Most people have to tackle fungal infections at some point in their life. We ask, what types of antifungal drugs are there? How do you take them? How long before you start seeing an improvement?
Antifungal Drug Types
When you suffer from a fungal infection, your doctor chooses the antifungal drug to suit your specific condition. Whereas some people use antifungal creams, sprays or tablets, others receive antifungal injections or pessaries. Depending on your fungal infection and your general health, your physician will choose the most effective antifungal drug.
How Do Antifungal Drugs Work and How Do You Use Them?
Most of these medicines work by breaking down the cell wall of the fungus and killing it.
If you suffer from fungal infections impacting on your skin, your doctor is likely to prescribe topical antifungal medicines including the following:
- Creams
- Sprays
- Liquids
- Shampoos
These antifungal drugs are used to treat fungal nail, scalp, and skin infections. While different brands are available, the following names are among the most commonly used topic antifungal drugs:
- Clotrimazole
- Econazole
- Miconazole
- Tioconazole
- Amorolfine
- Ketoconazole
If you suffer from vaginal thrush, your physician is likely to prescribe antifungal vaginal pessaries.
Antifungal drugs are also available in tablet form, with doctors choosing them to treat vaginal thrush, nail fungal infections, and fungal infections within the body. Here, the most common names are Fluconazole and Terbinafine.
On rare occasions, doctors may administer antifungal infections. However, this is usually only done in a hospital setting.
Final Thoughts
In most cases, antifungal drugs effectively tackle fungal infections within a matter of days or weeks, depending on the severity of the condition. While some antifungal drugs are available without a prescription, your best bet is to check with your physician before using an antifungal drug.
In general, these drugs do not have severe side effects, however, do check out the information provided.
