Is fungal infection very contagious ?...Need help

[skinprob40]

Few months back I was diagnosed of jock itch. I had 3 times since then. Can it be some thing else?. Again I have developed symptoms though I am taking Diflucan. Is relapse possible even while taking antifungal. My concerns :
1. The infection is in groin and around penis. During the day I put my shirt inside trousers but sometimes it comes out, bringing out a lot of spores. When my shirt is in, a lot of fungus spores are getting attached. Is it possible that these spores can infect others at my workplace/home ?. What are the chances as I have read that spores can stay dormant for long time on dry objects ?
2.I do have some risk factors like stress, loose scortal/groin skin etc. Is it possible to permanently cure it with existing risk factors ?

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
Jock itch shows up in post-adolescent men and hormonal changes during puberty, lifestyle and heredity each play a role. Predisposing fungal disease like tines cruris may also aggravate it. Wash your groin daily and then dry thoroughly by pat drying, not rubbing. A hairdryer is useful if you have hairy groins. The damp groin is an ideal site for fungi to multiply. Also wear cotton underwear and change them twice a day and do not share other people’s towels. Fungal infections are contagious and try that other people should not use your clothes or come in contact with them. You can wash your clothes in germicidal detergents for this purpose.
Treatment of fungal infections involves topical and oral antifungal medicines. Most cases of fungal infections respond to over-the-counter products, which contain any of several basic ingredients: miconazole, tolnaftate, terbinafine,ketaconazole and clotrimazole.You can consult a pharmacist and get any cream or lotion containing these ingredients. Some of them are Lamisil, Monistat derm, Mycelex, and Nizoral.

If still the symptoms do not improve then please get a clinical examination done by a dermatologist. Fungal culture of the skin scrapings may be done and specific oral antifungals may be prescribed.

I hope it helps. Take care and please do keep me posted in case you have any additional doubts. Kind regards.

[skinprob40]

If I apply antifungal powder on groin, it can come out of trousers and people will notice it.....