What Is The Most Effective Treatment For Toenail Fungus
The most effective toenail fungus treatment for you will largely depend on your symptoms and situation. Your provider will consider several factors before recommending a treatment plan thats customized to you.
Overall, oral antifungal medications may offer the most treatment potential. Pairing oral drugs with topical antifungal medication may make treatment more effective.
Laser Treatment Of Nail Fungus
Laser treatment is used by many of our patients because it is safe, painless and has no potential liver side effects. The downside of the laser is that it is more expensive than oral medications and, while the laser is effective, it is not as well studied as the oral medications and probably not as effective . We will make sure you have all the information you need to decide if this is the treatment you want to try. Our definitive Guide to Laser Treatment of Fungal Toenails can be found here. Be sure to read this completely before you have laser treatment for nail fungus no matter where you have it done.
Using a combination of laser and oral medication may work better than either treatment alone according to a 2014 study.
How Is Toenail Fungus Treated
Toenail fungus is notoriously tricky to treat. You may need to treat tinea unguium for several months to get rid of the fungus. Still, toenail fungus often comes back.
A skin specialist or foot doctor can explain your treatment options. If you have a mild case that doesnt bother you, your healthcare provider may recommend no treatment.
Tinea unguium treatment options include:
Oral antifungal medication
You can take a prescribed oral antifungal medication to treat the fungus. Options include terbinafine , itraconazole or fluconazole . Youll need to take the medication every day for several months . Your healthcare provider may use blood tests to check for potential medication side effects. These medications can affect your liver and interact with other medications, so oral antifungals arent for everyone.
Topical medication
You can regularly apply a topical medication right onto your nail. The medication treats the fungus over time. Topical medications are most effective when paired with oral medications.
Laser treatments
Your healthcare provider will direct a high-tech laser beam and special lights at your toenail to treat the fungus. Lasers are U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved for temporary increase of clear nail in nail fungus, but theyre not a cure. Cure rates for laser treatment are lower than oral and topical mediations. Your healthcare provider wont typically use lasers as first-line treatments for nail fungus.
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Topical Treatment Of Nail Fungus
There are three topical medications on the market that are approved by the FDA for treatment of onychomycosis ciclopirox nail lacquer , tavaborole and efinaconazole . Topical treatments are safe but not very effective by themselves. In fact, when used alone, even the best topical medications only work 8 20% of the time. We do use these medications, however, to help prevent recurrence of nail fungus after treatment with laser or oral medications.
Epsom Salt For Toenail Fungus
You must have heard about Epsom salt if you love to use the bath bombs.
The Epsom salt is a compound of Magnesium and Sulphate and it is an amazing detoxifier.
It kills all the toxins residing on your body.
The magnesium in Epsom salt is fantastic to kill the itchiness and the redness on your skin.
The next main ingredient is the sulfate ion, what will it do for the nail fungus?
It simply reinforces the effects of the min magnesium ion.
If you are someone who does not want the bad looking and damaged nail, this is the treatment for you.
It can be the best home remedy for nail fungus. It is easily available, and you do not need a prescription for it.
The Epsom salt can be added to the daily routine if you want presentable nails, it is not very effective for a ruined nail, you can use it as the onset treatment for nail fungus.
How to use Epsom salt for nail fungus?
Pros of using Epsom salt for nail fungus as a homemade remedy
- It works fine for the healthy skin.
- It also helps in reduces stress.
- Cleans the infected spots nicely.
Cons of using the Epsom salt
- It can cause irritation on sensitive skin when used in higher concentrations.
- Will take so many months to treat the toenail fungus.
Note: For a detailed guide on using the Epsom Salt for treating the toenail fungus and also to know how did it perform for one of the patient with toenail fungus, you can check our complete case study and review guide below:
Read Our Ultimate Guide on Using Epsom Salt for Toenail fungus.
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What Are Some Options To Treat Toenail Fungus
Toenail fungus is known as being very difficult to treat. Depending on the severity of the infection and the type of fungus that caused it, treatment options will vary. There are over-the-counter as well as FDA-approved prescription options available.
Topical medications, including medicated nail lacquers and antifungal creams, are some of the most successful ways to cure mild cases of toenail fungus.
In severe cases, laser treatment or the removal of the infected nail may be required.
What Are The Most Common Side Effects Of Toenail Fungus Medications
The side effects of topical preparations are usually mild and include redness, burning, pain, and peeling at the application site.
The most common side effects of oral medications are stomach issues like nausea and diarrhea. Some other common side effects are headaches and rash. Oral medications can cause more serious side effects including liver damage. It is not common and can be reversed by stopping the medication. Your health care provider will test your liver function before starting treatment and periodically while taking the medication.
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How To Choose Topical Toenail Fungus Treatment: The Buying Guide
How do you choose the topical toenail fungus treatment? You must consider many things, such as the brand name, price, and product quality. In addition, you should also consider whether it is suitable for your needs or not.
So how do you choose the right topical toenail fungus treatment? Here are some tips that you can use to help you find a good product:
What you Should Keep in Mind When Buying topical toenail fungus treatment
When shopping for a topical toenail fungus treatment, there are several things to consider. You need to think about the quality of the product, the price, and even how much it will benefit your life. However, you also need to keep these factors in mind:
> > > Nail Fungus: You Eat This Everyday And Its Feeding The Infection
Treatments Prescription Toe Fungus Treatment
There are a number of treatments for onychomycosis. Unfortunately, many are not very effective. The most aggressive and effective way to treat the fungus is with oral anti-fungal medications. The most common oral anti-fungal medications are Itraconazole and Terbinafine . Both medications are expensive and insurance companies tend to consider onychomycosis a cosmetic problem. If you are diabetic, your insurance company may consider onychomycosis a medical problem, and will cover the treatment. If you are experiencing pain or have developed ingrown toenails as a result, then your insurance company may cover treatment. The medication needs to be taken once daily for 3 months. The effectiveness of the medications ranges from 60 to 80%, with a recurrence rate of about 10-15%. Complete cure rates have been reported as low as 28%. Lamisil® appears to be more effective and has fewer drug interactions than Sporonox®. Prescription Toe Fungus Treatment
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Baking Soda For Toenail Fungus
Baking soda is a celebrated solution for nail fungus.
It is easily available in almost every house, and you only need to cleanse your feet with the baking soda.
The baking soda is a reliable home remedy as there are no hurting disadvantages of baking soda on nail fungus.
The baking soda can be used in different ways. Each way to use baking soda for nail fungus is effective as long as you are consistent in using it.
Using baking soda as a treatment for nail fungus will take longer than you have expected it may take as long as six months.
Ways to use baking soda for nail fungus
- Using baking soda with water. You can make a diluted solution of baking soda and apply it on your infected nail to treat nail fungus.
- Make a foot soak of baking soda, water, and shampoo. Add a tablespoon of baking soda in a tablespoon of shampoo, and two liters of water. Soak your Feet twice a day for 15 to 30 minutes.
- Using baking soda with apple cider vinegar is also an effective remedy. You need a cup of apple cider vinegar for it and dilute it with triple amount of water. it is required for those who have sensitive skin, now add three teaspoons of baking soda in it and soak your feet for 15 to 20 minutes in its daily.
- You can also use the baking soda with boric acid. You need a three teaspoon of boric acid, two teaspoon of baking soda, and a liter of water to prepare this foot soak.
Pros of using baking soda as a toenail fungus remedy
- It is Anti-inflammatory.
Cons of using baking soda
How Effective Are Tablets In Treating Nail Fungus
Tablets for the treatment of nail fungus have been tested in several studies. All participants had an infection on their toenails caused by a skin fungus. Overall, the study results showed that tablets are considerably more effective than nail polishes or creams.
One year after a three-month treatment with terbinafine:
- About 17 out of 100 people who didnt have this treatment no longer had a detectable fungal nail infection.
- About 76 out of 100 people who had this treatment no longer had a detectable fungal nail infection.
In other words, the treatment with terbinafine got rid of the fungal infection in about 59 out of 100 people.
Itraconazole also proved to be effective. After one year,
- 7 out of 100 people who didnt have this treatment no longer had a detectable fungal nail infection.
- About 43 out of 100 people who had this treatment no longer had a detectable fungal nail infection.
In other words, the treatment with itraconazole got rid of the fungal infection in about 36 out of 100 people.
Some studies directly compared itraconazole and terbinafine with each other. They confirm that terbinafine is somewhat more effective than itraconazole.
Treatment with breaks is thought to be about as effective as continuous treatment. But that has only been looked into in a few studies.
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Make An Antifungal Foot Soak
Soaking your feet can also be a useful technique in reducing or eliminating toenail fungus. Many common household items can be used to make a healing antifungal foot bath. Mix one or more of the following with warm water and soak feet for 15 to 20 minutes. After foot bath, rinse feet with clean water and pat dry.
- Hydrogen peroxide
Is It Possible To Prevent The Recurrence Of Nail Fungus
Tinea pedis, also known as athleteâs foot or foot fungus, can cause the recurrence of fungal nails. Therefore, it is important to manage this condition. One can apply over-the-counter antifungal medicines such as clotrimazole or terbinafine cream as directed to the affected skin. Keeping footwear and socks clean can be helpful. You can also use portable UV light sanitizers to disinfect shoes.
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Can I Get Rid Of My Nail Fungus With Topical Treatments Such As Liquids Polishes Or Creams
The chances of eradicating your nail fungus with topical treatment are, at best, 50%. It requires you to religiously apply the medication every day for several months or even years and also to keep up with trimming and filing the nail .
There are now three topical medications that are FDA approved to treat nail fungus and. Two of those medications are brand new to the market and will hopefully provide improved success rates in the future. The third medication, ciclopirox nail lacquer, has been on the market for approximately 15 years and is now available as a generic.
Unfortunately ciclopirox was found to cure nail fungus at a rate of only of 12% in clinical studies. Topical medications may be effective at preventing recurrence of a nail fungus or treating very mild cases, but are rarely used as a primary treatment for nail fungus.
Preventing A Fungal Nail Infection
There are ways to protect your toenails from fungus that dont require any medication at all.
Try moisture-wicking socks to keep your feet as dry as possible. Avoid ill-fitting shoes that dig into your toenails and may damage them. And, be sure to wear sandals in communal showers and bathrooms.2
Its important to note that treating toenail fungus can be a frustrating journey. Many people experience failure of treatment, up to as many as 53% no matter what medication is used.1 The condition may take a while to clear and may require different trials of treatment to determine the best combination. Stay patient and remember to keep speaking with your healthcare provider about any treatments or medications that might be right for you.
References:
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The Initial Causes How To Apply Toenail Fungus Medication
If you suspect that your nails are infected with fungus, it is best to consult your doctor and get a diagnosis. Your doctor will ask you about the symptoms and conduct a thorough examination of your nails. A biopsy is required to determine the cause of the infection. Various types of fungus are found in the skin, including the toenails. Among the most common forms of nail fungus are yellow and black, with white patches surrounded by dark brown or white spots.
The infection is caused by fungus. It can spread to the skin and other parts of the body. It is very common to find a nail fungus on the foot in elderly people, and it is often not treated until the condition gets worse. The disease can even be spread to the skin. The afflicted person should see a doctor immediately if they notice any changes in the color of his or her nails.
Nail fungus can occur in the toenails. The infection occurs due to a variety of factors, including excessive moisture, soaking your hands in water, and a lack of hygiene. If the afflicted person is prone to infection, the fungus will grow in the toenails and may spread to other parts of the body. Consequently, it is essential to prevent the nail fungus from spreading to the skin
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The Urgent Fungus Destroyer
The Urgent Fungus Destroyer is an oral treatment for nail fungus, created by the Phytage labs. It is also a reliable supplement made for all age groups and genders.
A single tablet of urgent fungus destroyer has several effective ingredients that will directly treat the incapability of your body and treat toenail fungus.
It has pro-biotics with 40 Billion CFU and other main ingredient like Lacto bacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus plantarum and Bifidobacterium lactis etc.
Other ingredients of urgent fungus destroyer
The ingredients mentioned above are all probiotics. The rest of the ingredients in urgent fungus destroyer are all organic and 100% safe.
- It has vitamin C to keep the skin safe and nourished while it is fighting with fungal infection.
- The vitamin E extract will also ensure a healthy and smooth toenail.
- The marine polysaccharide complex is also a known treatment for nail fungus, it balances the production of anti-inflammatory compounds in the body.
- The olive leaf extract to reduce the risk of inflammation. It will help those who are constantly working outside and do not get enough time to keep the infected toenail safe.
- Selenium and mushroom extract, inspired by the Japanese herbal treatment for nail fungus will strengthen the immune system. Selenium will ensure a higher level of thyroxin, which is the most needed hormone for healthy growth.
- Grape seed extract along with the raspberry extract will ensure that the blood circulation is better than the normal.
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How Effective Are Topical Treatments
So far, only a few studies have looked into topical nail fungus treatments with nail polishes or creams. Because these studies had weaknesses, the results should be interpreted with caution. Amorolfine has not yet been well studied. Ciclopirox polish and treatment sets with urea and bifonazole cream were tested in a few studies.
Research on the effectiveness of nail polish containing ciclopirox showed that, after one year:
- About 10 out of 100 people who did not use ciclopirox no longer had a detectable fungal nail infection.
- About 32 out of 100 people who used ciclopirox no longer had a detectable fungal nail infection.
In other words, treatment with ciclopirox got rid of the fungal infection in about 22 out of 100 people. But even if the fungus had gone away, the cosmetic result wasnt always satisfying. The nails only looked healthy after treatment in 7 out of 100 people.
Treatment with sets containing urea and bifonazole cream was tested in one study. It was compared with a treatment in which only urea cream was applied and the nail was removed, but without applying bifonazole cream afterwards. Three months after treatment was completed, it was found that:
- No fungus was visible or detectable in about 41 out of 100 people who only used urea cream.
- No fungus was visible or detectable in about 51 out of 100 people who used both urea and bifonazole cream.
