A total of 60 patients with proven fungal infection of the skin took part in a single-blind comparative study of the efficacy, toleration and safety of tioconazole base 1 % w/w and miconazole nitrate 2% creams applied twice daily for 14 days to patients with pityriasis versicolor and for 28 days to patients with dermatophyte and yeast infections. Overall assessment of the patients reviewed at the end of treatment showed that 23 of 30 patients (77%) treated with tioconazole and 19 of 30 patients (63%) treated with miconazole were clinically and mycologically cured. Tioconazole cured 80% (8 of 10) and miconazole cured 38% (5 of 13) of the infections with Trichophyton rubrum, which are the most frequent ones. At long-term follow-up, approximately 6 weeks later, results in both treatment groups were comparable. 20 of the 23 patients (87%) cured by tioconazole and 18 of the 19 patients (95%) cured by miconazole remained free from infection. Both creams were easy to apply and there were no reports of staining. No side effects were recorded during the study.