Remedies for ringworm are mainly antifungal ointments, such as ketoconazole, miconazole or terbinafine, as they help eliminate the fungi that cause ringworm on the skin. However, these antifungals can also be found in the form of creams, lotions, sprays, shampoo or medicated nail polish, for mycosis of the nails, scalp, feet and groin.
The treatment of mycosis must be guided by the doctor according to the type of mycosis and the severity of the lesions formed, and usually lasts around 1 to 4 weeks, however, it can last months in cases of mycosis of the scalp or nails, for example.
The most common mycoses that affect people are known as ringworm, nail mycosis, chilblains, candidiasis, white cloth or groin mycosis, for example, and they are all caused by fungi that live in the environment and can cause skin lesions when they manage to escape. the body’s protective barriers. Find out what the main types of skin mycosis are and how to identify them.
The main remedies for ringworm are:
1. Ringworm ointments
Ringworm ointments have antifungal action that help eliminate the fungus, relieving symptoms such as intense itching, redness or peeling of the skin, and can be used for ringworm on the feet, groin, armpits, trunk or neck, such as candidiasis, white cloth, chilblain, impingem or pityriasis versicolor, for example, and can also be found in the form of creams or solutions for ringworm.
Some of the ringworm ointments, creams or solutions are:
- Clotrimazole 1% cream, solution or lotion (Canesten or Clotrimix);
- Terbinafina 1% cream or solution (Lamisilate or Funtyl);
- Amorolfina 2,5% creme (Loceryl);
- Ciclopirox olamina 1% cream or lotion (Loprox or Micolamine);
- Ketoconazole 2% cream (Nizoral or Cetonax);
- Miconazole 2% cream, spray, lotion or powder (Vodol);
- Oxiconazol 1% cream or lotion (Oxipelle);
- Fenticonazol cream solution or spray (Fentizol).
These creams, ointments or solutions should always be used according to your doctor’s instructions, but should generally be applied 1 to 2 times a day, for at least 2 weeks or for the period of time determined by your doctor.
These remedies must be applied to the affected skin area and at least 2 cm beyond the edges of the mycosis and after application it is important to let the skin absorb all the product and then get dressed or put on shoes.
It is important to maintain treatment until the end, even if symptoms improve within 1 to 2 weeks, to prevent the infection from reappearing.
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2. Antifungal tablets
Antifungal tablets may be recommended by the dermatologist when the area affected by ringworm is very large, in cases of ringworm on the nail, or when the person has a problem that affects the immune system, for example.
In these cases, the dermatologist may only recommend the use of tablets, such as:
- Fluconazole 150 mg capsules (Zoltec or Triazol);
- Itraconazole 100 mg capsules (Sporanox or Itraspor);
- Terbinafina 250 mg tablets or capsules (Zior or Funtyl).
The dosage depends on the affected region and the extent of the lesions, and must be determined by the doctor.
3. Antifungal shampoos
Antifungal shampoos may be recommended for ringworm on the scalp or beard, to help eliminate the fungus and prevent the transmission of ringworm to other people or other areas of the body.
The main antifungal shampoos that may be recommended by a dermatologist are:
- Ketoconazole 20mg/mL (Lozan, Medicasp or generic);
- Ciclopirox olamina 1,5% (Stiprox ou Shampoo Anticaspa Celamina Zinco Glenmark).
These shampoos should be applied to the scalp or beard, leaving it to act for 5 to 10 minutes, or rinsing immediately, which depends on the type of shampoo recommended by the doctor.
To prevent dry skin, you can use a moisturizing shampoo after using antifungal shampoos.
4. Medicated nail polish
Medicated nail polish is recommended by the dermatologist in the case of mycosis on the toenails or fingernails, as it has antifungal action that helps eliminate the nail fungus.
The medicated nail polishes that may be recommended by your doctor are:
- Amorolfina 5% (Loceryl);
- Clotrimazole 10 mg/g(Clotrimix);
- Ciclopirox olamina 80 mg/g (Micolamina).
The nail polish should be applied to the affected finger or toe nail, once or twice a week, and the duration of treatment depends on the severity, location and speed of nail growth, which can be around 6 months for finger nails. and 9 to 12 months for toenails. See other treatment options for nail fungus.
Home remedy options
Some options for home remedies for ringworm are sage tea or tea tree oil, as they have antifungal properties, which can be useful to complement the treatment recommended by the doctor, but these home remedies should not be used exclusively to treat any type of ringworm. ringworm.
The use of these or any other home remedies should not replace the remedies recommended by your doctor, but is simply a way to help alleviate symptoms more quickly. Find out how to prepare home remedies for ringworm.
Care during ringworm treatment
Some precautions during ringworm treatment are important to help combat ringworm and facilitate recovery, such as:
- Keep the region clean and dry;
- Avoid wearing wet or damp clothes or shoes;
- Do not share items of clothing or shoes;
- Avoid walking barefoot in public places, especially those with higher humidity, such as saunas and bathrooms.
Furthermore, it is necessary to observe whether the animals in the house have lesions suggestive of ringworm, as it is possible that they are transmitting fungi, which will cause new infections in the future.
