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Fungal infections are incredibly common, especially during the hot and humid summer season in Delhi. At St. Stephen’s Hospital, they are among the most frequent cases seen in the dermatology Outpatient Department (OPD).
Because St. Stephen’s is a tertiary care hospital, doctors often see patients who have already tried multiple outside treatments, only to find their fungal infection returning again and again. To help you break this frustrating cycle, Dr. Sneha Choudhury, Dermatologist at St. Stephen’s Hospital, shares the real reasons these infections relapse and the exact steps to cure them.
4 Reasons Your Fungal Infection Keeps Coming Back
If you feel like you are constantly battling the same skin infection, you are not alone. Here are the four most common reasons for a recurrent fungal infection:
1. Untreated Family Members: The word “infection” means it can spread. If someone in your house has a fungal infection and not everyone gets treated, the infection will simply keep passing back and forth between family members.
2. Incomplete Medication Courses: Many patients take their medicine, start feeling a little better, and immediately stop. When you do not complete the entire course, the medicine becomes ineffective, and the fungus becomes “resistant,” meaning standard medicines will stop working.
3. Underlying Diabetes: For patients who have diabetes, fungal infections naturally take a little longer to cure.
4. The Misuse of Topical Steroids: This is a major reason infections are not getting cured today. Over-the-counter steroid creams (such as Quadriderm, Forderm, Itchguard, and Ringguard) are easily given by chemists in cities like Delhi. While they make the infection look better temporarily, the fungus comes right back as soon as you stop applying the cream.
Expert Warning on Steroid Creams: There is absolutely no role for topical steroids in treating fungal infections; they should not be used. If you are currently using them, consult a dermatologist to safely transition away from them and check if a specific test, such as a cortisol test, is required.
How to Stop the Cycle of Fungal Infections
To ensure the infection does not return, you need a combination of strict medical guidance and specific home hygiene practices. Follow this expert checklist:
| The Strategy | Expert Action Steps |
| Comprehensive Treatment | Every affected person in the household must take the treatment simultaneously. |
| Commit to the Course | Never stop the medicine early. Treatment should be taken for a minimum of 3 months strictly under a dermatologist’s guidance. |
| Personal Hygiene | The infected person must keep their soap, clothes, and towels completely separate from the rest of the family. |
| Washing Rules | If possible, infected clothes and towels should be washed in boiling water to kill the fungus. |
| Drying & Ironing Rules | Dry your clothes upside down (inside out). If there is no sunlight available, you must iron (press) the clothes from the inside before wearing them. |
Consult the Experts at St. Stephen’s Hospital
Fungal infections are very easily treatable, provided you consult a proper dermatologist and follow the right protocol. Do not rely on quick fixes from the chemist that can make your skin worse over time.
Your skin deserves the right diagnosis and the right treatment. If you are struggling with a persistent skin issue, Book an Appointment with the Dermatology Department at St. Stephen’s Hospital today.
