Ringworm and fungal infections: the course that finishes it

For ringworm, jock itch and athlete's foot that keeps coming back. Most of the creams sold over the counter for itching are steroid combinations that hide the rash and spread the infection. A dermatologist confirms what it is, prescribes the full course and tells you what to stop using.

Start the review, ₹299 How it works

PingMeDoc™ dermatologist review ₹299
Photos in a private chat, no video call
7 days of follow-up included

Fungal infection review: the plan

Man, 34. Itchy patches on both inner thighs for 5 months. Three tubes of a combination cream; clears, then returns.

Sample

What the dermatologist found

Ringworm of the groin, both sides, with a thinned, shiny centre from months of steroid cream.
Also between the toes on the left foot.
Wife has a similar patch on the waist.

The plan

Tablets: An oral antifungal, once a day for 4 weeks.
Cream: An antifungal cream twice a day to every patch and the feet, 4 weeks, continued 2 weeks after it looks clear.
Stop: The combination cream. Expect the rash to look angrier for a week.
Home: Hot wash of clothes and towels, no sharing, loose cotton, feet dried last.
Family: Wife to book her own review so both are treated together.

Photos at 4 weeks before the tablets are stopped.

Is this you?

Written for the person who has already spent on products and is not seeing a change.

The review is for you if

A ring-shaped or red itchy patch on the groin, thighs, body or feet that spreads.
It clears while you use the cream and returns within weeks of stopping.
You have used a combination cream from the chemist (a steroid plus antifungal, often with an antibiotic).
More than one person at home has it.
Nails that have gone thick, yellow or crumbly.

See a doctor in person instead if

A rash that is spreading fast with fever, or in someone with uncontrolled diabetes or a weak immune system, which needs to be seen the same day.
Fungal infection of a child's scalp, which needs an in-person check and a longer oral course.

How it works

Three minutes to start. The plan comes back in the chat, usually the same day.

Step 1
Answer a few questions, add photos
Where, since when, what you have used. Then photos in good light. Sign in with your phone number by OTP and pay ₹299.
Step 2
A dermatologist reads the case
A registered dermatologist on our panel takes the case, asks anything else they need in the chat, and writes the plan.
Step 3
Plan, prescription, follow-up
What this is, what to use, what to stop, what to test. The prescription is yours to fill with us or anywhere. Ask follow-up questions for 7 days.

What the dermatologist does

The review is a doctor's work, not a questionnaire that picks products.

Confirm from photos that this is a fungal infection and not eczema, psoriasis or a reaction to the cream itself.
Prescribe the full course: an antifungal cream for the right number of weeks, and tablets when the area is large, recurrent or on the nails.
Stop the steroid combination cream safely. Stopping it suddenly can flare the rash, and the doctor tells you what to expect.
Give the household rules that stop it coming back: clothes, towels, footwear, treating others at home.
Order a test only when the picture is not clear.

Start the review

You will be asked to sign in with your phone number. The dermatologist sees your answers and photos, and nobody else does.

Fungal infection review₹299One payment. Prescription when needed. Follow-up for 7 days included.

Start the fungal infection review Or ask us on WhatsApp first

Not for emergencies. A spreading rash with fever, swelling of the face, or sudden hair loss with pain needs a doctor in person today. Call 108 if someone is seriously unwell.

Questions

Other reviews: Hair fall review, Acne review.

Why does it keep coming back?

Usually because the course was too short or the cream was a steroid combination. The steroid calms the itch and hides the rash while the fungus spreads. A full course, continued past the point where the skin looks clear, is what finishes it.

Do I need tablets?

Not always. Small, first-time patches respond to cream alone. Large areas, infections that have returned, and nail infections usually need tablets, and the doctor checks your history before prescribing them.

Is it contagious?

Yes, through skin contact, towels and clothes. The plan includes what to do at home, and anyone with the same rash should be treated at the same time.

Can the doctor tell it apart from eczema from a photo?

In most cases, from the shape, the edge and the history. When it is not clear, the doctor says so and orders a simple skin scraping test rather than guess.