Clotrimazole is suitable for the topical treatment of vaginal candidiasis. While two weeks of treatment used to be recommended, nowadays even a single dose is considered effective. The American Centers of Disease Control recommend a treatment lasting between 3 and 7 days. Relapses are not unusual. Clotrimazole has recorded similar results for vaginitis caused by candidal infections as other imidazoles (e.g. econazole and miconazole) and nystatin. If the treatment fails (15 to 20%), the subject should be re-diagnosed. For trichomonal vaginitis clotrimazole is only indicated when metronidazole is contraindicated. As a lozenge (not available in Switzerland) clotrimazole is also effective for candidiasis in the mouth and pharynx.

For dermatophytoses and other superficial fungal skin infections clotrimazole reaches healing rates of approximately 80%. Other topically applied imidazoles are equivalent. While good results are achieved against athlete's foot, imidazoles mostly disappoint when used against onychomycoses and mychoses of the hair-bearing scalp.

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