get absorbed into the bloodstream as compared to oral ones. However, their use should be started only after consultation with the healthcare provider.

3.      What is antifungal resistance?

Antifungal resistance is a condition that is associated with the absence of response by the fungal cells to the antifungal agents. When resistance happens, it becomes difficult to treat a fungal infection. Usually, this happens when the patient skips the medication doses or stops the treatment without completing the course. Moreover, receiving a dose of antifungal agents that is too low can also cause antifungal resistance.

4.      When should I see a doctor for my fungal skin infection?

When it comes to learning about how does antifungal cream work, always remember that these medications are not suitable for all kinds of fungal infections. Therefore, after using topical antifungal agents that are available over-the-counter for 7 days, if there is no improvement in your symptoms, then it is the right time to consult a healthcare provider.

5.      What precautions should I take in addition to using topical antifungal creams?

While learning about how does antifungal cream work, it is important to look into the necessary precautions one should take to shorten the overall treatment period. For this purpose, wearing loose and breathable clothes is necessary. You should also avoid sharing personal items like shoes or towels with other people as this practice can spread the infection.

Antifungal Creams at Health Supply 770: Features and Specifications

Antifungal creams are necessary for the treatment of topical fungal infections. These contain medications that kill the fungal cells by attacking their cell walls. Resultantly, the cells break and the infections start to shrink.

When it comes to learning about how does antifungal cream work, 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 topical OTC items that are used for the treatment of athlete’s foot and ringworm infections. These creams contain tolnaftate as their active ingredient and can also be employed for the prevention of most athlete’s foot infections.

While learning about how does antifungal cream work, the consistency of the product is important so that it can stay on the skin for longer. In the case of these Tinactin antifungal foot creams, this issue is resolved by manufacturing the product with a desired viscosity to stay on the feet for hours.

Each tube of these Tinactin antifungal foot creams has 15 grams of the medication and weighs around 0.5 ounces. Although side effects are rare to occur, some people can experience dryness, irritation, as well as redness.

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 OTC items that are used against jock itch, ringworm, athlete’s foot, as well as other superficial skin infections. Their odor-controlling formula prevents the affected area from smelling bad. Moreover, the product also provides the necessary moisture to the skin to prevent dryness.

Furthermore, while learning about how does antifungal cream work, the strength of the product is also important. In this regard, these DermaRite 00234 antifungal DermaFungal® 2% strength creams have a 2% strength of miconazole nitrate in the formulation. Each contains 3.75 ounces of the product.

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 similar to the above-mentioned product but these come in sachets instead of tubes. These products by DermaRite Industries are available over-the-counter.

As, while learning about how does antifungal cream work, the amount of the product in the packaging is a concern. In the case of these DermaRite 00233 antifungal DermaFungal® 2% strength products, each sachet contains 5 grams of the product.

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

US$83.86

Product Details

53-6391 McKesson antifungal tubes come with miconazole nitrate as their active ingredient, an antifungal agent helpful for the treatment of itching, cracking, scaling, and burning. Moreover, these 53-6391 McKesson antifungal tubes are also effective against athlete’s foot as well as jock itch. Furthermore, problems like redness, soreness, irritation, as well as chafing can also be managed by applying these antifungal creams. The strength of the product is 2.0%.

While learning about how does antifungal cream work, looking into the composition of the product is also important to avoid possible allergies. In this regard, these 53-6391 McKesson antifungal tubes are free from natural rubber latex as well as other allergy-causing substances.

As for their concentration, 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 how does antifungal cream work, 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 on the skin are common to occur in almost every part of the world. As an easy treatment option, the use of topical antifungal agents is recommended. These are often available in the form of creams which are sold over-the-counter. However, the patients are often concerned about how does antifungal cream work, what are its uses, what is the right dose, as well as what are the possible side effects.

This article focuses on answering all of these questions. The mechanism of most antifungal creams is that they block the synthesis of fungal cell walls. As a result, the membrane becomes permeable and, therefore, leads to the destruction of the cell.

Considering their importance, topical 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

https://www.cdc.gov/fungal/treatment/index.html