The fungus is an unpleasant ailment that brings a lot of trouble and also is difficult to treat. Despite the fact that the affected area may not hurt at all, it is impossible to start the pathology. The drug "Clotrimazole" is considered an effective antifungal agent. The solution has the most pronounced therapeutic effect. “Clotrimazole” can not only eliminate unpleasant symptoms of pathology, but also act on the causative agent of the disease.
Description and composition of the drug
"Clotrimazole" refers to the antimycotic group of drugs based on imidazole derivatives and has a wide spectrum of effects. Due to the various forms of release (suppositories, solution, vaginal tablets, cream), it is used in the treatment of fungal infections of the skin, nail plates, and oral cavity. Depending on the type of pathology, the specialist selects the most optimal form of the drug “Clotrimazole”.
A solution intended for topical use is a relatively new form of drug release. The antimycotic effect is due to the presence of clotrimazole, a substance that is a derivative of imidazole. It is active in relation to yeast fungi, dermatophytes, dimorphic fungi. The tool has an extremely high penetrating ability.
When should you use the solution?
"Clotrimazole" in the form of a solution is most effective for fungal infections of the nail plates, if the pathogen is a microorganism sensitive to the active component. A variety of pathogens can cause onychomycosis - dermatophytes, trichophytes, yeast-like fungi of the Candida genus, moldy fungi that infect one or several nails at once (most often on the legs).
The indication for the use of the solution is also the presence of the following pathological conditions:
- microsporia;
- multi-colored lichen ;
- interdigital fungus;
- dermatophytosis;
- dermatomycosis;
- erythrasma;
- candidal stomatitis ;
- pityriasis versicolor.
Principles of treatment of onychomycosis
If you seek help from specialists in a timely manner, you can get rid of nail fungus using topical agents. If the pathology is in an advanced stage, you can not do without taking systemic antifungal medications. As part of complex therapy, you can use an antimycotic solution of clotrimazole (or its analogues) and an agent in tablets. The duration of treatment will depend on the stage of the course of the disease.
Antifungal drugs in liquid form (sprays, solutions) create a high concentration of the active substance on the nail plate, which is impossible to achieve with systemic medications. However, such a tool is not absorbed into the bloodstream and cannot cause side effects.
To remove the nail plate for better penetration of the drug is necessary only in case of severe deformation and thickening. During the treatment period, a doctor should be visited every two weeks for a follow-up examination and adjustment of the treatment regimen.
Clotrimazole solution: use of the drug
To effectively affect the pathogen of the fungus, the affected area is treated at least 2 times a day. Apply the solution on a clean surface in sufficient quantity. If the nail plate is severely affected by the fungus, it must be softened and removed as much as possible with scissors and a cosmetic file. The course of treatment should be at least 4 weeks. Experts recommend using the solution until a healthy nail grows.
When treating the oral cavity with a solution, a cotton swab or gauze swab should be used. The liquid is applied directly to the auxiliaries and only then the oral mucosa is treated. Clotrimazole (solution) instructions for use recommends applying for these purposes at least 4 times a day. After processing the oral cavity, it is necessary to refrain from eating.
Contraindications
Topical preparation “Clotrimazole” (solution) from a fungus can not be used by all patients. If the patient has hypersensitivity to the active substance or auxiliary components, the drug is prohibited. The manufacturer also considers the first trimester of pregnancy to contraindications.
Features of the use of the drug
The tool can be used to treat fungal infections in children, but after prior medical advice. However, large areas of the skin are not recommended to be treated with the solution. For the treatment of onychomycosis, light breathing shoes should be chosen.
During lactation, the drug is allowed to be used, but this must be done with extreme caution. It is forbidden to apply a solution to the area of the mammary glands with a fungal disease. "Clotrimazole" in this case must be replaced by a more gentle means.
Interaction with other medicines
Assigning a solution to the patient as part of complex therapy, the doctor takes into account its combination with other drugs. In some cases, an antimycotic agent inhibits the action of other medicines.
Dexamethasone in high concentration reduces the therapeutic effectiveness of the drug "Clotrimazole". A solution from nail fungus is best not to be used simultaneously with polyene antibiotics.
Side effects
Subject to the rules for applying the product and the doctor's recommendations regarding treatment, the solution should not provoke the appearance of an undesirable reaction. In rare cases, patients complain of redness of the skin, itching. Such a reaction may indicate an increased sensitivity to the components of the drug. In the future, using a solution with similar symptoms is not recommended.
What do patients say about Clotrimazole?
The solution reviews deserved quite controversial. Some patients complain of a complete lack of therapeutic effect of the drug. In most cases, this result is observed with self-medication, when the causative agent of infection has not been established. If the remedy was prescribed by the mycologist after passing the examination, a positive result will not be long in coming.
The drug has a pronounced effect at the initial stage of the development of the disease. Significant advantages include the cost of the solution compared to other popular antifungal agents. A bottle of 15 ml will cost the buyer 120-140 rubles. For a full course of treatment, in a simple case, two bottles of the drug are enough.
Six months after the end of therapy, it is necessary to undergo a follow-up examination with a specialist. This will help prevent the re-development of a fungal infection. After all, as you know, getting rid of this pathology completely is quite difficult.
Analogues of the drug
If necessary, a specialist can choose a substitute that will be no less effective than the solution. “Clotrimazole” has both structural analogues and similar therapeutic effects. The most effective antimycotic drugs include the following:
- "Candizol" is a structural analogue of the original drug. It has fungistatic and fungicidal effects. Gram-positive and gram-negative microorganisms, fungi, dermatophytes show sensitivity to it.
- "Kanizon" is an effective antifungal agent, available in the form of a solution, cream and vaginal tablets. The drug has a number of contraindications, which should be read without fail before use.
- "Mikospor" - an antifungal medication based on bifonazole (a number of imidazole), is available in the form of an ointment and solution. Effective for trichophytosis, microsporia, infection with moldy and yeast-like fungi, dermatophytosis.
If you suspect the development of a fungal disease, you should seek help from a mycologist as soon as possible. To determine the type of pathogen, a scraping is taken from the affected area. After that, the specialist will be able to choose an effective remedy for treatment.