Ringworm of the Scalp or Beard - Medications

Medications

Antifungal medicine (pills or liquid) and shampoo used together are most effective in curing ringworm of the scalp and beard.

Depending on the medicine, antifungal pills are taken for as few as 4 weeks or as long as 12 weeks.

Antifungal shampoo is not effective when used alone to treat ringworm of the scalp or beard, because it cannot penetrate into infected hairs and destroy the fungi present there.

Sometimes additional infections develop when a person has ringworm, usually because bacteria have entered the body through the ringworm sores or rash. If necessary, you can use other medicines, such as antibiotics, along with antifungals to treat these secondary bacterial infections.

Swollen areas and bumps that look like blisters and have pus (kerions) are caused by an allergic reaction to fungus. You can treat kerions with a combination of oral antifungal medicine and a corticosteroid (usually oral), such as prednisone.

To help prevent ringworm from developing after exposure to the fungus, you can use antifungal shampoo every 2 days for about a week.

Medication Choices

The most common antifungals you can use to treat ringworm of the scalp or beard include:

• Griseofulvin.
• Allylamines (terbinafine).
• Azoles (including itraconazole, ketoconazole, fluconazole).

Antifungal shampoos you can use to treat ringworm of the scalp or beard include:

• Antifungal shampoo with selenium sulfide 1% (available without a prescription, such as Selsun Blue or Head and Shoulders Intensive Treatment).
• Antifungal shampoo with selenium sulfide 2.5% (prescription only).
• Antifungal shampoo with ketoconazole 1% (available without a prescription, such as Nizoral).
• Antifungal shampoo with ketoconazole 2% (prescription only).
• Antifungal shampoo with povidone (prescription only).

What To Think About

Griseofulvin works to treat ringworm of the scalp. It is effective, safe, and inexpensive. Treatment usually lasts for 6 to 8 weeks.

Itraconazole (such as Sporanox) and terbinafine also work well to treat ringworm of the scalp and treatment usually lasts 2 to 4 weeks.

People who are taking antifungal pills should have a doctor monitor their blood counts and liver and kidney function during treatment to watch for any adverse side effects.