Treatment of fungal infections

• General measures
• Reducing reinfection
• Topical antifungal medications
• Oral antifungal medications

The trade names of the medications sold in New Zealand are given in parentheses.

General measures

• Correct predisposing factors where possible.
• Keep the affected skin clean and dry. Wash daily. Take care to dry between the toes and in the skin folds; use a hair dryer if necessary. Use your own towel.
• Carefully clean the shower or bath using bleach.
• Hot wash socks, towels, bathmats at a temperature of at least 60C.
• Regularly wash floors where you walk bare foot.
• Antiseptics
  • Dequalinium chloride lozenges for oral candidiasis (Dequacaine®, Dequadin®)
  • Di-iodohydroxyquinoline for vulvovaginal candidiasis (Floraquin® vaginal tablets).

To reduce reinfection

Fungal spores can survive long periods. To reduce the chance of reinfection:

• Do not share towels, sheets or personal clothing.
• Avoid walking bare foot where others may tread - wear jandals, sandals or aquasocks at the public pools and sports changing rooms.
• Avoid long periods wearing the same clothing, or wearing occlusive clothing such as wet weather gear and nylon pantyhose.
• Wear open-toed sandals when possible. Avoid long periods in occlusive footwear such as gum boots or tramping boots.
• Use antifungal foot powder e.g. ciclopirox (Batrafen®), econazole (Pevaryl®), miconazole (Daktarin®, Fungo®), tolciclate (Tolmicen®), tolnaftate (Tinaderm®), undecylenic acid (Mycota®). Sprinkle it in your shoes.
• In the case of zoophilic fungal infections, infected animals should be identified and treated.

Link to other DermNet NZ pages:

• Topical antifungal medications
• Oral antifungal medications