Patients were recruited from 1 December 1994 until 31 August 1995. Those presenting with tinea cruris/corporis received 200 mg of itraconazole every day for 7 days, whereas patients presenting with tinea pedis/manus were treated with 200 mg twice a day for 7 days. Those eligible were men and women at least 18 years of age, with a clinically diagnosed dermatophytosis, confirmed by KOH examination and culture. Pregnant or nursing patients and those who did not use adequate birth control methods were excluded. Patients with a known history of chronic liver disease or other concomitant serious disease were also excluded. Patients who had received any oral antifungal or corticosteroid therapy within 30 days before enrollment or any topical antifungal or corticosteroid treatment within a week before enrollment were not eligible. Clinical and mycologic (KOH and culture) evaluation was carried out at baseline, at completion of therapy (day 7) and at the end of follow‐up (day 28 for tinea cruris/corporis and day 35 for tinea pedis/manus). The investigator evaluated the following clinical symptoms at each visit: desquamation, erythema, infiltration, pruritus, exudation, maceration, vesiculation, and pustules. Clinical results were rated as: healed, markedly improved, considerable residual lesions, not changed, or worse. The categories healed and markedly improved were considered as responders. All mycology was performed centrally at the Department of Microbiology, University of Malaya.