How to manage infection and itching in legs?

Question

Hello doctor,

I am a 25-year-old girl, and I am suffering from an infection on my legs. Sometimes it causes itching, the skin in this area has become dark, and sometimes there is bleeding.

Please help.

Thank you.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern.

Based on your symptoms and the clinical picture (attachments removed to protect the patient’s identity), you are having tinea cruris, a fungal infection affecting the inner thighs and surrounding areas, which commonly causes itching, darkening of the skin, scaling, and sometimes cracking or bleeding due to repeated scratching and inflammation.

Do not panic because it is easily manageable with the correct drugs. I will provide you with a systematic way of handling it. First of all, use Bifonazole cream thinly on the infected area twice daily, morning and evening, for three to four weeks.

It is necessary to maintain its application until the period is over, even if there is improvement in the form of reduced itching and redness, in order to make sure that the infection is cleared up completely. Do not use any steroids and combined creams because they worsen the infection.

To control itching, take the tablet Cetirizine 10 mg at bedtime, which helps reduce itching and allows better sleep. If itching is severe, this can be continued daily as advised. General care is equally important. Keep the affected area clean and completely dry, especially after bathing, and wear loose, breathable cotton clothing. Avoid tight garments and excessive sweating, do not scratch the area to prevent further skin damage and bleeding, and use a separate towel for the affected area, washing it daily.

With consistent antifungal treatment and proper hygiene, tinea cruris usually responds well. The darkened skin will gradually improve after the infection clears, although pigmentation may take some time to fade.

I hope this helps.

Kindly follow up if you have more concerns.

Thank you.