Before using miconazole for skin infections

To make sure this is the right treatment for you, before you start using miconazole make sure your doctor or pharmacist knows:

• If you are pregnant or breast-feeding.
• If you have ever had an allergic reaction to this or to any other medicine.
• If you are taking other medicines, including those available to buy without a prescription, herbal and complementary medicines. This is important because miconazole can alter the way medicines such as warfarin work.

How to use miconazole for skin infections

• Before starting this treatment, read the manufacturer's printed information leaflet from inside the pack. The leaflet will give you more information about how to use the preparation you have been given and any possible side-effects from using it.
• Use miconazole preparations exactly as your doctor or pharmacist has told you.
• If you have been given miconazole for a fungal infection of the skin, apply it to the affected area twice each day (ideally in the morning and the evening).
• If you are using miconazole for a nail infection, apply it to the infected nail once or twice a day.
• Wash and dry your hands well both before and after using miconazole. This will help to stop your infection from spreading.

Getting the most from your treatment

• Try to avoid getting miconazole into your eyes or mouth. If this does happen, wipe the preparation away and then wash the area with water.
• Continue to use miconazole for 10 days after all the signs of your infection have gone. This is to make sure your infection does not return.
• You should see an improvement in your condition after a few days. If your condition does not seem to be getting any better after about a week, book an appointment to see your doctor for advice.

Can miconazole cause problems?

Miconazole is unlikely to cause any unwanted symptoms, although it may cause mild irritation, redness or a burning sensation when you first use it. If the irritation becomes severe, or if you experience any other symptoms, ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice.

How to store miconazole

• Keep all medicines out of the reach and sight of children.
• Store in a cool, dry place, away from direct heat and light. If you have been supplied with Daktacort® cream, you should keep it in a fridge.

Important information about all medicines

References

• Manufacturer's PIL, Daktarin® 2% Cream, McNeil Products Ltd, electronic Medicines Compendium. Dated December 2008.
• Manufacturer's PIL, Daktarin Aktiv® Spray Powder, McNeil Products Ltd, electronic Medicines Compendium. Dated August 2008.
• Manufacturer's PIL, Daktarin Aktiv® Powder, McNeil Products Ltd, electronic Medicines Compendium. Dated July 2008.
• British National Formulary; 62nd Edition (Sep 2011) British Medical Association and Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain, London (link to current BNF)