Nizoral

Upsides

• Recommended as a first choice medication to treat skin infections caused by fungi, including cradle cap, seborrheic dermatitis, and tinea versicolor.
• Nizoral (Ketoconazole) isn't taken orally, so it doesn't cause liver issues.
• Can be used with other medications to help control redness and swelling.
• The 1% shampoo is available over-the-counter in the drugstore.

Downsides

• The foams (Extina and Ketodan) and gel (Xolegel) are only available as brand name and can be more expensive.
• The 2.5% shampoo and creams are available only by prescription, but are generic.
• The shampoo has to be left on for at least 5-10 minutes after lathering before you rinse it off.
• It can take a few weeks for the infection to clear and a few months before the skin returns to its normal color.
• The fungal infections can be confused for other skin infections, so if Nizoral (Ketoconazole) doesn't work, it could be caused by another skin problem.