Cream vs Powder – let the “jock itch remedy” battle begin!
In this article we’ll help you push forward in your crusade to jock itch freedom by discussing the merits of anti-fungal jock itch cream vs powder. Suffering from jock itch can be painful and irritating enough without having to pull your hair out over which solution you think may work best!
In the red corner is “The Crotch Rot Killer”, Creeeeaaaaaam!
In the other corner in the blue trunks, an antifungal thats not scared of a little itchy pants dance – Poowwwdddeeerrr!
Lets have a look at each of our contestants individually over 3 rounds and then tally the judges decisions and announce our winner.
Round 1 – Application.
Cream
Applying cream to your jock itch can be as easy as squirting out a dime or so worth onto your hand and applying liberally to the affected area.
Depending on the cream, you may find ones that range from easily absorbed to heavy and greasy. It’s this second type of cream that can end up causing you all kinds of headaches. If the cream isn’t absorbed fully, it will keep the area too moist, will rub off on your clothes and can leave a certain smell. Most creams however are well absorbed to avoid this situation. Generally, application involves applying two times a day on a daily basis for between two to four weeks until the jock itch is cured – but check the instructions before you start treatment.
As if the creams weren’t effective enough already, here’s a few tips on increasing their effectiveness:
- After you wash, ensure that your crotch is completely dry and free from any moisture.
- Apply your jock itch cream, and apply beyond the areas that are affected
- To keep the skin dry and to keep the area from chafing, consider applying some zinc oxide cream on top
- If you’re feeling the itch just isn’t being helped with the creams you’ve put on, consider applying some steroid cream on top.
Powder
Applying powder to your groin can get pretty messy if you’re not careful. It’s not really something you can just pull your pants down and do. You should try to do it first thing getting out of the shower after drying – this way the powder will not get on your clothes (unless you like to shower dressed!) and any excess will go on the bathroom floor tiles as opposed to the beautiful velvet carpet your parter is so fond of!
There’s nothing worse than meeting up with friends and only realising too late that your jeans have powder marks all over them.
Winner – CREAM
With the right jock itch cream, application can be a breeze – just slap on the cream and away you go. Where as with powders a little more care and planning has to be taken.
Round 2 – Effectiveness.
Cream
Anti-fungal creams have the opportunity to be very effective if applied correctly.
As the cream tends to be rubbed in, you can be sure that a great majority of the cream will be targeted to attacking and stopping your itchy situation. We’re partial to the Puriya Antifungal Cream (so much so that it’s rated #1 in our top 3 jock itch creams!) We love it because this jock itch cream is jam-packed full of anti-fungal ingredients that have antimicrobial properties to whoop your jock itch right in the knocker.
Powder
Powders are very effective at keeping an area of the skin dry, this is what they do best! Dermatologists recommend powders over creams generally because they keep the moisture away, however creams typically work faster than powders to relieve the symptoms of jock itch.
This is because powders don’t have a strong sustained attack on the fungus causing tinea cruris (Jock Itch) as over time the powder simply gets rubbed off.
Powders tend to work best in shoes and socks than in underwear.
Powders are however very, very good at stopping chafing, which for a jock itch sufferer can be the most torturous thing of all!
Winner – POWDER (just!)
What gets powder over the line is its ability to not only stop the crotch rot but also stop chafing which can accelerate the spread of jock itch around your inner thigh area.
Powder is also great at getting and keeping the skin dry – a must for curing jock itch.
For best effectiveness use them together – powder first to effectively dry the area, then a cream to help promote healing. Just make sure there is no powder residue when applying the cream, or you might just end up concreting your legs together!
Round 3 – Value
Cream
A good cream like the industry leader Lamisil Antifungal Cream packs a big bang for a small package. Each cream is different of course but as a rule, the package might be smaller, but you will not need as much applied every time. Also, almost none of it gets wasted unlike jock itch powders, where more can end up on the floor than in your pants!
Powder
This really depends on the individual product, but as a rule, you are going to get a LOT more powder for your money than cream.
This isn’t a sure sign of value though, because while the powder is larger, more is wasted actually applying it to the areas needed. Powder will inevitably fall on the floor and/or be cleared off the leg by rubbing clothes. Still, for longevity, powder will typically stay useable longer and is harder to lose than a small packet of cream.
Winner – CREAM
While cost per gram proves that powders are better “value”, overall, creams are better value given they treat the area faster, with smaller quantities than you may use with powders.
Winner and overall champion – CREAM (by a bee’s donger)!
When discussing them side by side, cream just takes the championship belt over powder.
This being said, it is much better for your crusade if you think of them as partners instead of enemies.
For best results don’t just use powder or cream – use both!
How to apply both a powder and cream effectively.
1. Shower or bathe your body appropriately.
2. Dry off your body well and pay special attention to your groin area. Make sure to use a separate towel for the rest of your body.
3. Apply a powder such as Zeasorb AF Antifungal to the area.
4. Get dressed.
5. An hour or two later, once the powder coating has faded to only residue, apply the jock itch cream (such as market leader Lamisil Antifungal Cream). Rub this in well and allow to air dry for 5-10 minutes.
6. Re-apply powder to successfully dry the area.
That’s it, you have taken two powerful itchy ball sack beating champions and combined them for maximum effect!
When to Call a Doctor
If you’re finding neither creams nor powder are giving you the relief you need, or that the area isn’t responding well to your treatment, we highly recommend you call a doctor to get a proper check. Here are some other reasons you might want to call a doctor:
- If your symptoms have not gone away after up to two weeks of treatment and proper hygiene practises.
- If your symptoms worsen despite using treatments
- If your symptoms extend beyond what are normal jock itch symptoms
- If your symptoms worsen and show signs of a skin infection, such as: spreading rash, fever, chills, pus formation, draining sores, and red streaks just under the skin on the abdomen.