Choosing Over-the-Counter Ringworm, Athlete's Foot, and Jock Itch Remedies

The following five active ingredients make up the bulk of available over-the-counter (OTC) ringworm, athlete's foot, and/or jock itch remedies. By learning only these five ingredients, you will have greatly simplified your purchasing decisions.

1. Tolnaftate (pronounced "tole-naf-tate")
2. Clotrimazole (pronounced "cloe-trim-uh-zole")
3. Terbinafine (pronounced "tur-bin-uh-feen")
4. Miconazole (pronounced "my-cone-uh-zole")
5. Butenafine (pronounced "bue-ten-a-feen")

Companies market the same active ingredient for OTC body ringworm, athlete's foot, or jock itch remedies under many different brand names. To make matters worse, the same brand name is used on products with different active ingredients. These practices confuse the public and make them more inclined to make selections based on advertising claims. I also made this point in my article "Choosing Over-the-Counter Cough, Congestion, and Cold Remedies."

Tolnaftate

All of the following are different brand names of tolnaftate 1%. These products are marketed for the treatment of athlete's foot, jock itch, and body ringworm. Tolnaftate can also be purchased as a generic product.

1. Tinactin Athlete's Foot Cream
2. Tinactin Jock Itch Cream
3. Tinactin Liquid Spray
4. Tinactin Powder Spray
5. Tinactin Deodorant Powder Spray
6. Tinactin Pump Spray
7. Tinactin Jock Itch Powder Spray
8. Tinactin Foot and Sneaker Deodorant Powder Spray
9. Tinactin Super Absorbent Powder
10. Ting Spray Liquid
11. Ting Antifungal Cream
12. Ting Spray Powder
13. Aftate for Athlete's Foot
14. Aftate for Jock Itch
15. Quinsana Plus Antifungal Powder - Foot
16. Absorbine Footcare
17. Dr. Scholl's Odor Destroyers Foot and Sneaker Spray Powder
18. Lamisil AF Defense Shake Powder
19. Lamisil AF Defense Spray Powder
20. Lamisil AF Defense Cream to Powder

Clotrimazole

The list below shows brand name antifungal remedies containing clotrimazole 1%. These are all for jock itch, athlete's foot, and ringworm on the body. There are other available brand names of clotrimazole and it is also widely available under the generic name.

1. Lotrimin AF Athlete's Foot Cream
2. Lotrimin AF For Her Athlete's Foot Cream (contains "special skin softening agents")
3. Lotrimin AF Jock Itch Cream
4. Desenex Itching and Burning Relief Cream

Terbinafine

The following are all terbinafine 1% in different delivery vehicles, marketed under the Lamisil brand name. Terbinafine is also available in generic.

1. Lamisil AT Cream (for athlete's foot)
2. Lamisil AT Spray Pump (for jock itch)
3. Lamisil AT Cream for Women
4. Lamisil AT Athlete's Foot Treatment Gel

Miconazole

The following are all 2% miconazole products. They are jock itch, body ringworm, and athlete's foot remedies.

1. Micatin Antifungal Spray Powder
2. Micatin Antifungal Spray Liquid
3. Micatin Jock Itch Spray
4. Micatin Cream
5. Micaderm Cream
6. Neosporin AF Cream
7. Lotrimin AF Athlete's Foot Liquid Spray
8. Lotrimin AF Athlete's Foot Powder Spray
9. Lotrimin AF Athlete's Foot Deodorant Powder Spray
10. Lotrimin AF Athlete's Foot Powder
11. Lotrimin AF Jock Itch Powder Spray
12. Zeasorb-AF
13. Prescription Strength Desenex
14. Fungoid Tincture
15. Cruex Antifungal Spray Powder
16. Desenex Antifungal Powder
17. Desenex Antifungal Spray Powder
18. Desenex AF Liquid Spray
19. Desenex Foot Powder
20. Ting Foot and Jock Itch Spray Powder

Butenafine

One of the products below is marketed as an athlete's foot remedy and one as a jock itch remedy, although they are both butenafine 1% in a cream base.

1. Lotrimin Ultra Athlete's Foot Cream
2. Lotrimin Ultra Jock Itch Cream

Avoid Making Decisions Based on Brand Name

Please notice that the Lotrimin brand name is used on butenafine, clotrimazole, and miconazole products. If you have used a Lotrimin product before, and you want to buy the same product again, you may accidentally come home with an entirely different active ingredient if you pick just any Lotrimin brand product.

The Ting brand name also appears on products with different active ingredients. So does the brand name Desenex.

Although the active ingredient is the same for two or more products, they are sometimes advertised for different uses. For example, if you have jock itch and athlete's foot, and you don't look at the name of the active ingredient, you may unnecessarily buy both of the above Lotrimin Ultra products.

Choosing Between Products with the Same Ingredient

If the active ingredient and strength are the same, you can decide between two antifungal remedies based on other factors such as price. Sometimes choosing between products with the same active ingredient only involves choosing which delivery vehicle you want.

Creams are moisturizing and some antifungal medications penetrate the skin best and stay on better in a cream form. Powders help to absorb perspiration.and are sometimes also helpful as athlete's foot or jock itch preventives. Solutions and liquids may spread more evenly over infected areas. Sprays allow antifungals to be applied without touching the skin.

Other Helpful Information for Using Antifungal Remedies

Carefully follow the directions on the packaging about how often and how long to use these antifungal remedies. If antifungals are stopped too soon, the infection may reappear. Recommendations are different depending on the site of the fungal infection.

If you get ringworm on your scalp or in your beard or other hairy areas, get your doctor's advice. You may need to take a prescription medication by mouth to adequately treat these fungal infections.

Wash the area well and dry it completely before each application of antifungal medication. If you have athlete's foot, dry carefully between the toes and change your socks daily. Allow the air to get to the infected area as much as you can. If you have jock itch, change your underwear daily. Avoid wearing clothing that increases sweating.

To avoid spreading fungal infections, wash and dry your hands after touching any skin that may be infected with athlete's foot, jock itch, or ringworm.

You may find, after reading this article, that you have wasted money by buying three or four different antifungal remedies that contain exactly the same active ingredient. Learn to read your labels!

DISCLAIMER: This information is not intended as a recommendation of any product for any illness that you may have. This article is in no way intended to diagnose or make the decision for you of whether or not you may safely choose an OTC product for ringworm, athlete's foot, and/or jock itch instead of having an evaluation by a doctor. It is intended to educate you about the main ingredients in OTC remedies so that if you choose to buy one you can more easily choose the correct one. These medications may cause side effects and/or drug interactions that are not discussed in this article and which need to be considered.

SOURCES: I am a registered pharmacist and I have presented these facts as a drug expert. I have verified my facts by consulting: Facts and Comparisons, pages 1610-1619, published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. This is a loose-leaf drug reference for which updates are received as information changes.