How to choose
Choose a plain antifungal with one active. Clotrimazole 1% is the common over-the-counter choice; luliconazole, sertaconazole and terbinafine creams are stronger options a doctor may prescribe. Read the ingredient list. If the tube also lists clobetasol, betamethasone, beclomethasone, mometasone or any other steroid, or an antibiotic such as neomycin or gentamicin, do not use it for ringworm: the steroid hides the rash for a while and lets the fungus spread deeper. Use a cream for patches on the body, a lotion for hairy areas, and a dusting powder in skin folds, the groin and between the toes to keep them dry. Apply twice a day to the patch and 2 cm of normal skin around it, and keep going for two weeks after the skin looks clear.
Who really needs this
An antifungal cream suits one or two small, itchy, ring-shaped patches that started recently, jock itch in the groin and athlete's foot between the toes. See a skin doctor if the patches are large or many, on the face, scalp or nails, no better after two weeks, or keep coming back; if others at home have them too; or if you have diabetes or are pregnant. These usually need prescription tablets and a full treatment plan.
Our picks
Editorial recommendations, not paid placements.
Small patch on the body
Candid Cream
Plain clotrimazole 1% with no steroid. Twice a day, beyond the edge of the patch, for two weeks after it clears.
Groin, folds and feet
Candid Powder
Clotrimazole 1% dusting powder that also keeps sweaty folds dry. Use it alongside the cream, and to stop the rash returning.
Hairy areas
Candid Lotion
Clotrimazole 1% in a lotion that spreads easily over hairy skin such as the chest or legs.
Mistakes to avoid
Don't use combination creams with a steroid, however fast they seem to work; they are the main reason ringworm in India has become widespread and hard to treat. Don't stop when the itch stops; the fungus is still there. Don't share towels, clothes or bedsheets, and wash them in hot water and dry them in the sun. Don't wear tight, damp or synthetic innerwear, and change after sweating. And don't use your cream on other family members' rashes without treating them properly too.
From a dermatologist, online
Using these products and the patch keeps coming back? A doctor can prescribe the course that finishes it.
Send photos and what you have used. A registered dermatologist names the problem, writes the plan, prescribes what fits and tells you what to stop. ₹299, one payment, with 7 days of follow-up.
