# Topical clotrimazole prescription for athlete's foot. Any different from OTC lotion?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/topical-clotrimazole-prescription-for-athletes-foot-any-different-from-otc-lotion/731425>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [September 16, 2015, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/topical-clotrimazole-prescription-for-athletes-foot-any-different-from-otc-lotion/731425 "2015-09-16T00:44:42Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\
**Post date:** [September 16, 2015, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/topical-clotrimazole-prescription-for-athletes-foot-any-different-from-otc-lotion/731425/1 "2015-09-16T00:44:42Z")

</div>

My husband picked up a prescription for clotrimazole cream today. It’s a 15mg tube, and the strength says USP 1%/0.05%. Is this any different from the various OTC creams available on Amazon at considerably less expense? I searched and can’t figure out the difference, although I’m no doctor.

If we can buy it OTC, I’d prefer to; unlike omeprazole, this stuff isn’t cheaper to purchase through insurance. And if there is no difference, why/how does it even get prescribed? :mad:

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\
**Post date:** [September 16, 2015, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/topical-clotrimazole-prescription-for-athletes-foot-any-different-from-otc-lotion/731425/2 "2015-09-16T00:57:13Z")

</div>

As long as the concentration of the active ingredient is the same I would go for it. Jock itch, athletes foot, ring worm are all the same anti fungal medication.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\
**Post date:** [September 17, 2015, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/topical-clotrimazole-prescription-for-athletes-foot-any-different-from-otc-lotion/731425/3 "2015-09-17T04:50:30Z")

</div>

The 0.05% is a second drug, probably betamethasone (steroid to reduce swelling and itching). OTC foot creme won’t have that.