Best over the counter medicine for ringworm

The sound of ringworm is enough to make your skin crawl. Thankfully it’s not nearly as creepy (or as crawly) as it sounds. There aren’t even any worms involved. (Cue sigh of relief.)

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“That’s a huge misconception. Ringworm, or tinea, is not a creature but an infection caused by fungus,” says dermatologist Alok Vij, MD. Here’s how to spot this common fungal infection — and how to wipe it out.

Recognizing ringworm symptoms

Ringworm causes red, ring-shaped patches on the skin. The red splotches typically have a wavy border that’s raised or scaly, Dr. Vij says. The rash is usually a little itchy but not always.  

And those itchy red patches are all too common. The infection spreads through skin-to-skin contact, so it often affects kids (who are famously lax about keeping their hands to themselves) and athletes who engage in close contact, such as wrestlers. But it can strike anyone of any age.

It can also show up anywhere on the body. In kids, the scalp is a common spot. But tinea can also infiltrate the feet (where it’s known as athlete’s foot) or the groin (hello, jock itch).

Ringworm treatment

If you have signs of ringworm, you probably want it gone yesterday. Good news, says Dr. Vij: “It’s generally easy to treat.”

Look for over-the-counter antifungal creams such as Tinactin® (tolnaftate topical) or Lotramin® (clotrimazole). These products are often found in the foot care aisle and marketed for athlete’s foot. These creams will:

• Clear it up: Use it twice a day, and the infection should start clearing within a few days, Dr. Vij says.
• Wipe it out: Keep using the cream morning and night for a month to fully wipe out the fungus and prevent it from making a repeat performance, he says. “Using the creams consistently is the key.” 

Most often, an OTC treatment works well to clear up ringworm. If it doesn’t, see a doctor, because you might have a deeper infection that requires prescription treatment.

However, DO NOT treat ringworm with apple cider vinegar. Some people suggest applying this would-be home remedy and covering the spot with a bandage. But you may end up with open sores, Dr. Vij says. “I’ve seen people with scarring as a result of trying to treat ringworm with vinegar.”

Keep ringworm infections at bay

When you have ringworm, antifungal creams are your friends. Still, you’d surely rather avoid the infection in the first place.

These strategies can help you avoid those telltale red rings (or prevent them from spreading from one part of your body to another):

• Wash up: After touching the rash, wash your hands before you touch another part of your body. (Or somebody else’s body. Your friends will thank you.)
• Boil the bedding: Wash all linens, towels and clothing that comes into contact with an infected person. (Go ahead and crank up the water temp — you want to scorch those fungi.)
• Check Spot: Have a vet check your dog for fungal infections since they can spread tinea to people.
• Hit the showers: Shower right after working out — especially if you’re a wrestler or participate in other close-contact sports.
• Protect your feet: Wear shower shoes at the gym or pool to avoid catching athlete’s foot.

Key takeaways:

• There are many over-the-counter (OTC) antifungal creams that are safe and effective for fungal skin infections.

• Most OTC antifungal creams are used once or twice a day for 1 to 4 weeks, depending on the medication and the area you’re treating.

• Some fungal infections may require a prescription from your provider. This can depend on the infection type, where it is on the body, and whether it has responded to past OTC treatments. 

Fungi are one of the most abundant organisms on the planet. In fact, there are millions of different fungal species. You’d probably recognize some species of fungus, like mushrooms or mold. 

But some fungi are microscopic and live inside the body or on our skin. A few hundred species can actually make us sick, causing things like allergies, rashes, or infections.The good news is there are antifungal medications that can treat diseases caused by fungi. 

Some fungal infections that affect the skin can be treated with topical medications like creams. And many of these topical products are available over-the-counter (OTC). Keep reading to learn more about a few popular OTC options for athlete’s foot, ringworm, jock itch, and more.

What are antifungal creams?

Antifungal creams are medications that are used to treat fungal infections of the skin. A lot of antifungal creams are available OTC. But there are some prescription antifungals as well. In addition to creams, you can find some products as powders, sprays, or lotions.

What are antifungal creams used to treat?

Antifungal creams can be used to treat things like:

• Ringworm

• Athlete’s foot

• Jock itch

• Yeast infections

• Tinea versicolor

Most of the time, OTC antifungal creams work well to resolve these problems. But if they don’t help, you might need to talk to your healthcare provider about other treatment options. 

How do antifungal creams work?

Antifungal creams work by killing the fungus and/or stopping it from growing. When using the cream, the instructions may have you apply it to the affected and surrounding areas. This ensures that the medication can work locally to attack the fungus at the site of the infection.

Which antifungal creams are available OTC?

Many skin fungal infections are mild problems that can be treated with OTC creams. But as you’re browsing these products, be sure to check the label first. Some brands sell multiple different types of antifungals under the same brand name. 

Let’s dig into what you should know about a few popular options.

1. Clotrimazole

Brand names: Lotrimin AF, Trivagizole 3, Clotrimazole 3

OTC clotrimazole cream is commonly used to treat athlete’s foot, ringworm, and jock itch. It’s also sometimes used to treat tinea versicolor. And a clotrimazole vaginal cream is available to treat vaginal yeast infections and itching or irritation of the skin surrounding the vagina. 

Clotrimazole works by damaging the fungal cell wall and slowing down fungal growth. It can cause side effects like burning, skin irritation, and itching.

For yeast infections: Clotrimazole is available as both 3-day and 7-day treatment courses. Insert the cream inside the vagina once daily for 3 or 7 days (depending on treatment course). Apply a small amount to the skin surrounding the vagina twice daily to help with itching and irritation. Contact your healthcare provider if you still have vaginal yeast infection symptoms after 3 or 7 days of using clotrimazole.  

For athlete’s foot and ringworm: Apply twice daily for 4 weeks. Your symptoms should improve within 1 week of applying clotrimazole. But be sure to treat the area for the full 4 weeks to ensure the infection is completely gone.

For jock itch: Apply twice daily for 2 weeks. Your symptoms should improve within 1 week of applying clotrimazole. But be sure to treat the area for the full 2 weeks to ensure the infection is completely gone.

For tinea versicolor: Apply twice daily for 1 to 4 weeks. It takes an average of 2 weeks to see the results of treatment with clotrimazole. 

2. Miconazole

Brand names: Monistat, Vagistat, Micatin

Miconazole cream is a common OTC option for vaginal yeast infections. You can also find it as a vaginal suppository. Like clotrimazole, you’ve got several treatment course options. It’s also commonly used for athlete’s foot, ringworm, and jock itch. And it’s sometimes used for tinea versicolor. 

Miconazole works by damaging the fungal cell wall and slowing down fungal growth. The common side effects are burning, skin irritation, and rash.

For yeast infections: Insert the cream inside the vagina once daily for 3 or 7 days (depending on treatment course). There’s also a 1-day treatment course available. It comes as a combination pack with one treatment suppository and a tube of cream. 

Apply the cream to the skin surrounding the vagina twice daily to help with itching and irritation. You should start to experience some relief within the first 24 hours of use. Contact your healthcare provider if there’s no symptom improvement after 3 days of use.  

For athlete’s foot and ringworm: Apply twice daily for 4 weeks. Contact your healthcare provider if your symptoms don’t improve after 4 weeks of treatment.

For jock itch: Apply twice daily for 2 weeks. Contact your healthcare provider if your symptoms don’t improve after 2 weeks of treatment.

For tinea versicolor: Apply twice daily for 1 to 4 weeks. It takes an average of 2 weeks to see the results of treatment with miconazole. 

3. Terbinafine 

Brand names: Lamisil AT

Terbinafine cream can be used to treat ringworm, jock itch, and athlete’s foot. It’s also sometimes used to treat tinea versicolor. 

Terbinafine works by preventing fungal cells from fully forming, resulting in death of the cells. The most common side effect of terbinafine is skin irritation. 

For athlete’s foot: Apply the cream between your toes twice daily for 1 week, and to the bottom or sides of your feet twice daily for 2 weeks. Terbinafine was found in some studies to be as effective after 1 week of treatment compared with 4 weeks of miconazole treatment.

For jock itch and ringworm: Apply once daily for 1 week.

For tinea versicolor: Apply twice daily for 1 week. Most people see a noticeable difference around 2 months after treatment. 

Contact your healthcare provider if you don’t see symptom improvement after 1 week of using terbinafine cream.

4. Tolnaftate

Brand names: Tinactin, Lamisil AF

Tolnaftate cream can be used to treat ringworm and jock itch, and to treat or prevent athlete’s foot. It works by preventing fungi from growing and surviving. The main side effect is skin irritation. You should start seeing results within a few days or a week of treatment.

For athlete’s foot treatment and ringworm: Apply twice daily for 4 weeks. If you’re using it for athlete’s foot, make sure to apply it all over your feet and in between your toes.

For jock itch: Apply twice daily for 2 weeks.

For athlete’s foot prevention: Apply once or twice daily while prevention is needed. Be sure to apply it in between your toes as well.

5. Butenafine

Brand names: Lotrimin Ultra

Butenafine cream can be used to treat athlete’s foot between the toes, ringworm, and jock itch. It works by preventing fungal cells from fully forming, resulting in cell death. The most common side effects of butenafine are burning, stinging, and itching. 

Butenafine may be more effective at treating fungal infections than other antifungals that prevent the fungus from growing (e.g., clotrimazole). That’s because it kills the fungus. 

For athlete’s foot between the toes: Apply twice daily for 1 week, or once daily for 4 weeks.

For jock itch and ringworm: Apply once daily for 2 weeks.

Contact your healthcare provider if you still have symptoms of a fungal infection after the recommended treatment duration. 

How do OTC antifungal creams compare to prescription-only options?

OTC antifungal creams are typically used to treat mild and common fungal skin infections like ringworm, jock itch, and athlete’s foot. Some are also used to treat vaginal yeast infections. 

In some cases, prescription antifungal creams might be stronger or more effective at treating certain types of fungal infections. Some prescription products also contain a corticosteroid. A corticosteroid can be helpful for itching, swelling, and redness associated with a fungal skin infection. These include clotrimazole/betamethasone cream (Lotrisone) and nystatin/triamcinolone.  

When would you need a prescription-strength antifungal cream?

Prescription antifungal creams might be recommended by your provider if your fungal infection doesn’t go away, gets worse, or keeps coming back after using OTC creams. And there are some fungal infections for which OTC creams won’t be effective at all. 

In these cases, your provider can determine the best prescription option for you. Contact your healthcare provider before using OTC antifungal creams if:

• The infection covers a large area of your body

• You have diabetes

• You have problems with circulation

• You have a weakened immune system

• You’re not sure if you have a vaginal yeast infection or a urinary tract infection (UTI)

Some areas of the body are difficult to treat with OTC antifungal creams. Ringworm on the scalp and fungal infections of the nails or the beard area aren't usually able to be treated with topical medications. However, there are prescription-only nail solutions — ciclopirox (Penlac) and efinaconazole (Jublia) — that can be used for nail fungal infections. 

Creams aren’t as effective in these areas because the hair and nails get in the way of the medication making contact with the skin. These usually require oral antifungal medications that can only be prescribed by your provider. 

The bottom line

OTC antifungal creams are an effective treatment for a lot of skin fungal infections. They’re easy to use and cause minimal side effects. However, if your skin infection doesn’t go away after finishing treatment with an OTC cream, contact your healthcare provider.  

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