9 Over-the-Counter and Prescription Treatments for Ringworm That Will Cure Your Infection for Good
Key takeaways:
Ringworm is an itchy, contagious skin infection that’s caused by a fungus. Most of the time, it can be cured with creams and lotions that kill fungi.
Over-the-counter (OTC) treatment options for ringworm include clotrimazole, miconazole, terbinafine, and tolnaftate.
People who don’t see results within 3 to 4 weeks or who have widespread ringworm may need prescription-strength treatment options, including oral medications.
Table of contents
Ringworm is a common skin infection that’s caused by a fungus. People with ringworm develop a red, circular rash that’s itchy and flaky. Ringworm can be very uncomfortable. It’s also very contagious and can spread quickly to other parts of the body and other people.
The good news is that ringworm treatment can cure and keep ringworm from coming back in as little as 2 weeks. Treatment also keeps ringworm from spreading. In fact, ringworm is no longer contagious after you’ve used treatment for 48 hours.
Most ringworm treatments are available over the counter (OTC). But you may need prescription-strength options if you have ringworm on many spots on your body or you have ringworm in your scalp or on your nails.
How long is ringworm contagious? Ringworm stops being contagious after 48 hours of antifungal treatment. Here are other tips to stop it from spreading.
Ringworm versus eczema: Although the causes are different, ringworm and eczema rash can be easy to confuse.
Think you have athlete’s foot (tinea pedis)? Athlete’s foot (tinea pedis) is a common fungal infection that can show up on your feet. Here’s how to treat athlete’s foot.
Here are nine treatment options for ringworm you can try for long-lasting relief.
1. Clotrimazole
Clotrimazole is a medication that cures ringworm by killing the fungus that causes the infection. It belongs to a family of antifungals called “azoles.”
Clotrimazole 1% is available OTC and by prescription. It comes as a cream, ointment, or liquid. It’s found in many OTC antifungal treatments. But make sure to check the active ingredients label so you know clotrimazole is in the product you’re purchasing.
How to apply: Apply clotrimazole to your rash twice per day. You should apply it until your rash disappears — and then for a few more days, just to be sure all the fungus is gone. It can take between 1 and 3 weeks for your infection to clear.
2. Miconazole
Miconazole is another azole that works just like clotrimazole. It’s also available OTC and by prescription. It’s available as a:
Cream
Ointment
Liquid
Powder
You’ll want to check the ingredients’ label to make sure your product contains miconazole 2%. This is the concentration recommended for ringworm treatment. Other concentrations are available OTC because miconazole can also treat other fungal infections.
How to apply: The same rule applies for all the azole treatment: Apply miconazole twice a day until the rash goes away. Then keep applying for a few more days after it clears up. It can take between 1 and 3 weeks for your infection to clear.
3. Ketoconazole
Ketoconazole is a third member of the azole family. But unlike clotrimazole or miconazole, ketoconazole 2% is only available by prescription. It’s available as a cream, gel, or foam.
There’s no evidence to suggest one of these azoles works better than another.
How to apply: One advantage to ketoconazole is that you only have to apply it once a day. But, like the other azoles, apply ketoconazole until your rash goes away completely and then for a few more days.
Clotrimazole, miconazole, and ketoconazole are the most commonly prescribed topical azole antifungals. But there are other azole creams and lotions that can also treat ringworm and are only available by prescription.
4. Itraconazole
Itraconazole is another member of the azole family you should know about. It’s only available by prescription.
Itraconazole is an oral medication (in pill form). People who have more widespread ringworm — in multiple spots — may need oral medication to cure their ringworm. Oral medication can also be easier than applying cream to multiple parts of the body. People who don’t get better with creams or lotions may also benefit from oral treatment.
You should give creams and lotions about 4 to 6 weeks to work before looking into oral treatment, said Dr. Donna A. Zeide, a dermatologist in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.
How to use: Itraconazole is used once per day. Most people see results in as little as a week. Some people need to keep taking the medication longer though.
Itraconazole isn’t FDA approved to treat ringworm, but many healthcare professionals prescribe it off-label.
5. Fluconazole
Fluconazole is the last member of the azole class of medications. Like itraconazole, it’s also available by prescription only. It’s also an oral medication that can be used off-label to treat ringworm.
Some benefits of fluconazole are that it only needs to be taken once per week and can clear a ringworm infection in as little as 2 weeks. This means that you might only need to take 2 doses of fluconazole before your ringworm goes away.
How to use: Fluconazole is taken orally and is used once per week. It should be used weekly for 2 to 4 weeks until your symptoms resolve.
6. Terbinafine
Terbinafine is a different type of medication called an allylamine. It kills ringworm in a different way than azoles. But studies show both azoles and allylamines work equally well against ringworm.
Terbinafine 1% is available OTC and by prescription. It comes in cream, spray, or pill forms.
How to apply: Apply terbinafine cream or spray to your rash once or twice per day. You should apply it until your rash disappears, and then for a few more days just to be sure all the fungus is gone. It can take between 1 and 3 weeks for your infection to clear.
Terbinafine is also available as an oral medication. The oral form is used to treat people who have ringworm in multiple spots on their body. People who haven’t had any success in getting rid of ringworm with creams and lotions may also need oral terbinafine. Most people need to take terbinafine once a day for 1 to 2 weeks.
7. Naftifine
Naftifine is another allylamine. Unlike terbinafine, it’s only available by prescription. It comes as a cream or a gel in two different strengths, 1% or 2%.
How to apply: Apply the cream form once a day. But the gel form is applied twice a day. Like all the other treatments, you want to make sure to use it until your rash completely goes away and then for a few more days.
7. Tolnaftate
Tolnaftate is a different type of medication that stops fungi from growing. It’s available OTC as a cream and liquid. It’s also available as a spray and powder, making it a popular option for treating athlete’s foot. But it can also treat ringworm.
How to apply: All tolnaftate products should be applied twice a day. People usually see results within 2 to 3 weeks.
8. Ciclopirox
Ciclopirox is a prescription-only medication. It’s best known as a treatment for nail fungus. But it can be used to treat ringworm too. It’s available as a cream, gel, and liquid.
How to apply: Ciclopirox products should be applied twice a day. Most people see results within 2 to 3 weeks.
How long does it take for ringworm to go away?
It depends.
People with only one or two spots of ringworm on their body may see results faster than people with more widespread ringworm. In general, if you’re using topical medication — like a cream or lotion — it takes about 2 to 3 weeks for ringworm to go away. If you’re using an oral medication, you may see results in as little as a week.
There are things you can do to make sure you don’t accidentally pick up ringworm again while you’re getting treatment. Some tips to follow include:
Wash your hands. Wash your hands before and after applying creams or lotions to your ringworm. This keeps you from getting the fungus on your hands and spreading it to other parts of your body.
Keep your rash covered. This will keep you from accidentally touching or scratching your rash. Anytime you touch your rash, you can pick up the fungus and spread it.
Wash towels, clothing, and bedding in hot water. Make sure to wash towels and bedding in hot water to kill fungus. It’s a good idea to wash towels and any clothing that touches your ringworm after one wear or use. Cover your rash at night so you don’t have to wash your sheets more often than usual.
Frequently asked questions
If you don’t treat ringworm, you risk spreading it to other parts of your body and to other people. But ringworm stops being contagious after you’ve used a treatment for 48 hours. Untreated ringworm may go away on its own, but it can take 3 weeks or longer (and it doesn’t always go away without treatment).
People often mistake an eczema rash for ringworm. Both can show up as a round rash that’s red, itchy, and flaky and hangs around for weeks to months. But eczema isn’t an infection — it’s a chronic rash. A healthcare professional, like a dermatologist, can help you tell the difference and suggest the best treatment.
The bottom line
Ringworm is a common skin infection that’s caused by a fungus. It causes a round, red, and itchy rash with a flaky appearance. Ringworm can be treated with medicated creams or lotions. Many of these options are available OTC and include clotrimazole, miconazole, terbinafine, and tolnaftate. Prescription-strength options are available too. People with widespread ringworm often need treatment with oral medication. Ringworm can take several weeks to go away. But most people see results within 2 to 3 weeks after starting treatment.
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References
American Osteopathic College of Dermatology. (n.d.). Terbinafine.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). Treatment of ringworm and fungal nail infections.
El-Gohary, M., et al. (2014). Topical antifungal treatments for tinea cruris and tinea corporis. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.
Farag, A., et al. (1994). One-week therapy with oral terbinafine in cases of tinea cruris/corporis. The British Journal of Dermatology.
Khurana, A., et al. (2022). Effect of different itraconazole dosing regimens on cure rates, treatment duration, safety, and relapse rates in adult patients with tinea corporis/cruris. JAMA Dermatology.
MedlinePlus. (2017). Tolnaftate.
MedlinePlus. (2022). Miconazole topical.
National Health Service. (2022). Common questions about clotrimazole cream, spray and solution.
Stary, A., et al. (1998). Fluconazole in the treatment of tinea corporis and tinea cruris. Dermatology.
