What Is Candid B Cream or Lotion?

Candid B is a medicine you apply to your skin to help treat inflamed fungal skin infections like ringworm and jock itch, both of which are caused by the same fungus.

It’s made of a combination of active ingredients, which are:

• Clotrimazole—This is an azole antifungal that stops fungus from growing.
• Beclomethasone dipropionate—This is a strong corticosteroid that relieves symptoms of the infection, including swelling, redness, and itching.

The same active ingredients are found in Lotrisone (US) or Lotriderm (Canada).

Uses of Candid B Treatment (Clotrimazole and Betamethasone Dipropionate)

Candid B has a wide variety of uses. In its lotion form, it can be used to treat:

• Ringworm of the foot (tinea pedis; athlete’s foot)—Symptoms include itching, stinging, and burning between the toes and on the soles of the feet, blisters that itch, and cracking and peeling skin on the feet.
• Ringworm of the groin (tinea cruris; jock itch)—Symptoms include itching and pain in the groin area; a rash on the groin, skin folds, inner thighs, or buttocks; a distinct edge to the rash that may be scaly or have bumps that look like blisters; and a red-brown color in the center of the rash.
• Ringworm of the body (tinea corporis)—Symptoms include dry, brittle hair or hair loss in patches (if it’s on the scalp), severe itching, or a red-ringed patch of small blisters or scaly skin.
• Yeast infection (external vaginal use only; there is a pill form for vaginal insertion, and there are oral treatments as well)—Symptoms include burning, redness, and swelling of the vagina and the vulva, pain when passing urine, pain during sex, soreness, and a thick, white vaginal discharge that looks like cottage cheese and does not have a bad smell.

Candid B is not very effective for widespread fungal infections in the body. For those, you’ll need to take oral anti-fungal medication. It is also not very effective at treating infections of the nails.

For vaginal infections, the medication can be applied on the outside of the vagina to relieve itchiness. For the inside of the vagina, you’ll need to treat it with vaginal anti-fungal preparations or oral anti-fungal medication.

Sometimes (especially in Asian countries), unmarried girls are not prescribed vaginal antifungal preparations that are inserted into the vagina because it can affect the hymen. Instead, they are prescribed oral anti-fungal medications such as Fluconazole.

Candid B Cream Usage

Be sure to read any information about the medication that your doctor has given you or that comes with the packaging. If you’ve been prescribed the medication, follow your doctor’s instructions exactly.

WARNING: Do not use on people under 17 years of age since there is a greater chance of the medication penetrating the skin and entering the bloodstream. Do not put the cream inside of your vagina.

Directions:

• Only use this medication on the skin.
• Clean and thoroughly dry the area to be treated.
• Apply a thin layer of the medication to the affected area and gently rub in, usually twice daily (in the morning and evening) or as directed by your doctor.
• Wash your hands after using the cream unless you are using it to treat the hands.
• Do not wrap, cover, or bandage the area unless directed to do so by your doctor.
• Wear loose-fitting clothes after applying the medication to the groin area.
• Do not miss a dosage or an application. The key to eradicating the infection is consistent application over a set length of time. If you miss a dose, apply it as soon as possible. If it’s already time for the next dose, continue application as normal.

The dosage and length of treatment depend on the type of infection being treated.

Ringworm or jock itch is usually treated for two weeks, and athlete’s foot is usually treated for four weeks. Do not use more than 45 grams of the cream or 45 milliliters of the lotion per week unless directed and closely monitored by your doctor.

If the infection persists after these lengths of time, consult a doctor.

Precautions and Warnings

• Applying the cream over a large area of the body, using a higher dose of the cream than prescribed or recommended, or using the cream more often than prescribed or recommended can all increase the likelihood and severity of side effects.
• Do not apply the cream to the eyes, mouth, or to the inside of the vagina.
• This treatment should not be used for children younger than 17 years, or on geriatric patients who have very thin skin, since the medicine could enter the bloodstream and cause adverse reactions.
• Be sure to use the full recommended dosage of medication, even if the infection or your symptoms seem to have gone away.
• Be sure to inform your doctor if your condition worsens or does not improve after one week of treatment for jock itch or ringworm or two weeks of treatment for athlete’s foot.
• If you are pregnant or planning on becoming pregnant, be sure to ask your doctor about using this medication because its effects on infants are unknown.
• Before using this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to clotrimazole or betamethasone or to other azole antifungals (e.g., ketoconazole) or corticosteroids (e.g., triamcinolone).
• Also, tell your doctor if you have any other allergies. This product contains inactive ingredients, which can cause allergic reactions or other problems. Talk to your pharmacist for more details.
• Always give your physician a full medical history so he or she can make sure you get the correct medication that you need.

Side Effects

Most people using this product do not experience extreme side effects. If your side effects are worse than the original problem, then you should tell a doctor and stop using the medication.

The most common side effects at the area of application include:

• Redness
• Tingling
• Dry skin
• Stinging
• Blistering
• Peeling
• Swelling
• Itching
• Hives
• Burning

If any of these side effects persist or worsen, notify your doctor or pharmacist promptly. Tell your doctor immediately if any of these unlikely but serious side effects occur:

• Extreme hair growth
• Skin thinning or discoloration
• Acne
• Stretch marks
• “Hair bumps” (folliculitis)

Unusual and Extreme Side Effects

Sometimes, though very rarely, this medication is absorbed by the skin into the bloodstream. This can lead to side effects of too much corticosteroid. These side effects are more likely to occur in children and in people who use this medication for a long time or over large areas of the skin, which is why these behaviors are not recommended.

Tell your doctor right away if any of the following side effects occur:

• Unusual or extreme tiredness
• Weight loss
• Headache
• Swelling of the ankles or feet
• Increased thirst or urination
• Vision problems

A very serious allergic reaction to this drug is rare. However, seek immediate medical attention if you notice any of the following symptoms of a serious allergic reaction:

• Rash
• Itching or swelling (especially of the face, tongue, or throat)
• Severe dizziness
• Trouble breathing

This is not a complete list of possible side effects. If you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor or pharmacist.

When Should It Not Be Used?

This medication should not be used when these other conditions are present or to treat these conditions:

• Acne
• Open or infected wounds
• Black heads
• Carbuncles or Furuncles
• Bacterial abscesses
• Warts
• Herpes
• Broken skin at the site of the rash
• Skin infections near the rash

Using this preparation for the above conditions will make them worse.