What is Canesten Athletes Foot Cream?

Canesten Dual Action 1% w/w Cream is used to treat athlete’s foot or jock itch.

The active substance in Canesten Dual Action Cream is clotrimazole. Clotrimazole belongs to a group of medicines called imidazoles and is an antifungal agent which fights the cause of fungal skin infections.

What are fungal infections?

Fungal infections are very common and affect many people. Some of the most common fungal skin infections include athlete’s foot (Tinea pedis) and jock itch (Tinea cruris). They are caused by a contagious fungus which thrives in warm, moist environments. The fungus that causes athlete’s foot usually lives harmlessly on our skin and in our environment. The natural balance that normally keeps it under control can be upset by factors such as damp moist conditions. This could happen, for example, through regularly wearing training shoes that keep the feet hot and sweaty. Since this fungus is contagious, it can also often be picked up in changing rooms.

Tell-tale signs of both athlete’s foot and jock itch are that the skin becomes itchy, red and inflamed. Sporty people or those who work in a warm, damp environment, tend to be more likely to catch these conditions.

How to use Canesten Athletes Foot Cream

• Before use, pierce the tube seal by inverting the cap over the end of the tube and press.
• If the feet are infected, they should be washed and dried thoroughly, especially between the toes, before applying the cream.
• Canesten Dual Action Cream should be applied thinly and evenly to the affected areas two or three times daily and rubbed in gently.
• A strip of cream (1 /2 cm long) is enough to treat an area of about the size of the hand.
• The treatment should be continued for at least one month to prevent re-infection.

The symptoms of skin infection, such as itching or soreness, should improve within a few days of treatment although signs such as redness and scaling may take longer to disappear. If symptoms do not improve within 7 days, consult your doctor.

You can help the treatment to work if you follow these simple self-help tips:

• Although the infected area will itch, try not to scratch. Scratching will damage the surface of the skin and cause the infection to spread further.
• Keep the affected skin areas clean.
• Pay particular attention to drying the skin, but avoid excessive rubbing.
• Do not share towels, bath mats, etc. with other people as you could spread the infection to them.
• Always wash your hands after treating the infection to prevent it from spreading.

If you have athlete’s foot:

• Remember to dry the skin between the toes thoroughly.
• Wash your socks, stockings and tights thoroughly in hot water to remove any shed skin or fungal spores.
• Change your footwear daily if possible
  

What does Canesten Athletes Foot Cream contain

The active substance is clotrimazole at a strength of 1% w/w.

The other ingredients are benzyl alcohol, polysorbate 60, sorbitan stearate, cetyl palmitate, cetostearyl alcohol, octyldodecanol and purified water.