Ketoconazole Cream: Uses, Dosage, Side Effects, Precautions and Alternates

Quick overview

Ketoconazole Cream is a topical antifungal medicine used to treat certain fungal and yeast infections of the skin, such as ringworm, jock itch, athlete's foot, tinea versicolor, cutaneous candidiasis, and seborrheic dermatitis. It works by damaging the fungus's protective outer cell membrane, stopping the fungus from growing and spreading. Skin often starts improving within a few days, and the cream has few side effects for most people. It is applied directly to the affected area and is approved for use in adults.

What is Ketoconazole Cream

Ketoconazole Cream is a topical antifungal medicine used to treat certain fungal and yeast infections of the skin. It helps reduce the growth of fungi and yeast on the skin, which eases itching, redness, flaking, and discomfort.

Ketoconazole Cream uses

• Ringworm (tinea corporis)
• Jock itch (tinea cruris)
• Athlete's foot (tinea pedis)
• Tinea (pityriasis) versicolor, a fungal condition causing lighter or darker patches of skin
• Cutaneous candidiasis (yeast infection of the skin)
• Seborrheic dermatitis

Benefits of Ketoconazole Cream

• Reduces itching, redness, flaking, and discomfort caused by fungal or yeast skin infections
• Skin usually starts improving within a few days of starting treatment
• Applied directly to the affected area
• Has few side effects for most people

How Ketoconazole Cream works

Ketoconazole works by damaging the fungus's protective outer cell membrane, which stops the fungus from growing and spreading, allowing the infection to gradually clear.

Ketoconazole Cream dosage

Wash and dry the affected area of skin before applying the cream. Apply a thin layer over the affected area and a small margin of the normal-looking skin around it, since the fungus may extend beyond the visible rash. Wash your hands after applying the cream, unless the hands are the area being treated. Use the cream only on the skin; avoid the eyes, nose, mouth, and other mucosal surfaces.

Continue using the cream for the full recommended course, even if the rash starts to look better, to reduce the chance of the infection coming back. Avoid tight dressings or heavy covering of the treated area unless told otherwise by a doctor. Wear breathable clothing and keep the area dry to support treatment. Do not share creams, towels, socks, or clothing with others while the infection is active.

This cream is approved for use in adults only; safety and effectiveness in children have not been established.

Available forms and strengths

• Cream (2%)

Side effects of Ketoconazole Cream

Common

• Itchiness at the application site
• Skin irritation
• Stinging or burning
• Rash
• Dryness or redness of the skin

Serious

• Severe allergic reaction: hives, swelling of the face or tongue, trouble breathing
• Contact dermatitis
• Painful allergic skin reaction
• Marked swelling, severe rash, or blistering after application

Warnings and precautions

• This cream is not meant to be used in or near the eyes.
• This cream contains a sulfite ingredient that can cause allergic-type reactions, including severe or life-threatening asthma symptoms, in some sensitive people. This is more common in people with asthma.
• Do not use this cream if you have shown an allergic reaction to ketoconazole or any of the other ingredients in this cream.
• If the cream causes irritation or a reaction suggesting sensitivity, stop using it.
• Safety and effectiveness of this cream in children have not been established.
• There are no adequate and well-controlled studies of this cream in pregnant women. It should be used during pregnancy only if the potential benefit justifies the potential risk to the baby.
• It is not known if enough of the medicine passes into breast milk to affect a nursing baby. A decision should be made about whether to stop breastfeeding or stop using the cream, based on how important the medicine is for the mother.

Storage

• Store below 77°F (25°C)
• Keep out of reach of children

When to see a doctor

• Get medical help right away if you have a severe allergic reaction, such as hives, swelling of the face or tongue, or trouble breathing.
• See a doctor if the rash becomes much redder, swollen, blistered, or more painful, since this may not be an expected reaction.
• Talk to your prescriber if your skin infection does not improve or gets worse after finishing treatment, since a different medication might be needed.
• If there is no clinical improvement after the treatment period, the diagnosis should be reassessed by a doctor.

Alternatives

• Luliconazole Cream
• Terbinafine Cream
• Econazole Cream
• Miconazole Cream
• Clotrimazole Cream