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Treatments and drugs
By Mayo Clinic staffIf ringworm of the body covers a large area, is severe or doesn't respond to over-the-counter medicine, you may need a prescription-strength topical medication (lotion, cream or ointment) or an oral medication (pill, capsule or tablet). Many options are available, including:
Topical
- Butenafine (Mentax)
- Ciclopirox (Loprox)
- Econazole
- Clotrimazole (Mycelex)
- Terbinafine (Lamisil)
Oral
- Griseofulvin (Grifulvin V)
- Itraconazole (Sporanox)
- Fluconazole (Diflucan)
- Terbinafine (Lamisil)
Side effects from oral medications include gastrointestinal upset, rash and abnormal liver functioning. Certain oral medications for ringworm may alter the effectiveness of warfarin, an anticoagulant drug that decreases the clotting ability of your blood.
- Berger TG. Dermatologic disorders. In: McPhee SJ, et al. CURRENT Medical Diagnosis and Treatment. 49th ed. New York, N.Y. The McGraw-Hill Companies. 2010. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=955&searchStr=tinea+corporis. Accessed July 31, 2010.
- Ringworm and animals. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/healthypets/diseases/ringworm.htm. Accessed July 31, 2010.
- Goldstein AO, et al. Dermatophyte (tinea) infections. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed July 31, 2010.
- Habif TP. Tinea. In: Clinical Dermatology: A Color Guide to Diagnosis and Therapy. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa. Elsevier. 2010. http://www.mdconsult.com/book/player/book.do?method=display&type=bookPage&decorator=header&eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-7234-3541-9..00022-5--s0890&displayedEid=4-u1.0-B978-0-7234-3541-9..00022-5--s0915&uniq=212344290&isbn=978-0-7234-3541-9&sid=1032534496#lpState=open&lpTab=contentsTab&content=4-u1.0-B978-0-7234-3541-9..00022-5--s0355%3Bfrom%3Dcontent%3Bisbn%3D978-0-7234-3541-9%3Btype%3DbookPage. Accessed July 29, 2010.
- Wolff K, et al. Fungal infections of the skin and hair. In: Fitzpatrick's Color Atlas and Synopsis of Clinical Dermatology. 6th ed. New York, N.Y. The McGraw-Hill Companies. 2009. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=5194241&searchStr=tinea+corporis#5194241. Accessed July 31, 2010.
- Dermatophytoses. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manuals for Healthcare Professionals. https://merck.com/mmpe/sec10/ch120/ch120c.html. Accessed July 29, 2010.
- Options for treatment of fungal infections. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manuals for Healthcare Professionals. https://merck.com/media/mmpe/pdf/Table_120-1.pdf. Accessed July 31, 2010.
- Habif TP. Treatment of fungal infections. In: Clinical Dermatology: A Color Guide to Diagnosis and Therapy. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa. Elsevier. 2010. http://www.mdconsult.com/book/player/book.do?method=display&type=bookPage&decorator=header&eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-7234-3541-9..00022-5--s0890&displayedEid=4-u1.0-B978-0-7234-3541-9..00022-5--s0915&uniq=212344290&isbn=978-0-7234-3541-9&sid=1032534496#lpState=open&lpTab=contentsTab&content=4-u1.0-B978-0-7234-3541-9..00022-5--s0570%3Bfrom%3Dtoc%3Btype%3DbookPage%3Bisbn%3D978-0-7234-3541-9. Accessed July 31, 2010.
- Dr. Lawrence Gibson (expert opinion), Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. July 31, 2010.
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