How to Use Medication for Tinea (Ringworm)

Every woman who values beauty desires smooth, fair skin. However, some individuals neglect proper skincare, which may lead to tinea (dermatophytosis). How should tinea be treated with medication?

How to Treat Tinea with Medication

Tinea must be treated under a physician’s guidance using antifungal agents such as terbinafine cream or butenafine cream. Tinea is a fungal infection affecting the skin, hair, and nails, caused by various dermatophyte fungi. It is contagious and can spread via direct skin-to-skin contact or sharing of towels and other personal items. Terbinafine cream, an allylamine-class antifungal drug, inhibits squalene epoxidase—an enzyme critical for fungal cell wall synthesis—leading to intracellular accumulation of squalene, disruption of cell membrane integrity, and subsequent inhibition of fungal growth. Butenafine cream is a commonly used clinical treatment for dermatophyte infections; it inhibits ergosterol synthesis in the fungal cell membrane, thereby damaging fungal cells and exerting both fungicidal and fungistatic effects.

Tinea is sometimes mistakenly referred to as “psoriasis” (commonly known in Chinese as “silver scale disease”). However, psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disorder. Its exact etiology remains unclear, although research suggests that genetic predisposition, autoimmune dysfunction, infections, and environmental factors may all contribute to its development.

Tinea refers specifically to superficial fungal infections of the skin. Fungal skin infections constitute a group of contagious dermatoses, with distinct clinical presentations and names depending on the affected anatomical site—for example, tinea capitis (scalp), tinea pedis (feet), tinea unguium (nails), tinea corporis (trunk), and tinea cruris (groin). All are caused by dermatophyte fungi. We hope this information has been helpful!