Naftifine Topical
Naftifine is a topical antifungal used to treat common fungal skin infections, including athlete's foot (tinea pedis) and ringworm (tinea corporis).
🧬 Where this information comes from Click to expand
The clinical label records used on this page are FDA-filed Structured Product Labeling (SPL) retrieved through openFDA. We identified 6 clinical label sets within the page’s selected clinical scope after exact ingredient or ingredient-combination matching and applicable route/form matching. Forms, routes, brands, labelers, strengths, and NDC product-record counts are built separately from matching FDA National Drug Code Directory records. The linked DailyMed document is a representative official source for verification, not the page’s only clinical source. View the linked label on DailyMed →
📖 Naftifine Topical: Patient Information Guide
A plain-language walkthrough of Naftifine Topical — what it treats, how it works, how it’s taken, side effects, warnings and interactions. Tap any section to expand it.
🎯What it's used for▾
Naftifine is a topical antifungal used to treat dermatophyte (fungal) skin infections. Supported uses across the available products include:
- Naftin gel 2%: interdigital tinea pedis (athlete's foot between the toes) caused by Trichophyton rubrum, Trichophyton mentagrophytes, and Epidermophyton floccosum — approved for use in patients aged 12 and older
- Naftifine hydrochloride cream: tinea pedis (athlete's foot), tinea cruris (jock itch), and tinea corporis (ringworm) in adults and children as young as 2 years of age
⚙️How it works▾
Naftifine belongs to a class of antifungals called allylamines. It works by blocking an enzyme — squalene 2,3-epoxidase — that fungi rely on to produce ergosterol, the key building block of their cell membranes. Without enough ergosterol, fungal cells are weakened and can't grow or spread. At the same time, a substance called squalene builds up inside the fungal cells, which adds to their damage.
No mechanism of resistance to naftifine has been identified to date. The drug penetrates the outer layer of the skin (stratum corneum) deeply enough to reach the fungi living there.
💊How it's taken▾
Naftifine is applied to the skin once daily. Apply a thin layer to the affected area and about a half-inch of the healthy skin around it. Treatment is typically continued for 2 weeks — complete the full course even if symptoms improve early.
- For topical (skin) use only — not for use in the eyes, mouth, or vaginally
- Wash your hands before and after applying
- Follow your prescriber's specific directions for your product and condition
🤒Side effects — in detail▾
Most side effects from naftifine are mild and happen at the site where you apply it. Common reactions include:
- Itching (pruritus) — the most frequently reported reaction
- Redness or irritation
- Burning
- Swelling
- Blisters
- Crusting or watery (serous) drainage
- Maceration (skin softening from moisture)
Rarely, reactions reported after the product was on the market include headache, dizziness, and uncommon blood cell changes (low white blood cell counts). Stop using naftifine and call your doctor if irritation gets worse or if you experience any unexpected systemic symptoms.
⚠️Warnings & precautions▾
- Skin irritation: If redness, burning, or sensitivity develops or worsens where you're applying naftifine, stop using it and contact your doctor.
- For skin use only: Do not let this product get into your eyes, mouth, or vaginal area.
- Allergic reactions: People who are allergic to any ingredient in naftifine products should not use them.
- Post-market reports: Rare cases of blood cell changes (leukopenia, agranulocytosis — abnormally low white blood cell counts) have been reported; seek medical attention if you notice unusual bruising or signs of infection.
🔀What it interacts with▾
The FDA label for naftifine topical does not identify specific drug, food, or substance interactions.
This is not a complete list of interactions. Always talk with your doctor or pharmacist before starting, stopping, or changing any medication.
📋Before taking it▾
- Allergy: Do not use naftifine cream if you are allergic to naftifine or any of its components.
- Pregnancy: There are no human data on naftifine use during pregnancy — talk to your doctor before using.
- Breastfeeding: It is unknown whether naftifine passes into breast milk; discuss the benefits and risks with your doctor before using while nursing.
- Children: Naftin gel 2% has established safety and effectiveness only for patients aged 12 and older with tinea pedis. Naftifine cream has safety and pharmacokinetic data in children as young as 2 years old for tinea corporis, tinea pedis, and tinea cruris.
- Eyes, mouth, and genitals: Keep naftifine away from these areas entirely.
🔬Pharmacokinetics — how your body processes it▾
After you apply naftifine to your skin, it penetrates the outermost skin layer (the stratum corneum) deeply enough to inhibit fungal growth in the tissue. A small amount is absorbed into the bloodstream — this increases slightly over a two-week treatment course but remains at very low levels. The tiny fraction that is absorbed is mostly eliminated through urine, with less than 0.004% of the applied dose excreted that way.
Studies in adults and children (ages 2 to 18) all confirmed measurable but very low blood levels after once-daily application, with accumulation after 14 days remaining less than twofold. In some adults, naftifine could still be detected in the blood two weeks after stopping treatment, though at very low concentrations.
📦How to store it▾
Store NAFTIN ® Gel at 25°C (77°F); excursions permitted to 15-30°C (59-86°F) .
📄 Written from Naftifine Topical’s FDA-approved label information, summarized in plain language with AI, and reviewed by our pharmacy team before publication. Every point is grounded in that labeling — nothing is invented. How we use AI →
Supplements & herbs that interact with Naftifine Topical
20 supplements and herbal products have documented interactions with Naftifine Topical in the licensed clinical database we use. Most are manageable — but your pharmacist should know about everything you take, including vitamins and herbals.
- Major · 1
- Moderate · 7
- Minor · 12
Educational information from a licensed clinical database (Natural Medicines) — see our data sources & update cadence. Not medical advice: an interaction being documented does not mean it will happen to you; do not start or stop medications or supplements without professional guidance.
🩺 Pharmacist Counseling Corner
Quick, plain-English answers to the questions patients ask most about Naftifine Topical — the kind of thing our pharmacy team would talk through with you at the counter.
What exactly is naftifine used to treat? ▾
How do I apply it, and how long do I need to use it? ▾
What side effects should I expect, and when should I call my doctor? ▾
Can I use this if I'm pregnant or breastfeeding? ▾
Is naftifine safe for children? ▾
Are there any important things to avoid while using naftifine? ▾
Is Naftifine Topical available over the counter? ▾
When was Naftifine Topical first available? ▾
Who makes Naftifine Topical? ▾
💬 Answers drafted from Naftifine Topical’s FDA-approved label information, summarized in plain language with AI, and reviewed by our pharmacy team before publication. Grounded in that labeling — nothing is made up. How we use AI →
🧰 Keep exploring
💊 How Naftifine Topical comes
Naftifine Topical is available in 1 form. Different forms and brands can have different approved uses, doses, schedules, and directions. Follow the instructions for your exact product, and do not switch forms without guidance from your prescriber or pharmacist.
Topical cream, ointment or gel
How this form is used
- Naftin gel 2% is used to treat interdigital tinea pedis (athlete's foot between the toes) caused by Trichophyton rubrum, Trichophyton mentagrophytes, and Epidermophyton floccosum
- Naftin cream has been used to treat tinea pedis (athlete's foot), tinea cruris (jock itch), and tinea corporis (ringworm) in adults and children aged 2 and older
- Naftin gel 2%: apply a thin layer once daily to the affected area plus about a half-inch margin of surrounding healthy skin
- Naftin gel 2%: for topical use on skin only — do not use in the eyes, mouth, or vaginally
- Naftin cream: apply once daily to the affected skin area plus a half-inch margin of healthy surrounding skin
- Follow your prescriber's guidance on how long to continue treatment
📊 Naftifine Topical across the U.S. market
How Naftifine Topical appears in the FDA’s National Drug Code Directory — including its dosage forms, strengths, brand names, manufacturers, and FDA-listed product records. These are directory records, not sales or prescription volume.
Share of FDA-listed product records by manufacturer — FDA National Drug Code Directory. Record counts are not sales or prescription volume.
📈 How widely Naftifine Topical is used
A general measure of how commonly Naftifine Topical is prescribed, based on Medicaid — one of the largest public drug programs. The figure below is prescriptions filled in Q1–Q4 2025, summed across every form and brand of the drug.
Think of this as a proxy for how widely Naftifine Topical is used, drawn from freely available public data. Medicaid is just one program — these numbers don’t include Medicare, other government coverage, or commercial and cash-pay prescriptions, so real-world use is higher than what’s shown here.
How commonly is Naftifine Topical prescribed? Of the 1,597 medications we measure, Naftifine Topical ranks #1,198 by Medicaid prescriptions — more than 25% of them.
Utilization by Naftifine Topical product
Pick a product to see its own Medicaid numbers. Each chip is one clinical product — a specific strength & dosage form as defined by RxNorm — with brand-name and generic versions combined.
naftifine hydrochloride 20 MG/ML Topical Cream Most dispensed
Summed across the 2 of 7 listed NDC products with Medicaid activity — every brand and generic of this exact strength & form. RxNorm 1246096
naftifine hydrochloride 0.02 MG/MG Topical Gel
Summed across the 4 of 6 listed NDC products with Medicaid activity — every brand and generic of this exact strength & form. RxNorm 1433734
naftifine hydrochloride 10 MG/ML Topical Cream
Summed across the 2 of 6 listed NDC products with Medicaid activity — every brand and generic of this exact strength & form. RxNorm 896110
Shares are of the Medicaid prescriptions shown here. Product grouping follows RxNorm (the National Library of Medicine’s drug terminology), so “one product” means one strength & dosage form regardless of manufacturer. Dollar figures are gross Medicaid reimbursement before mandatory rebates — rebates (often large, especially for brand-name drugs) are confidential, so actual net cost to Medicaid is lower than shown.
Source: Medicaid State Drug Utilization Data (CMS), aggregated by generic ingredient — summed across every NDC (all brands, strengths, salt forms and dosage forms) of Naftifine Topical, and across all states and both fee-for-service and managed-care claims. A general popularity signal; it excludes Medicare, commercial insurance and cash prescriptions, so it is not total U.S. use. Based on the 8 of 19 listed Naftifine Topical NDCs with Medicaid activity.
🔍 Compare Naftifine Topical products
A representative set of FDA-listed product records for Naftifine Topical — across manufacturers, strengths, and dosage forms, grouped by form with each product’s manufacturer and how the FDA approved it. The same medicine may be made and packaged by different companies, so a single drug can have many directory entries. (It’s also why a refill can look different — a new shape, color, or box — even though it contains the same medication.)
| Strength | Route | Manufacturer / Labeler | Category ⓘ | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 💊Topical cream, ointment or gel | ||||
| 10 mg/g | Topical | Amneal Pharmaceuticals of New York LLC | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 20 mg/g | Topical | Amneal Pharmaceuticals of New York LLC | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 2 g/100 g | Topical | Legacy Pharma USA Inc. | NDA | View NDC → |
| 10 mg/g | Topical | Sebela Pharmaceuticals Inc. | NDA | View NDC → |
| 2 g/100 g | Topical | Sebela Pharmaceuticals Inc. × 3 listings | NDA | View NDC → |
| 10 mg/g | Topical | Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, Inc. | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 20 mg/g | Topical | Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, Inc. × 2 listings | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 10 mg/g | Topical | Taro Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc. | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 20 mg/g | Topical | Taro Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc. × 3 listings | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 20 mg/g | Topical | Xiromed, LLC | ANDA | View NDC → |
Showing 15 of 15 products — FDA National Drug Code Directory. See every product, package size and price: browse all 15 Naftifine Topical NDCs →
📈 What people report — real-world data (FDA FAERS)
After a medicine reaches the market, patients, doctors and drugmakers can send the FDA reports of problems they think may be linked to it. Here’s what’s been reported for Naftifine Topical — a signal of what to watch for, not proof the drug caused it.
Source: openFDA, from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). These are voluntary reports — they don’t prove the drug caused the effect, and counts reflect how often something was reported, not how often it actually happens. Reports also often name the very problem the medicine is taken for — a common reason to file one is that the drug didn’t help — so for a pain reliever you may see “pain” high on the list; that points to why the report was filed, not to the drug causing the symptom. This counts every report that lists Naftifine Topical in any role, so the total runs higher than the FDA’s official dashboard, which counts only cases where the drug is the suspect. For the authoritative figures, see the FDA FAERS Public Dashboard. Always talk to your pharmacist or doctor.
🏛️ The road to your pharmacy
How Naftifine Topical went from FDA review to the pharmacy shelf — the key milestones in its regulatory journey.
Source: Drugs@FDA.
🚨 Recall history
A recall is when a specific batch of a medicine is pulled from the market — usually a manufacturing issue, not a problem with the drug itself. Class I is most serious, Class III least.
Source: openFDA drug enforcement (recall) reports.
RxNorm Concept Web — From Ingredient to Every Form and Strength
This page starts with one ingredient concept (IN). The branches below show its dose-form concepts (SCDF), then the available clinical drug and strength concepts (SCD). Combination products remain separate concepts with their own pages.
RxCUI 31476 2 dose forms · 4 strengths
-
Dose form (SCDF) Topical Cream RxCUI 377913In current FDA listingsClinical drug / strength (SCD) hydrochloride 10 MG/MLRxCUI 896110hydrochloride 20 MG/MLRxCUI 1246096 -
Dose form (SCDF) Topical Gel RxCUI 487271In current FDA listingsClinical drug / strength (SCD) hydrochloride 0.01 MG/MGRxCUI 896106hydrochloride 0.02 MG/MGRxCUI 1433734
Look up RxCUI 31476 in the RxCUI Atlas →
RxNorm is the U.S. National Library of Medicine’s normalized drug vocabulary. Its concept hierarchy can include forms that are not currently marketed; the status on each branch compares that concept with current FDA listings. RxCUIs identify vocabulary concepts, not individual packages or manufacturers.
📦 Supply & shortage status
Whether Naftifine Topical is in short supply in the U.S. right now, plus any shortage history the FDA has on record. A shortage usually reflects a manufacturing or demand issue — not a safety problem with the drug.
Source: openFDA, from the FDA Drug Shortages database.
🏷️ Sold under these brand names
🏭 Manufacturers & labelers
RxNorm drug class
Naftifine Topical belongs to the Allylamine Antifungal class.
Classified by RxNorm RxClass — the U.S. National Library of Medicine's standardized drug-classification service (Established Pharmacologic Class from the FDA, the ATC drug family from the WHO, and mechanism of action). Reference only, not medical advice.
🔬 Where this comes from
Core label, product, RxNorm, safety, and utilization data on this page come from the sources identified below. AI-written, editorial, and licensed sections are labeled separately.
How we combine label and product data
HelloPharmacist combines public FDA and NLM records; we don’t author the underlying clinical facts. We identified 6 FDA-filed SPL label sets within the page’s selected clinical scope after exact ingredient or ingredient-combination matching and applicable route/form matching. The representative label is the starting point for the displayed reference monograph; the 12 largest stored in-scope SPL records, which may include that representative, are compared section by section, and the longest available version of each section is retained. Forms, routes, brands, labelers, product-listed strengths, and product-record counts are aggregated separately from ingredient-matched FDA NDC Directory records; package records listed above are associated with the linked SPL; and the normalized concept hierarchy comes from NLM RxNorm.
Where a section is identified as AI-written, its plain-language text is generated from bounded label evidence. New draft drug pages remain in the admin review queue before first publication. Sebela Pharmaceuticals Inc. is the representative DailyMed label linked for verification and dates; it is not the sole source used for the page.
This is general education, not medical advice — always consult your doctor or pharmacist about your medications and any medical condition. For the exact wording of the linked representative label, view that label on DailyMed; some displayed composite sections may come from other in-scope SPL labels. Learn how we use AI and our data sources & update cadence.