Fungal infection is a condition that affects millions of people worldwide. There are several kinds of fungal infections impacting different parts of the body. So, You might want to know the fungal infection treatment method.
The fungus is a single cell kind of organism which survives by living on other living beings. For survival, fungi invade the living cells and draw their nourishment from such cells. Fungi typically live in shady, dark, and moist places. Therefore, you will find most fungal infections in the groin, armpit, genital areas, ears, and mouth.
Causes
Moulds, yeasts, and dermatophytes are fundamental causes of Fungal infections. There are around 40 different species of dermatophytes, and they gain their nutrition from keratinized material, just as other organisms cause a fungal infection of the scalp, nails, and skin.
Yeasts occur naturally on the skin but sometimes multiply unabated resulting in symptomatic infections. Moulds are a not so common cause of fungal infections, but they can cause TineaNigra (painless black or brown patches on the skin) and some hard-to-treat nail infections.
Antifungal Cream
Fungal infections affect some body parts like the back, neck, and scalp. Common fungal infections are ringworm, candidiasis, jock itch, athlete’s foot, and dandruff. The good news is that topical antifungal cream can cure the infection and destroy fungi in the affected area.
Diagnosis of all fungal infections is necessary by a dermatologist or physician, who Prescribes the antifungal cream required for treatment. Fungal infections are of various kinds, impacting different parts of the body, so a correct diagnosis must be made by the doctor, who only can decide which antifungal cream to apply.
Mostly, fungal infections are accompanied by other agents that cause itching or rashes. Hence the antifungal cream must treat the additional infections. For the right treatment, you will have to follow the proper instructions on how to use the cream, how many times a day it must be applied, and how long it will take to cure the infection.
Infections Treated by Antifungals
Topical antifungals may treat fungal infections of the nails, skin, vagina, and mucous membranes. Examples of infections treated by antifungals include:
- Nail infections
- Candida infections
- PityriasisVersicolor ( flaky, discoloured skin patches)
- TineaCapitis ( fungal infection of the scalp)
- TineaBarbae (beard and moustache fungal infection)
- TineaCruris ( Jock itch)
- TineaCorporis ( Ringworm)
- Tinea Faciei (facial fungal infection)
- TineaNigra
- TineaManuum (hands)
- TineaPedis (feet)
Different infections need different kinds and times of application. You must also factor in your skin type as different skin types react differently. Hence, consultation with a doctor is vital. You can try more than one cream type or even take a more robust version of the cream you are using currently.
Apply With Care
You must apply fungal infection treatment cream with great care, and caution as infection can spread from one part of the body to another and from one person to another. The doctor recommends that you wear gloves while applying the antifungal cream and wash your hands properly. Spread out the dollop of antifungal cream you wish to apply on tissue paper, and immediately close the tube to save the medication from contamination.
Sometimes antifungal cream can be a combination of other creams when you need two actions. For instance, an antifungal cream is often combined with a mild steroid cream like hydrocortisone to treat certain rashes. The antifungal cream kills the infection, and the mild steroid cream reduces inflammation caused by infection.
Treatment
You can treat fungal infections in a pretty straightforward manner. The length of treatment depends on what kind of fungal infection you have, the degree of its severity, and any other health problems you have (like problems with the immune system). Some treatments can be as short as a few days (e.g. vaginal thrush), and others can take as long as eight weeks (e.g. ringworm infection of the scalp).
The fundamental use of the cream is to treat fungal infections of the nails, skin, and scalp. They include medical formulations like econazole, clotrimazole, ketoconazole, miconazole, tioconazole, amorolfine, and terbinafine. These come in various brand names.
Clotrimazole
There are several types of fungal infection treatment creams on the market. But Clotrimazole cream is most commonly used for treating a fungal infection in humans and animals. This antifungal cream is used to cure ringworm, vaginal yeast infection, athlete’s foot, oral thrush, jock itch, and athlete’s foot. One can develop blistering and burning sensations, skin rashes, swelling and redness of the skin, etc., as side effects of applying clotrimazole cream.
Types of Treatment
You can use antifungal creams to treat many kinds of fungal infections. You know which cream to apply for what kind of infection is crucial.
- Ringworm
It is a fungal skin infection that features a red circle with healthy skin in the middle. Ringworm on the scalp is called TineaCapitis, and elsewhere on the body is called TineaCorporis. Ringworm is caused by fungi called dermatophytes, and it spreads by contact. Infection typically clears within two weeks, and topical antifungal creams can help.
- Athlete’s foot
Called as TineaPedis, it affects the moist area between toes and typically causes burning, stinging, and itching. This infection is common in men, especially those who wear tight-fitting shoes and damp socks. This infection spreads fast in public places like locker rooms where people walk barefoot. Creams containing miconazole, clotrimazole, or terbinafine can help.
- Jock itch
Infection resembles ringworm and occurs in the buttocks, genitals, and inner thighs. It causes a ring-shaped, itchy, and red rash, and the cause is dermatophytes. The latter thrive in warm and moist areas of the body, and they usually affect sweaty athletes, hence the name.
- Yeast infections
Called jointly cutaneous candidiasis, The causes of which are yeast-like fungi called candida and grow in warm, moist areas like the mouth, fingernails, groin, and armpits. Candidiasis of the mouth (thrush) is expected in a person with weakened immune systems and can indicate another severe disease like AIDS.
Yeast infections include burning, itching, patches with oozing fluid, pus, pain, and rashes. It would help if you treated such infection with topical creams containing clotrimazole, butoconazole, terconazole, or miconazole.
These are all essential aspects of fungal infection treatment cream in India. The takeaway is that topical creams effectively treat certain fungal infections, but treatment must be done with a doctor’s advice.