How to Treat Dermatomycoses

Dermatomycoses are any fungal infection of the skin or hair. A variety of yeast and molds can cause these infections and they are generally named after the location of the infection rather than the species that causes it. The following steps will show how to treat some of the more common dermatomycoses.

Instructions

• 1

  Use antifungal agents such as fluconazole, ketoconazole, itraconazole or terbinafine to treat Tinea capitis (fungal infection of the scalp.) However, griseofulvin, which was the first effective oral therapy for fungal infections, remains in wide use. Topical treatment is usually ineffective, but a selenium sulfide shampoo may reduce the spread of the infection by reducing the number of spores that are shed.

• 2

  Provide the same antifungal agent to treat tinea barbae (fungal infection of the bearded face) since hairs are infected. Terminafine is especially effective in curing tinea barbae with four weeks of treatment. Shave or use hair depilation with warm compresses to remove crusts and debris.

• 3

  Treat tinea cruris (jock itch) with the topical antifungal agents allylamine or imidazole family. Extensive or stubborn infections may be treated with systemic antifungal therapy. All active infected areas should be treated simultaneously to prevent re-infection from other sites.

• 4

  Advise patients with tinea pedis (athlete's foot) to dry the crural folds completely after bathing and use a separate towel for drying other parts of the body. Tinea pedis can be treated with oral and/or topical antifungal agents.

• 5

  Apply a topical antifungal agent to a localized tinea corporis (tinea of the body). The agent should be applied to the lesion and at least 2 cm beyond it once or twice daily for at least 2 weeks, depending the specific agent being used.