Candid Cream: Uses, How It Works, Side Effects
Also known as: Candid, Candid cream, Candid 1% cream, Candid antifungal cream, Clotrimazole 1% cream, Clotrimazole cream
Candid Cream is a skin cream containing 1% clotrimazole, an antifungal medicine used to treat fungal and yeast infections of the skin such as ringworm, athlete's foot, jock itch and candida infections. It works on fungi and yeasts only, not on bacterial or viral rashes. It is applied to the skin and used for the full time advised, even when the skin looks better.
- Active ingredient
- Clotrimazole 1%
- Type of medicine
- Antifungals
- Used for
- Fungal infections, Fungal skin infections
- Starts working in
- Itching often eases within about the first week, but the infection may need several weeks of use
- Effect lasts
- It acts where it is applied, so it is applied twice a day or as the pack or doctor advises
- With or without food
- Not applicable, it is applied on the skin
- Alcohol
- No known effect when it is used on the skin
- Pregnancy
- Ask your doctor or pharmacist before using it in pregnancy or while breastfeeding
- Habit-forming
- No
- Made by
- VERIFY on pack
Pharmacist review in progress. This page is based on the sources listed below and is being checked by our registered pharmacist.
On this page
- What is Candid Cream used for?
- How does Candid Cream work?
- How to take Candid Cream
- Side effects of Candid Cream
- Who should be careful
- Medicines and things that interact with Candid Cream
- If someone takes too much
- Storage
- Regulatory status in India
- Other brands with the same medicine
- Other strengths and forms
- Common questions
What is Candid Cream used for?
Candid Cream is an antifungal skin cream. It is used to treat fungal and yeast infections of the skin, on a doctor's or pharmacist's advice.
- Ringworm (tinea) of the body
- Athlete's foot and jock itch
- Yeast (candida) infections of the skin
- Pityriasis (tinea) versicolor
How does Candid Cream work?
Clotrimazole is an azole antifungal. It damages the outer layer (membrane) of fungal and yeast cells so they cannot grow, which lets the skin clear. It works on fungi only and not on bacteria or viruses.
What happens in your body after you take it
You apply the cream
A little cream is rubbed gently onto clean, dry affected skin and a small area around it.
It stays at the skin
Clotrimazole acts in the outer layers of the skin where fungi and yeasts live, and very little is expected to enter the blood.
It reaches the fungus
The medicine enters the fungal or yeast cells in the skin and attaches to enzymes the fungus uses to build its cell membrane.
The fungus stops growing
With a damaged membrane the fungus cannot grow or spread. Itching and redness ease first, while the rash takes longer to clear.
Skin renews itself
Treated skin gradually renews and the fungus is shed with it. This is why the cream is used for several weeks, often beyond the point at which the skin looks normal.
How to take Candid Cream
Use Candid Cream exactly as the pack or your doctor says. The cream is usually rubbed in gently on the affected skin and a little skin around it, for the whole time advised.
- It is usually applied to the clean, dry affected skin and a small area around it, as directed on the pack.
- Wash your hands after applying it, and do not share towels, clothes or the tube.
- If you miss an application, apply it when you remember. Do not apply extra to make up for it.
- Keep using it for the full time advised, even when the skin looks better, so the infection does not return.
- See a doctor if there is no improvement after about four weeks, or sooner if it gets worse.
Side effects of Candid Cream
Clotrimazole cream is usually well tolerated. Side effects are mostly local to the skin.
Uncommon or mild
- Redness, stinging or burning
- Itching
- Peeling or irritation of the skin
Rare but serious: get medical help
- Blistering, swelling or oozing where it is applied, which can mean a sensitivity. Stop using it and tell a doctor
- Hives or swelling of the face, lips or throat. Get medical help immediately
Who should be careful
Some people need to check with a doctor before using Candid Cream, or need extra care while using it.
When the label says not to use it
- Allergy to clotrimazole or to any ingredient of the cream
- Do not use it if you are allergic to clotrimazole or any ingredient in the cream
- Not for the eyes
- Avoid airtight dressings or wrappings over the cream unless a doctor says so
- See a doctor if there is no improvement after about four weeks, if the rash spreads, or if you have diabetes or a weakened immune system
- Used on the genital area, the cream can damage latex condoms and diaphragms
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding: ask a doctor or pharmacist first
- Check that the pack says clotrimazole only: some creams with a similar name contain a steroid or an antibiotic as well
Medicines and things that interact with Candid Cream
Used on the skin, Candid Cream is not known to interact with many medicines. Tell your doctor or pharmacist what else you use on your skin.
- Steroid or other creams on the same area: use only if a doctor advises, because a steroid can make some fungal infections worse
- Latex condoms and diaphragms: the cream may weaken them
If someone takes too much
Overdose from skin use is unlikely and is not expected to be life-threatening. If someone swallows a large amount, call 112 or go to the nearest hospital and take the tube with you.
Storage
Store in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight, with the cap closed tightly and out of the reach of children. Do not use after the expiry date. Check the pack for the exact storage instructions.
Regulatory status in India
Approved for sale in India as an antifungal cream. Single-ingredient clotrimazole is not on the CDSCO list of medicines banned under section 26A of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, but many fixed-dose combinations of clotrimazole with steroids, antibiotics or other ingredients are on that list. Candid Cream is understood to contain clotrimazole only; check the ingredient list on the pack.
Other brands with the same medicine
Clotrimazole 1% cream is sold under other brand names and as generic cream. They contain the same medicine; check the label for the strength. Some products with similar names also contain a steroid or an antibiotic, so do not switch between them without asking your doctor or pharmacist.
Other strengths and forms
Clotrimazole is also available as a dusting powder, lotion, mouth paint and in combination creams with other medicines. The contents are printed on the pack and are not the same across products, so check the label of the one you have.
Common questions
What is Candid Cream used for?
Candid Cream is used on the skin for fungal and yeast infections such as ringworm, athlete's foot, jock itch and candida skin infections. It does not work on bacterial or viral rashes. Ask a doctor or pharmacist if you are unsure what is causing the rash.
How long should I use Candid Cream?
Use it for the full time on the pack or advised by your doctor, even if the skin looks better. The US label says to tell a doctor if there is no improvement after four weeks. Stopping early can let the infection return.
Does Candid Cream contain a steroid?
Plain Candid Cream contains clotrimazole only. Some products with a similar name, such as Candid-B, also contain a steroid. Many clotrimazole combinations are banned in India, so always read the ingredient list on the pack.
Can I use Candid Cream on my face or private parts?
Ask a doctor or pharmacist first. Use on the genital area can damage latex condoms and diaphragms. Keep it out of the eyes and mouth. Do not use it on a rash of unknown cause.
Can I use Candid Cream for dandruff or nail infections?
It is not made for those. Dandruff is usually treated with an anti-dandruff shampoo, and nail infections usually need a different treatment. Ask a doctor or pharmacist what suits your problem.
Can I use Candid Cream in pregnancy or while breastfeeding?
Ask your doctor or pharmacist first. The sources used for this page do not give firm advice for skin use in pregnancy, so a doctor should weigh the need for treatment against any risk.
What can I do to stop the infection coming back?
Keep the skin clean and dry, especially between the toes and in skin folds, avoid sharing towels, socks or shoes, wash towels and bedsheets often and wear clean cotton clothing. Keep using the cream for the full time advised.
What is the difference between Candid Cream and clotrimazole cream?
Candid is a brand name and clotrimazole is the antifungal inside it. Other brands of clotrimazole 1% cream contain the same medicine. Check the strength and ingredient list on the pack, and ask a doctor or pharmacist before switching.
Sources
- Clotrimazole cream USP, 1%: prescribing information (Glenmark, revised 5/2025). DailyMed, US National Library of Medicine
- Clotrimazole 1% vaginal and external cream: Drug Facts (Taro, NuCare pack). DailyMed, US National Library of Medicine
- Athlete's foot. NHS (UK)
- Ringworm. NHS (UK)
- ATC/DDD Index: D01AC01 clotrimazole. WHO Collaborating Centre for Drug Statistics Methodology
- List of drugs prohibited for manufacture and sale through gazette notifications under section 26A of the Drugs & Cosmetics Act 1940. Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO)