Topical antifungal formulations with miconazole or terbinafine as actives remain popular and efficacious for combating fungal skin infections. They render many benefits, owing to their specific mechanism of action, including their capability to target the infection site, enhance treatment efficacy and diminish the systemic side effects risk. Their proven efficacy and positioning in treating fungal skin infections are boosted by additional factors such as high patient compliance, particularly after employing appropriate vehicles like creams, ointments, and gels. However, inflammation resulting from fungal infection can often impede treatment, specifically when combined with pruritus, an unpleasant sensation that provokes an urge to scratch. This scratching then often accelerates skin damage, ultimately aggravating and spreading the fungal infection. A topical antifungal-corticosteroid combination, including miconazole or terbinafine and corticosteroids of varying potencies, can combat this issue. Their inherent benefits make these topical antifungal-corticosteroid combinations concomitantly and competently attenuate inflammation, ease pruritus, and treat fungal infections.

Mijaljica D, Spada F, Harrison IP. Emerging Trends in the Use of Topical Antifungal-Corticosteroid Combinations. Journal of Fungi. 2022; 8(8):812. https://doi.org/10.3390/jof8080812