What two tinea conditions require prescription medications for treatment?

When considering the treatment of tinea conditions, it is important to recognize that some fungal infections require prescription medications due to their severity or difficulty in treatment. Tinea capitis, which affects the scalp, often requires systemic antifungal therapy because topical treatments are typically ineffective given the depth of infection in the hair follicles. Tinea onychomycosis, an infection of the nails, also necessitates prescription medications as topical treatments have limited success in penetrating the nail bed to eradicate the fungus.

The other options consist of tinea conditions such as pedis (athlete's foot), cruris (jock itch), corporis (ringworm of the body), manuum (ringworm of the hands), faciei (ringworm of the face), and barbae (ringworm of the beard). These conditions are often manageable with over-the-counter topical antifungal treatments rather than requiring prescription medications, making them more suitable for treatment without professional medical intervention. Thus, only tinea capitis and onychomycosis consistently demand prescription medications due to their more complex nature and deeper penetration into the skin or nails.