Travocort is a combination cream containing an antifungal and a potent steroid. It is used for fungal skin infections that are also markedly inflamed and itchy — and it is a short-course product, because the steroid in it should not be continued once the inflammation settles.
What is Travocort?
The South African Medicine Price Registry lists Travocort as a Schedule 4 cream containing:
| Ingredient | Amount | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Isoconazole nitrate | 10 mg/g (1%) | Antifungal |
| Diflucortolone valerate | 1 mg/g (0.1%) | Potent corticosteroid |
Isoconazole is an azole antifungal. Fungal cell membranes depend on ergosterol, which human cells do not use; isoconazole blocks the enzyme that makes it, so the fungal membrane fails. It also has some activity against certain gram-positive bacteria.
Diflucortolone valerate is a potent topical steroid — in the same strength class as betamethasone, and considerably stronger than hydrocortisone. It reduces the redness, swelling and intense itch that a heavily inflamed fungal infection produces.
The combination exists for a specific and genuinely useful situation. A fungal infection in a warm moist site — the groin, under the breasts, between the toes — can become so inflamed and itchy that scratching breaks the skin and the person cannot tolerate an antifungal alone. Adding a steroid settles the inflammation quickly so treatment becomes bearable.
But it is a short-term measure, not the treatment. The steroid suppresses the immune response that helps contain the fungus, so using it for too long lets the infection spread while masking the redness. That produces tinea incognito — a fungal rash altered by steroid use into something larger, less typical and harder to recognise.
The typical approach is a couple of weeks on the combination, then switching to a plain antifungal to complete the course. If nobody explained that, it is worth asking.
What is Travocort commonly used for?
- Inflamed fungal skin infections — the situation it is designed for.
- Jock itch (tinea cruris) with marked inflammation.
- Athlete’s foot (tinea pedis) with soreness and cracking.
- Ringworm (tinea corporis) that is intensely itchy and inflamed.
- Fungal infection in skin folds — under the breasts, in the groin, in abdominal folds.
- Candida skin infections with inflammation.
- Fungal infection where an antifungal alone has been intolerable because of itching.
What it is not for:
- Ordinary uninflamed fungal infection. A plain antifungal such as clotrimazole is the right treatment, and avoids the steroid entirely.
- Eczema without infection, which needs a steroid and an emollient, not an antifungal.
- Long-term use. This is the important one.
- The face, genitals or skin folds without medical advice, where a potent steroid can cause lasting thinning — though the sites it treats often are folds, which is precisely why the course must be short and supervised.
- A rash that has not been identified. Using a combined steroid on an undiagnosed rash is how diagnoses get obscured.
On the “ringworm” question, which is a common search: Travocort does treat ringworm, because it contains an antifungal. But for straightforward ringworm a plain antifungal is preferable — the steroid adds nothing you need and risks the infection spreading if used beyond a short period.
How Travocort fits into this medicine category
| Group | Examples | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Antifungal + potent steroid | Travocort | Markedly inflamed fungal infection, short courses |
| Plain antifungals | Clotrimazole (Canex V), miconazole, terbinafine | Fungal infection — the mainstay |
| Potent steroids | Betamethasone (Clomaderm), mometasone | Inflammation without infection |
| Mild steroids | Hydrocortisone 1% | Mild eczema, face, folds |
| Antibiotic + steroid | Fusidic acid with hydrocortisone | Inflamed bacterially infected skin |
| Oral antifungals | Fluconazole, terbinafine | Nail, scalp and extensive infection |
See the skin and wound care hub.
What to check before using Travocort
Use it only on skin a clinician has assessed, and only for the period prescribed — usually about two weeks.
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if:
- The rash may be bacterial or viral rather than fungal — a steroid can make both considerably worse.
- You are treating the face, eyelids or genitals, or a child. Children absorb far more relative to their size.
- You are pregnant or breastfeeding. If used near the breast, wash it off before feeding.
- You have rosacea, perioral dermatitis or acne, which steroids worsen.
- The infection involves nails or scalp — creams cannot reach either, and those need oral treatment.
- You have diabetes or reduced immunity, where fungal infections are more stubborn and more likely to need oral treatment.
- You have large areas to treat.
Using it:
- Apply a thin layer twice daily as directed, to affected areas only.
- Extend slightly beyond the visible edge — fungus reaches further than the rash.
- Do not use it for more than about two weeks, and ask what to switch to afterwards.
- Complete the antifungal course with a plain antifungal, usually for one to two weeks after the skin looks normal.
- Keep the area clean and dry. For feet: change socks daily, alternate shoes.
- Do not cover with an airtight dressing unless told to.
- Do not share it, and do not keep it as a general-purpose rash cream.
Possible cautions and when to ask a pharmacist or doctor
Common effects are burning, stinging, itching or dryness where applied.
Prolonged use brings the potent steroid’s effects, particularly in folds where skin is thin and occluded:
- Skin thinning, shininess, visible blood vessels and easy bruising
- Stretch marks, which are permanent
- Tinea incognito — the fungal rash spreading and changing appearance under the steroid
- Rebound flare on stopping after prolonged use
Stop and seek advice if the treated skin becomes thinner or shinier, if stretch marks or visible vessels appear, or if the rash spreads or changes character on treatment.
Get emergency help for swelling of the face, lips or tongue, difficulty breathing, or a rapidly spreading blistering rash.
Contact your doctor if:
- The rash is not improving after two weeks, or is spreading.
- The area becomes hot, swollen, painful or oozing pus, or you develop a fever — bacterial infection needs different treatment.
- Infection involves nails or scalp.
- Infections keep recurring — that sometimes uncovers undiagnosed diabetes.
- You have been using it beyond the prescribed period, or have been repeating it.
- You were not told what to switch to after the course.
Related medicine guides
Frequently asked questions
What is Travocort cream used for? Fungal skin infections that are markedly inflamed and itchy — jock itch, athlete’s foot, ringworm and skin-fold infections. It contains an antifungal and a potent steroid.
Is Travocort used for ringworm? It does treat ringworm, because it contains an antifungal. For straightforward ringworm a plain antifungal is preferable — the steroid adds nothing you need and risks the infection spreading if used too long.
Is Travocort used for rashes generally? No. It should only be used on a rash a clinician has assessed as a fungal infection with inflammation. Using a combined steroid on an undiagnosed rash obscures the diagnosis.
How long can I use it? Usually about two weeks, then switch to a plain antifungal to finish the course. Ask your prescriber what to switch to.
Why can’t I keep using it? The steroid suppresses the immune response that contains the fungus, so prolonged use lets the infection spread while masking the redness.
Can I use it on my face? Only on medical advice and briefly. The steroid in it is potent, and facial skin thins quickly.
Can I use it on nails or scalp? No. Creams cannot penetrate nails or reach hair follicles. Those need oral treatment.
Why does my rash look odd now? Prolonged steroid use on a fungal infection produces tinea incognito — an altered, less typical rash. See a doctor.