How does ketoconazole work?
Ketoconazole is an antifungal medicine. It kills the fungus and treats the infection.
When will I feel better?
Ketoconazole cream and shampoo usually take 2 to 4 weeks to work for dandruff, scaly and dry or greasy skin (seborrhoeic dermatitis), jock itch and sweat rash.
Athlete's foot and some other skin infections can take up to 6 weeks to get better.
Pityriasis versicolor (a fungal infection that causes skin to become scaly and discoloured) gets better within 5 days of treatment with ketoconazole shampoo, or after 2 to 3 weeks of treatment with the cream. However, it can take several weeks or months for your skin colour to return to normal.
Talk to your pharmacist or doctor if your symptoms are no better after 4 weeks.
After your skin infection has cleared up, continue to use the cream for a few days. This will help to stop your symptoms coming back.
What if ketoconazole does not work?
Talk to your pharmacist or doctor if:
- your symptoms have not improved after 4 weeks
- you're using ketoconazole shampoo for pityriasis versicolor and your symptoms have not improved after 2 weeks
You may need to use a different treatment.
If your symptoms get worse at any time, speak to your doctor.
What do I do if the infection comes back after treatment?
Dandruff and seborrhoeic dermatitis
Dandruff and other types of seborrhoeic dermatitis can come back. You can usually use ketoconazole again if it worked well before.
When the infection is under control again, you can continue to use ketoconazole shampoo less often, so the skin infection does not come back.
Some people use ketoconazole shampoo every 1 to 2 weeks for months, or even for years, to stop dandruff or seborrhoeic dermatitis returning.
Athlete's foot, jock itch, sweat rash
Athlete's foot, jock itch and sweat rash can come back.
You can usually use ketoconazole cream again if it worked well before and as long as the infection is mild and has not spread.
Pityriasis versicolor
Pityriasis versicolor (a fungal infection that causes skin to become scaly and discoloured) can come back. Warm, damp conditions or being in the sun sometimes bring it back.
You can usually use ketoconazole again in the same way as before.
If your symptoms tend to return in sunlight, use the shampoo once a day for up to 3 days before going out in the sun.
You can then use ketoconazole shampoo 1 to 4 times a month to stop symptoms coming back.
Are there other treatments for fungal infections?
There are many different antifungal medicines. Some are available to buy from a pharmacy, and others are available on prescription.
They can come as creams, gels, sprays, tablets, capsules and liquid.
Your doctor or a pharmacist will be able to recommend the best treatment for you, based on your condition.
Antifungal medicines include:
- clotrimazole
- econazole
- fenticonazole
- fluconazole
- itraconazole
- miconazole
- terbinafine
Will ketoconazole affect my contraception?
When it's used as a cream or shampoo, ketoconazole does not affect any type of contraceptive, including the combined pill and emergency contraception.
Can I drive or ride a bike?
Yes, you can drive or ride a bike while using ketoconazole cream or shampoo.
Can I drink alcohol while using ketoconazole?
Yes, you can drink alcohol while using ketoconazole cream or shampoo.
Is there any food or drink I need to avoid?
You can eat and drink normally while using ketoconazole cream or shampoo.
What else can I do to help fungal infections?
If you have a fungal skin infection, these tips may help:
- Always wash your hands after treating the infection to stop it from spreading.
- Do not scratch the area with the infection, as this can make the infection worse.
- Keep the affected areas of your skin clean and dry.
- Do not share towels, bedsheets or combs with other people as you could spread the infection to them.
- Wash towels and bedding regularly.