Q: I had dark (black colour) spots on my skin. The size of the spots is small on the hands and big at some other places. The doctor has recommended me clotrimazole cream but when I went to purchase it, the chemist showed me tablets of fungal infection and told me that it is safe and that I have to take 4 tablets, one tablet per week. The tablet is Fluconazole. Is it safe to take antifungal tablet or is it better to use the cream?

A:Assuming that the diagnosis of fungal infections is correct, you need to apply cream / ointment. Only in severe, resistant cases we give medicines by mouth. Chemists are neither competent nor authorised to given potent medicines. The lack of knowledge of the chemist is obvious from the fact that he does not know the dose and frequency of fluconazole. It is taken daily (not weekly) for up to 30 days.