Daktarin

What is Daktarin?

Daktarin is a cream that treats fungal and bacterial infections on your skin and nails. It's suitable for everyone, including adults and children. The cream contains miconazole nitrate, which eliminates the fungus causing the infection. It also moisturises your skin, providing relief for cracked and red areas.

Tinea versicolor is a fungal skin infection usually caused by the fungus Malassezia, often made worse by hot weather or sweating. It leads to discoloured, scaly patches on your skin. While it's purely cosmetic and doesn't affect your health, it can make you feel self-conscious about your appearance and affect your body image.

How does Daktarin work?

Miconazole nitrate, the active ingredient in Daktarin, belongs to the imidazole family of antifungal medications. It works by reducing the fungi's ability to produce ergosterol, a vital component of their cell membrane. By doing this, miconazole weakens the fungi and clears the infection.

How to use Daktarin for tinea versicolor

Always follow your clinician's instructions when using Daktarin. Here are some simple steps to guide you:

1. Use the cap to pierce the seal of the cream tube before using it.
2. Start by washing the affected skin area and drying it well. Use a separate towel from the one you use for the rest of your body to prevent spreading the infection.
3. Gently apply the cream to the affected area and the surrounding skin.
4. After applying the cream, wash your hands to prevent spreading the infection.
5. Remember to wash and change any clothing that comes into contact with the affected areas.
6. Apply the cream twice a day.
7. Make sure to keep using the treatment for 7 days even after all the symptoms have gone away. This will help prevent the symptoms from coming back.

If your symptoms don’t go away, feel free to message our clinicians for advice.

Are there different forms of Daktarin?

Daktarin comes in different forms: Daktarin 2% cream, Daktarin 2% powder, Daktarin 2% oral gel and Daktarin 0.16% spray powder. The cream, powder and oral gel have the same amount of miconazole, which is 20mg in each gram. The spray contains miconazole at 1.6mg per gram, so a bit less than the other two forms.

Our clinician will guide you on how to use Daktarin based on your symptoms and the severity of your fungal infection. Usually, for tinea versicolor, you'll apply the cream twice a day initially, but as your infection improves, you may use it less often. The spray or the powder could be more suitable for you if you have other skin conditions like athlete's foot, and the oral gel is typically used for fungal infections of the mouth and throat like oral thrush. Don't worry, our clinicians will discuss all the options with you.