Brief Answer: Tinea Cruris/Fungal Infection Detailed Answer: Hello and welcome to healthcaremagic. I am Dr. Kakkar. I have gone through your query and i have understood it. Thanks for the picture. It is a classical case of Fungal Infection/Tinea cruris. Body folds, specially when they are deep and closely apposed to each other, as in people who are overweight, presents an ideal environment for the fungus to grow (warm, moist and humid) specially in summers and in coastal and tropical areas where body sweats a lot. If the folds are deep and closely apposed as in people who are overweight, the moisture gets trapped in between the folds, thus favoring fungus growth. Clinically it presents with itching skin which is sore, red and scaly. If this is allowed to continue then constant itching and scratching makes the skin become darker and thick in that area and thus an element of eczema sets in along with fungal infection, where the more you itch the more is the desire to itch ( vicious itch-scratch-itch cycle sets in). Treatment is commonly based on: -Antifungal creams: Either Clotrimazole OR Sertaconazole OR Luliconazole cream twice daily for 4-6 weeks -Antifungal tablets: Either Fluconazole 150mg once every week for 4-6 weeks OR Itraconazole 100mg Cap, 2 capsules once daily for 1 week OR Terbinafine 250mg once daily for 2-4 weeks -An oral antihistamines like either Cetrizine/Fexofenadine or Loratadine can be taken once or twice daily symptomatically, for the itch associated with fungal infection -Apart from the treatment with antifungals, it is the prevention of recurrence of fungal infection that seems to be the main concern in most. An antifungal dusting powder like Clotrimazole dusting powder is an important part of treatment and for prevention of relapse/recurrence of infection, specially in hot, humid weather conditions, because frequent dusting with an anti-fungal dusting powder not only keeps the area dry but also inhibits the fungus from regrowing (being an antifungal). Some general measures like: Wearing loose fitting clothes, cotton undergarments, bathing twice daily(in summers), managing one's weight (if overweight) and sticking to the treatment for the entire duration (4-6 weeks) goes a long way in getting the desired results. regards

---

Brief Answer: Tinea cruris Detailed Answer: Hi 1) First, use clotrimazole cream, twice daily for 4 weeks. Powder is for prevention of recurrence. 2)Its good that you are not overweight. Bathing twice is good too in those who sweat a lot and specially in summers. Make sure you dry out the area completely before applying the cream. No undergarments is not an issue OR you can go with cotton undergarments. 3)Yes, you can continue powder for prevention of recurrence specially in summers. regards

---