Daktacort Hydrocortisone Cream cream is used to treat fungal skin infections such as sweat rash or athlete's foot when you have additional symptoms of inflammation (such as swelling, redness and itching).

Triple Action:

• Antibacterial
• Antifungal
• Anti-Inflammatory

Daktacort Hydrocortisone Cream contains two types of medicine:

Hydrocortisone acetate: a mild 'topical steroid' which reduces inflammation, swelling, redness and itching of the skin.

Miconazole nitrate: an 'antifungal' which destroys the fungi and some bacteria which cause skin infections.

Daktacort Hydrocortisone is used to treat:

Sweat rash (candidal intertrigo, or 'thrush' of the skin- folds) is a sore, itchy red rash found in areas where the skin rubs together e.g. below or between the breasts, underarms, tops of legs or the groin or other skin areas.

Athletes foot is a fungal skin infection causing soreness, itching and flaking between the toes or on the soles or sides of the feet.

If you have a fungal infection without any symptoms of inflammation, an antifungal medication without hydrocortisone acetate may be more appropriate. Ask your pharmacist or doctor if you are in doubt.

How to use Daktacort Hydrocortisone Cream:

• You should only use the cream on your skin
• Before you use the cream wash the infected skin and dry it well
• Many skin conditions are infectious, so you should have your own towel and flannel so you do not infect anyone else.

How to use Daktacort Hydrocortisone Cream:

For adults and children aged 10 years and over:

• Put a small amount of the cream on the affected area twice daily
• Rub it in gently until the cream has disappeared
• You should not use the cream for more than seven days

Elderly people: Medicines like Daktacort Hydrocortisone Cream can make the skin go thinner when you use them for a long time. So elderly people should use less cream because their skin goes thinner naturally.

After you have used the cream: unless the infected skin is on your hands, wash your hands carefully to avoid spreading the infection to other parts of the body or to other people.

Similarly, you should also wash and change any clothes which have touched the infected areas.

• If your symptoms carry on or do not start to improve after seven days, you should talk to your pharmacist or doctor
• Daktacort Hydrocortisone Cream is not likely to harm you if you accidentally swallow some but you should contact your doctor for advice

Daktacort Hydrocortisone Cream contains the active ingredients: Miconazole nitrate 2.0% w/w and hydrocortisone acetate, equivalent to hydrocortisone 1.0% w/w.

The cream also contains: Macrogol 6-32 stearate, glycol stearate, oleyl macrogolglycerides, liquid paraffin, butylhydroxyanisole, benzoic acid, disodium edetate, sodium hydroxide, and purified water.

Do not use Daktacort Hydrocortisone Cream:

• If you are allergic to any similar creams or to any of the ingredients in this medicine: You may be allergic to the product if you have a rash or itching at the site of infection which gets worse after you apply the cream. If this applies to you, you should talk to your pharmacist or doctor before using the medicine.
• For any other skin problems such as cold sores, acne, herpes, chicken pox or shingles
• If the skin is broken

Do not use Daktacort Hydrocortisone Cream unless your doctor has told you to:

• On large areas of your body or under dressings
• On your face or eyes
• On areas of skin affected by eczema, psoriasis or dermatitis
• On the anal or genital area
• To treat ringworm
• To treat any other infections which occur as a result of your original infection
• For children under 10
• For more than seven days

Pregnant or breastfeeding: If you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant or breast-feeding, you should talk to your doctor who will decide if you should use Daktacort Hydrocortisone Cream.

Taking other medicines: If you are taking certain medicines that are used to slow down blood clotting, contact your doctor who may wish to check they are working correctly.

Most people do not have any problems when they use Daktacort Hydrocortisone Cream:

• If your condition seems to get worse while you are using the cream, you may be allergic to it. In this case, stop using it and talk to your doctor.
• If your medicine affects you in any other way, you should talk to your pharmacist or doctor. 

Fungal infections information: Fungal infections of the skin are not usually serious. However, they can last for a long time and their symptoms are nearly always unpleasant and upsetting.

Symptoms include inflamed and cracked skin, with itching and sometimes pain. Some infections slowly clear up by themselves but others are unlikely to clear up without being treated. The infection may come back.

Fungal infections are usually caused either by germs called dermatophytes or by yeasts such as candida. The skin, scalp and nails are most likely to be affected. Yeasts and dermatophytes grow well in moist, warm areas of the body such as:

• The groin
• The anal and genital areas
• The armpits
• The area under the breasts
• In the skin folds of overweight people
• Between fingers and toes

Candidal Intertrigo or sweat rash ('thrush' of the skin folds): Sweating and rubbing together of moist skin parts (armpits, chest, between the legs etc) can produce tenderness, redness and swelling. This can lead to cracked skin allowing fungal and yeast infections to grow. Your skin will also be tender, red and swollen.

Athletes Foot: is a fungal infection that affects your feet, particularly between your toes.

How to treat athletes foot and Candidal Intertrigo (sweat rash): You should start treatment as soon as you notice the first-signs of an infection. The fungus grows so fast that it is important to treat the affected area quickly and thoroughly. If the infection has caused badly cracked skin, you should use a cream which will soothe it. If you are not sure what to do, please ask your pharmacist for advice.

Athletes foot is extremely infectious so anyone can pick it up, especially people who use shared changing rooms and showers.

When the fungal spores have been transferred onto the feet, they grow quickly in the warm, moist areas between the toes. The skin soon becomes inflamed and itchy and will flake or crack. The infected flakes of skin then come off onto the floor or into the shoes. Someone else will be easily infected if they step on these flakes, or if they share towels or footwear with someone who has already got athletes foot.

Even if you've already got rid of your athletes foot, it's very easy to be infected again. The spores can live on or in your shoes or socks and if you don't change them regularly, the athlete's foot will come back.

If you want to help prevent yourself from being infected again, here are a few helpful hints:

• Don't wear the same pair of shoes or clothes every day. This helps reduce the build up of sweat which provides the moisture the fungus thrives on.
• Don't wear footwear made from man-made material. Wear cotton socks and leather shoes which allow your feet to breathe.
• Don't share towels or footwear
• Don't walk in changing rooms without any shoes on
• Dry in between your toes thoroughly and keep your toenails short. This reduces the number of places that fungi can grow.
• Try not to wear tight clothes when you are playing sport
• Always try and let air get to tender, sore areas.
• Wash your hands thoroughly after you have treated the infected area
• Finish the course of treatment