Antifungal medicines

About

Antifungal medicines are used to treat fungal infections, which most commonly affect your skin, hair and nails. You can get some antifungal medicines from a pharmacy without needing a GP prescription. Fungal infections commonly treated with antifungals include: ringworm athlete's foot fungal nail infection vaginal thrush some types of severe dandruff Some fungal infections can grow inside the body and need to be treated in hospital. Examples include: aspergillosis, which affects the lungs fungal meningitis, which affects the brain You're more at risk of getting one of these more serious fungal infections if you have a weakened immune system – for example, if you're taking medicines to suppress your immune system. You can get antifungal medicines as: a cream, gel, ointment or spray a capsule, tablet or liquid an injection a pessary: a small and soft tablet you put inside the vagina Common names for antifungal medicines include: clotrimazole (Canesten) econazole terbinafine (Lamisil) fluconazole (Diflucan) ketoconazole (Daktarin) nystatin (Nystan) amphotericin Antifungal medicines work by either: killing the fungus preventing the fungus from growing See a pharmacist or GP if you think you have a fungal infection. They can advise you on which antifungal medicine is best for you. If you take too much antifungal medicine, call 111 or speak to a pharmacist or GP. If you're advised to go to hospital, take the medicine's packaging with you so the healthcare professionals who treat you know what you've taken. Before taking antifungal medicines, speak to a pharmacist or GP about: any existing conditions or allergies that may affect your treatment for fungal infection the possible side effects of antifungal medicines whether the antifungal medicine may interact with other medicines you may already be taking whether your antifungal medicine is suitable to take during pregnancy or while breastfeeding – many are not suitable You can also check the patient information leaflet that