Korean Job Discussion Forums

[sojourner1]

Can anyone tell me how to get athletes foot/jock itch medicine at a K-pharmacy?

I got a small tube of Ruvina cream and a mentholatum cream from a pharmacist, but they don't work. Despite that I am washing the offending areas 3 times a day with hot water and soap, I have re-occuring itching now every day. At home I always got a spray can of Tinactin with tolnaftate that worked wonders, but I see nothing like that here and the bilingual Korean people I talked to do not know anything. One $7 can of Tinactin would last the whole summer. I just spent 10K won 3 days ago and have nothing to show for it, but itching still yet.

Can anyone tell me what to do? Surely they got the stuff here as I would think that K-dudes have foot and groin fungal problems too. This has nothing to do with being dirty or not washing, though it helps to wash, it just happens. Thanks in advance.

[Dazed and Confused]

Go to a dermatologist and get the industrial grade antifungal creams, lotions, pills, whatever.........
If you live in seoul I suggest Dream Skin, www.dreamskin.co.kr , and ask for Dr. Park Kyung-ho. His english is excellant as he spent many years as a youngster overseas.

[sojourner1]

Thanks for the advice. I am five hours outside of Seoul and find it rediculous that I would have to see a dermatologist to get something that should be over the counter and is in most countries.

I could do that in Seoul if it's open on a Saturday or Sunday or a holiday, but that's just too complicated.

Surely they got something comparable to what is available in most countries for athletes foot. Were not talking about controlled substances like Codiene and Pseudophedrine. Thanks again.

[Bibbitybop]

You can always have someone ship it to you from back home.

[aphong420]

Go to the pharmacy and mime the situation for them. Pretend to scratch your feet.... then pretend to scratch your balls.

I'm not being smart - if you don't know Korean ... I would recommend it.

[sojourner1]

Yea, thats what I am going to do today in a few minutes. Thanks for the advice. I wonder if they have that spray can kind similiar to Tinactin where it gets cold when you spray it between your toes? That stuff rocks.

[valkyrian2]

[pest2]

Try:

[jay-shi]

If you can get your hands on "Island of Fantasy" by the late Shawn Mathews, one of the funniest passages in the book was about a jock itch incident. It was also on his blog which is now defunct save for the home page.

As per your question, write down tinea curtis on a piece of paper and bring it to any pharmacy. Also athlete's foot is called "hwaseong" and it's pretty common here due to jimjilbangs (bath houses).

Good luck

[Ozabout7or8]

Go to a doctor

[eamo]

Fellow sufferer here.

About 2 years ago I looked up jock itch in teh interweb and got the medical name. Tinea cruis. Went to my local pharmacy with it written on a piece of paper. The pharmacist tried to tell me I should have a doctors prescription for this cream but I played the stupid foreigner and she relented. I got this topical cream called 'Endix' and it worked marvels. All jock itch was gone in 48 hours.

[dogshed]

A travel survival guide I read recommended a bleach solution. I never tried it.

There are some fungi out there that are tough. In the US I had something on my foot that was just too deep for the topicals to have any effect. The doctor
gave me an oral anti-fungal.

For a condition I had here I printed off drug information from the internet and went in to the pharmacist with a list of different drugs. Anything to help communication. I even caught a dosage error.

[amanda114]

I was at the chemist last week and from the counter I could see "Lamsil" This a popular anti-fungal treatment back home... so just say Lamsil... that should work....
Good luck... and no I wouldn't try the bleaching, I would visit a doctor before attempting that sort of stuff.