Daktarin Gel

Daktarin Gel is a miconazole nitrate 2% w/w antifungal skin gel from India. Its Indian label names JNTL Consumer Health (India) Pvt Ltd as the marketer, and our product photo shows a 20 g tube. It is used for fungal skin infections such as athlete's foot, jock itch and ringworm. We sell it in packs of 3, 6 and 12 tubes, from $5.21 a tube ($0.26 a gram) in the 12 pack before shipping.

Three points before you buy. First, this is a skin gel. It is not Daktarin Oral Gel, the mouth thrush gel sold in the UK and elsewhere, and it must never be put in the mouth or given to a baby (see the next section). Second, miconazole 2% for the skin is an ordinary pharmacy product in the countries we ship to: it is sold without a prescription in the US, the UK, Australia and Canada. In the US, pharmacies pay about $1.68 to $3.44 for a 14.2 g to 42.5 g tube of over the counter miconazole 2% cream (NADAC, below; our arithmetic). This Indian pack is not registered with the FDA, MHRA, TGA or Health Canada, and it takes 7 to 14 business days to reach you, so for one infection a local pharmacy tube is cheaper and faster (our view). Third, if you take warfarin, read the warfarin section before using any miconazole product.

Daktarin Gel at a glance

A skin gel, not Daktarin Oral Gel

Daktarin Oral Gel, the orange flavoured gel used for thrush in the mouth (UK label), is a different medicine from the product on this page. The Indian Daktarin Gel label says it is "FOR EXTERNAL USE ONLY" and that it "is intended for topical use, not for oral use". It contains miconazole nitrate in a carbomer, propylene glycol and benzoic acid base (Indian label), not the flavoured oral base. Do not use it in the mouth, on a baby's mouth, or on dentures (our advice, based on the Indian label's "not for oral use"). We do not sell Daktarin Oral Gel.

If you were looking for the oral gel, these are the main safety points from its UK labels, so you know why it needs a pharmacist or doctor:

• Warfarin. The UK Daktarin Oral Gel label says "Bleeding events, some with fatal outcomes, have been reported with concurrent use of miconazole oral gel and warfarin" (4.4). The UK pharmacy pack, Daktarin Sugar Free 2% Oral Gel (15 g), lists warfarin as a contraindication (4.3), and its tube and carton carry "WARNING: Do not use if you are taking warfarin". The prescription pack (Daktarin Oral Gel) says the anticoagulant effect "must be carefully monitored and titrated" if the two are used together.
• Medicines that must not be combined (UK 4.3): medicines broken down by CYP3A4 that can prolong the QT interval (for example astemizole, cisapride, dofetilide, mizolastine, pimozide, quinidine, sertindole and terfenadine), ergot alkaloids, simvastatin and lovastatin, and triazolam and oral midazolam. The oral gel is also contraindicated in liver dysfunction.
• Babies. The oral gel is contraindicated "In infants less than 4 months of age or in those whose swallowing reflex is not yet sufficiently developed" (UK 4.3). For infants who are pre term or show slow neuromuscular development, the UK label says the lower age limit should be raised to 5 to 6 months (UK 4.4). Choking has been reported; the gel must not go to the back of the throat or be put on a breastfeeding mother's nipple (UK 4.4).
• Where it is sold. In the UK, Daktarin Oral Gel is a prescription only medicine and Daktarin Sugar Free 2% Oral Gel is a pharmacy medicine (emc). In Australia, miconazole in topical preparations for oral candidiasis is Schedule 3, Pharmacist Only (Poisons Standard October 2026). We found no miconazole oral gel in the FDA's Drugs@FDA database (the FDA approved miconazole product for the mouth is Oravig, a prescription buccal tablet) or in Health Canada's Drug Product Database.

For thrush in the mouth, see a pharmacist or doctor locally. Do not swap in a skin gel.

Price per tube

Prices below are as of October 2026; the pack selector shows the current price. Grams assume the 20 g tube in our product photo.

Every pack is under the $149 free shipping threshold, so each order of one pack pays $25 shipping. Before shipping, the 6 pack costs slightly more per tube than the 3 pack; it is cheaper per tube only once the $25 shipping is shared across more tubes. With shipping, the gel costs $0.71 a gram in the 3 pack and $0.36 a gram in the 12 pack (our arithmetic).

How much gel you need, and what our packs mean

The labels give how often to apply the gel, not how much. The Indian label says "Apply some gel to the lesions twice daily" for 2 to 6 weeks, and at least 1 week after the signs and symptoms have gone. As a rough guide, a fingertip unit (a line squeezed from the tip of an adult index finger to the first crease) is about 0.5 g and covers the front and back of one adult hand (Guy's and St Thomas' NHS guidance on skin creams). On that measure, a patch the size of two hands treated twice daily uses about 1 g a day: about 14 g over 2 weeks, 28 g over 4 weeks and 42 g over 6 weeks. A thin layer may use less. These are our estimates, not label figures. On these estimates:

• One 20 g tube covers about 2 to 3 weeks for a patch up to two hands in size, so a 4 to 6 week course for that patch can take two or three tubes.
• Our smallest pack (3 tubes, 60 g) is about one full 6 week course for such a patch, or more for a smaller area. Both feet, or a large area of the groin and thighs, use more.
• The 6 and 12 tube packs make sense only if several people in a household are being treated or you treat large areas. A fungal rash that keeps coming back needs a doctor, not a stock of gel (see below).

Check the expiry date on each tube when it arrives. The Indian label gives no shelf life and says to see the expiry date on the tube and carton.

Compared with miconazole sold in the US

NADAC is the average price US pharmacies pay to buy a product, not the shelf price. We found no miconazole skin gel in the NADAC file, so the nearest comparison is over the counter miconazole nitrate 2% cream. The figures below are per gram from the NADAC file as of 28 October 2026, with rows effective 21 October 2026; the per tube amounts are our arithmetic from the tube size of each NDC (openFDA).

Said plainly: per gram before shipping, ours costs about 3 to 4 times the cheapest US row, and a US pharmacy pays about $2.36 for a 28.4 g over the counter tube, against $42.50 for our smallest pack (3 x 20 g = 60 g) with shipping. If you are in the US, UK, Australia or Canada and need one tube, buy miconazole or another plain antifungal locally. Our packs only make sense for buyers who want the Indian Daktarin gel itself and accept the wait.

Gel or cream. The UK sells Daktarin 2% Cream, with the same active ingredient at the same strength (miconazole nitrate 2% w/w) in a cream base (UK label sections 2 and 6.1). The Indian gel is a water based carbomer gel (Indian label). We have not found a study comparing the Indian gel with the cream.

Plain antifungal or a steroid mix

Daktarin Gel contains no steroid. India's dermatologists' task force on ringworm (IADVL, 2020) says "Antifungal preparation alone without any corticosteroid or antibacterial component should be used" and that "Topical corticosteroids should never be used for tinea corporis, tinea cruris or tinea faciei" (Rengasamy 2020). A plain miconazole gel such as Daktarin fits that advice. Betnovate GM, which we also list, combines miconazole with the steroid betamethasone and the antibiotic gentamicin, so it does not; we would not recommend it for ringworm, jock itch or athlete's foot you treat yourself. Other plain antifungal creams we list are Candid Cream 50g and Clocip Cream (clotrimazole), Lulifin 10g Cream (luliconazole) and Ebernet Cream (eberconazole).

How to use Daktarin Gel

1. Wash the affected skin and dry it well. For athlete's foot, pay special attention to the spaces between the toes (US over the counter label).
2. Apply the gel to the affected skin twice daily and rub it in with your finger until it has fully penetrated (Indian label). The US over the counter label says a thin layer over the affected area, morning and night. To open a new tube, reverse the cap and pierce the seal (Indian label and carton); the carton says "Do not accept if the seal is broken."
3. Keep going for the full course. Indian label: 2 to 6 weeks depending on the site and severity, and at least 1 week after all signs and symptoms have gone. US over the counter label: daily for 4 weeks for athlete's foot and ringworm, and 2 weeks for jock itch. The Indian label says itching often eases quickly, before the skin starts to look better, so do not stop when the itch goes.
4. Wash your hands carefully after use and do not share towels or flannels; wash and change socks and other clothing that touches the infected skin often (UK Daktarin 2% Cream leaflet). For athlete's foot, wear well fitting, ventilated shoes and change shoes and socks at least once daily (US label).
5. Keep it away from the eyes. The Indian label says it "must not come into contact with the eyes". If gel gets in an eye, rinse with water and get advice if it stays sore (our advice).
6. Supervise children using it. The US label says do not use on children under 2 years of age unless directed by a doctor.
7. If you forget an application, use the next one when it is due; do not use a double dose (UK Daktarin 2% Cream leaflet).

When to stop and see a doctor. The US label says stop use and ask a doctor if irritation occurs, or if there is no improvement within 4 weeks (athlete's foot or ringworm) or 2 weeks (jock itch). The UK cream label says "If symptoms persist or get worse, or if new symptoms occur, stop use and consult a doctor."

See a doctor first if

• The rash is on your scalp, or your nails are thick or discoloured. The Indian label lists scalp ringworm (tinea capitis) and nail infections, but the US over the counter label says miconazole is "not effective on the scalp or nails", and the NHS says scalp ringworm usually needs prescription antifungal tablets and shampoo. Get a diagnosis rather than relying on a skin gel (our advice).
• You have a weakened immune system, for example from chemotherapy, steroids or diabetes (NHS ringworm page).
• You are not sure it is a fungal infection. Eczema, psoriasis and bacterial infections can look similar (our note).
• The rash is on a baby. The US label says not to use it under 2 years of age unless directed by a doctor. The Indian gel contains benzoic acid (Indian label); the UK Daktarin 2% Cream label, which also contains benzoic acid, says it "may increase jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes) in newborn babies (up to 4 weeks old)". Have a doctor look at a baby's rash first (our advice).
• The rash keeps coming back after a full course, or is spreading (our advice).

Side effects

The UK Daktarin 2% Cream label puts the skin reactions seen in trials in its 'uncommon' group (at least 1 in 1,000 and under 1 in 100 people; 4.8). The Indian label gives figures from 21 double blind trials of miconazole nitrate 2% cream (not the gel) in 834 people:

After marketing, the Indian label lists as very rare for Daktarin gel: anaphylactic reaction and hypersensitivity; angioedema (swelling under the skin), hives, contact dermatitis, rash, redness, itching and skin burning; and application site reactions including irritation. Very little miconazole reaches the blood from the skin: bioavailability is "less than 1%" (Indian label; UK cream label 5.2). Excessive use can cause skin irritation, which usually goes away after stopping (Indian label).

When to get urgent help

• Signs of a serious allergic reaction: swelling of the face, lips, mouth, tongue or throat, difficulty swallowing or breathing, or an itchy rash (hives). The UK Daktarin 2% Cream leaflet says to stop using it and seek immediate medical help. For breathing or swallowing problems, call emergency services (911 in the US and Canada, 999 in the UK, 000 in Australia; our advice). Severe reactions including anaphylaxis and angioedema have been reported with Daktarin gel (Indian label).
• Signs of bleeding if you take warfarin or a similar blood thinner: unexpected bleeding or bruising, nosebleeds, coughing up blood, blood in the urine, black tarry stools or coffee ground vomit. The UK Daktarin 2% Cream leaflet says to stop using it immediately and seek advice from your doctor or pharmacist. Vomiting blood, black stools or heavy bleeding need emergency care (our advice).
• Someone has swallowed the gel. The US over the counter label says "If swallowed, get medical help or contact a Poison Control Center right away" (US 1-800-222-1222; Australia 13 11 26, added by us). The UK cream label says "If swallowed, get medical help straight away."
• A rash that becomes hot, painful, swollen or full of pus, or comes with fever: see a doctor the same day, because it may be a bacterial infection (our advice).

Who should not use it

Do not use it if you are allergic to miconazole, to any ingredient of the gel, or to other imidazole antifungals (Indian label: contraindicated; UK cream label 4.3). Do not use it in the eyes or in the mouth (Indian label). Do not use it inside the vagina (our advice: it is a skin gel; for vaginal thrush, see Candid V Gel and Canesten V6 and read their pages on when self treatment is not right).

Talk to a doctor or pharmacist first if:

• You take warfarin or another blood thinner of the same type. The Indian label says "caution should be exercised and the anticoagulant effect should be monitored". The UK cream label says use with warfarin or other vitamin K antagonists "should be done with caution and the anticoagulant effect should be carefully monitored and titrated" (4.4), and its leaflet says close monitoring of INR is needed under a healthcare professional. The MHRA reminded professionals in June 2016 that topical miconazole, including the oral gel, can enhance the effect of warfarin, and that patients on warfarin should tell their doctor or pharmacist before using any miconazole product, including those sold without a prescription; of 146 UK Yellow Card reports of this interaction up to April 2016, 128 (88%) concerned the oral gel and 3 reported a fatal bleed.
• You take medicines for diabetes taken by mouth or phenytoin. The Indian label says their effects and side effects "can be increased and caution should be exercised".
• You are pregnant. The Indian label says potential hazards "should always be weighed against the expected therapeutic benefits"; the UK cream label says it "should be used with caution during pregnancy" (4.6).
• You are breastfeeding. Both labels say caution, because it is not known whether miconazole passes into breast milk; the UK label says to seek advice from a doctor first.
• The rash is on a child under 2 (US label) or on a newborn (see above).

Prescription and legal status

Miconazole 2% for the skin does not need a prescription in the countries we ship to:

• US: miconazole nitrate 2 percent is an approved active ingredient in the FDA's over the counter rules for antifungal products (21 CFR 333.210), labelled for athlete's foot, jock itch and ringworm, for example the Sun and Rugby creams in the price table above.
• UK: Daktarin 2% Cream (miconazole nitrate 2%) is a pharmacy medicine (emc legal category "Pharmacy").
• Australia: the Poisons Standard (October 2026) lists miconazole for dermal use and for the nails as Schedule 2, Pharmacy Medicine, except preparations for athlete's foot (tinea pedis), which are excluded from the Schedule 2 and Schedule 4 entries and so, on our reading, are unscheduled.
• Canada: Health Canada's Drug Product Database lists Micatin miconazole nitrate cream 2% (DIN 02085852) and Monistat Derm cream (DIN 02126567) as marketed non-prescription drugs.
• India: Apollo Pharmacy and Truemeds mark Daktarin Gel as a prescription product.

The oral gel is different: see the section above. This Indian Daktarin Gel pack is not registered with the FDA, the MHRA, the TGA or Health Canada. In the US, the FDA says personal importation of unapproved medicines is illegal in most circumstances. Check the rules where you live.

Buying genuine Daktarin Gel

The MHRA warns: "Any medicine not authorised for sale in the UK can be unsafe or ineffective and there is no way of knowing what is in them or the negative health effects they can have." It advises UK buyers: "Only use UK-registered pharmacies, including online pharmacies displaying the official green cross logo". That warning covers this Indian pack, which is not authorised in the UK. When your order arrives, check that the carton and tube say Daktarin Gel and miconazole nitrate IP 2% w/w, that the tube seal is intact (the carton says "Do not accept if the seal is broken"), and that it shows a batch number and an expiry date. These checks cannot prove a tube is genuine, because counterfeiters copy packaging. If a tube causes unusual symptoms, stop using it, seek medical advice, and report it to your medicines regulator (the MHRA Yellow Card scheme in the UK, FDA MedWatch in the US, the TGA in Australia or Health Canada) as well as to us. Store it below 30 °C and do not freeze it (Indian label).

Delivery

We ship Daktarin Gel to the US, UK, Australia and Canada in plain packaging with tracking. Standard delivery takes 7 to 14 business days. Shipping costs a flat $25 on orders under $149 and is free from $149. A fungal infection you have now is better treated with a tube from a local pharmacy today than with one that arrives in two weeks (our advice). See our shipping page and refund policy.

Related products and guides

• Candid Cream 50g: our page on Glenmark's clotrimazole 1% cream, another plain antifungal for the same infections.
• Candid V Gel and Canesten V6: clotrimazole for vaginal thrush.
• Is it safe to buy medicine online?

Sources

• Daktarin Gel (miconazole nitrate IP 2% w/w) prescribing information, India: indications, dosage, contraindications, warnings, interactions, pregnancy and breastfeeding, adverse reactions (Tables 1 and 2), overdose, pharmacokinetics, excipients, storage and container. JNTL Consumer Health (India) Pvt Ltd; manufactured by Encube Ethicals Pvt Ltd. Text revised 27 December 2022. Kenvue India
• Our product photo of the Daktarin Gel 20 g carton and tube; Indian listings for Daktarin Gel (maker, tube sizes, prescription status, storage): PharmEasy (20 g), Apollo Pharmacy (20 g and 40 g), Tata 1mg (20 g) and Truemeds (40 g), checked 31 October 2026.
• Daktarin 2% Cream SmPC, sections 4.2 to 4.9, 5.2 and 6.1, and patient information leaflet. McNeil Products Ltd, PL 15513/0307, text revised 18 September 2026. emc
• Daktarin Oral Gel SmPC, sections 4.1 to 4.5, PL 15513/0413, text revised 27 August 2026 (prescription only medicine), and Daktarin Sugar Free 2% Oral Gel SmPC, sections 4.3 and 4.4, PL 15513/0296, text revised 25 August 2026 (pharmacy medicine). McNeil Products Ltd. emc 14746; emc 6597
• MHRA. Topical miconazole, including oral gel: reminder of potential for serious interactions with warfarin. Drug Safety Update, 15 June 2016. GOV.UK
• US Code of Federal Regulations, 21 CFR part 333 subpart C, topical antifungal drug products for over the counter human use, sections 333.210 and 333.250 (eCFR, current as of October 2026).
• Miconazole nitrate 2% cream, US Drug Facts: Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, DailyMed setid 7fd4037e-d350-47b7-a7d9-a43b8e366fa0, version 9, effective 25 August 2026; Rugby, setid f420de00-408f-9a2c-e053-2995a90adced, version 2, effective 17 December 2024. openFDA NDC directory for package sizes and Drugs@FDA for miconazole applications (Oravig, NDA 022404), checked 31 October 2026.
• Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC), miconazole 2% topical cream, per NDC, as of 28 October 2026 (rows effective 21 October 2026). data.medicaid.gov
• Therapeutic Goods (Poisons Standard October 2026) Instrument 2026, F2026L01327, miconazole entries in Schedules 2, 3 and 4.
• Health Canada Drug Product Database, miconazole products and schedules, searched 31 October 2026. Health Canada
• Rengasamy M, et al. IADVL Task Force against Recalcitrant Tinea (ITART) consensus on the management of glabrous tinea (INTACT). Indian Dermatol Online J 2020;11(4):502 to 519. PMID 32832435.
• NHS. Ringworm, page last reviewed 3 August 2023. Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, topical steroids (fingertip units); Long CC, Finlay AY. The finger-tip unit. Clin Exp Dermatol 1991. PMID 1806320.
• MHRA. 20 million illegal erectile dysfunction pills seized as MHRA warns against risky online buys, 13 February 2026. GOV.UK
• US Food and Drug Administration. Personal Importation. FDA

This page is for information and is not medical advice. Daktarin Gel is for the skin only. If you take warfarin, are not sure the rash is fungal, or it is on your scalp, nails or a baby, see a doctor or pharmacist first.