DaktaGold cream provides effective treatment for fungal skin conditions including athlete's foot, jock itch, ringworm of the body and candidal infections.

Daktagold (ketaconazole) is a cream applied topically to combat fungal infections on the skin. It is a potent and safe treatment, with none of the potentially serious side effects associated with oral administration of the drug.

The cream is suitable for topical use on most of the body; the exceptions are mucous membranes and the scalp. Application to mucous membranes will allow relatively large amounts of the medication to be absorbed into the bloodstream where it may produce serious side effects. For scalp infections Daktagold cream may provide some benefit (and will not produce serious side effects) but treatment with an antifungal shampoo will be considerably more beneficial.

Beating Fungal Infections the Easy Way

Daktagold cream is easy to use, fast and highly effective---infections often clear up after just one or two applications. However, antifungals are similar to antibiotics; it's crucial to complete treatment even if symptoms disappear. Failure to do so may cause the infection to return and contributes to the development of resistant fungi.

The medication is a broad-spectrum antifungal, meaning it is effective in a wide range of fungal infections. Ideally an infection will be identified by a doctor before treatment begins, but if this is not an option using Daktagold for two or three days should be sufficient to determine if it will work or not; improvement should be rapid and significant.

Daktagold cream is most frequently used to treat:

• Tinea corporis (ringworm)
• Tinea cruris (jock itch)
• Tinea pedis (athlete's foot)
• Tinea versicolor
• Cutaneous candidiasis
• Seborrheic dermatitis (non-scalp)

Treatment is fast and straightforward:

• For ringworm (tinea corporis), jock itch (tinea cruris), tinea versicolor and cutaneous candidiasis, apply Daktagold cream once per day to the affected area and a short ways onto surrounding healthy tissue. Continue treatment for a minimum of 2 weeks.
• For athlete's foot (tinea pedis), apply cream once per day to the affected area and a short ways onto surrounding healthy tissue for a minimum of 6 weeks.
• For seborrheic dermatitis, apply cream twice per day to the affected area and a short ways onto surrounding healthy tissue for a minimum of 4 weeks.

Ideally treatment should continue for 14 days after all symptoms have disappeared, to ensure the infection is truly eradicated. If the infection does not improve after several applications, or worsens at any time during treatment with Daktagold, the condition should be seen by a doctor.

Treatment may be repeated in the future if the infection returns or a new infection develops, provided the full course of treatment can be followed.

Precautions & Side Effects

Topical use of ketaconazole (also spelled ketoconazole), the active ingredient in Daktagold, is unlikely to produce serious side effects. A small percentage of patients do have an adverse reaction to ingredients in the cream, however, which occur at the application site and range from mild to severe:

• Itching
• Stinging or burning
• Redness
• Inflammation
• Blistering
• Pain

While mild stinging or burning is fairly common when Daktagold cream is first applied, it should fade away within a few moments. Pain, inflammation, blistering, itching or redness is not normal. If experienced, alternative treatments should be considered.

Daktagold should not be mixed with other topical treatments unless explicitly advised to do so by a doctor. Mixing treatments may reduce effectiveness or cause serious skin irritation. The medication is not known to interact with medications taken orally or by injection.

As mentioned above, Daktagold should not be applied to mucous membranes or open wounds.

Daktagold cream is unlikely to be harmful to unborn or nursing babies. However, parents may want to discuss potential risks with a trusted doctor before use.