Canesten

This medicine is available without a doctor’s prescription, for you to treat a fungal infection. Nevertheless you still need to use Canesten® Topical Cream carefully to get the best results from it.

• Keep this leaflet. You may need to read it again.
• Ask your pharmacist if you need more information or advice.
• You must see a doctor if your symptoms worsen or do not improve after 3 days or if symptoms have not disappeared in 7 days.

SCHEDULING STATUS: S1

PROPRIETARY NAME (AND DOSAGE FORM): Canesten® Topical Cream

WHAT CANESTEN® TOPICAL CREAM CONTAINS: Topical Cream: Active ingredient is: Clotrimazole 10 mg/g. The other ingredients are: Benzyl alcohol 2%, Cetostearyl alcohol, Cetyl palmitate, Octyl dodecanol, Polysorbate 60, Purified water, Sorbitan stearate.

WHAT CANESTEN® TOPICAL CREAM IS USED FOR: Pharmacotherapeutic group Antifungals.

Therapeutic indication: For all fungal infections of the skin caused by moulds, yeasts and fungi and also for skin diseases with secondary infections of these fungi. These fungal infections may include among others:

1. Fungal infections of the skin and skin folds, (e.g. fungal infections of the groin, perineum, armpits, Dhobi itch or jock itch and barber’s itch.)
2. Ringworm.
3. Fungal infections in-between toes or fingers e.g. athlete's foot.
4. Candida vulvitis (vulval thrush).
5. Candida balanitis, (thrush of the glans penis).
6. Pityriasis (Tinea) versicolor.
7. Erythrasma.
8. Paronychias, associated with nail mycoses, (fungal infections of the tissues adjacent to the nail of a finger or toe).

Do not use if you are allergic to clotrimazole and/or cetostearyl alcohol.

If your skin problem does not improve within 1 week, check with your doctor or pharmacist.

Direct contact with Canesten® Topical Cream may reduce the effectiveness and safety of latex products such as condoms and diaphragms. The effect is temporary and occurs only during treatment.

Special Warnings:

Not intended for ophthalmic use. Keep this medicine away from the eyes. Do not place an occlusive dressing (airtight covering such as kitchen plastic wrap) over the medicine.

Pregnancy and Breast feeding

If you are pregnant or breast feeding your baby while using this medicine please consult your doctor, pharmacist or other health care professional for advice.

Interaction with other medicinal products

Not Known.

Canesten® Topical cream should be applied thinly to the affected areas 2-3 times a day and rubbed in. A small amount of cream is usually sufficient for an area about the size of a palm. Successful treatment demands that Canesten be applied correctly and over a sufficiently long period of time. The normal period of treatment is 3-4 weeks. Topical treatment of fungal infections should be continued for approximately 2 weeks after the disappearance of all symptoms despite a rapid, subjective improvement, in order to prevent relapse. For the treatment of athlete’s foot and other fungal infections in skin folds it is important to dry the area carefully.

Local reactions including skin irritation and burning may occur.

Contact allergic dermatitis has been reported.

In cases of systemic absorption, lower abdominal cramps, increase in urinary frequency or skin rash may occur.

Not all side effects reported for this medicine are included in this leaflet. Should your general health worsen while taking this medicine, please consult your doctor, pharmacist or other health care professional for advice.

Keep all medicines out of the reach of children. Store below 25°C. Do not use after the expiry date on the carton. Return all unused medicine to your pharmacist. Do not dispose of unused medicine in drains or sewerage systems (e.g. toilets).