How Do Dermatologists Treat A Fungal Nail Infection
Treatment usually begins with your dermatologist trimming your infected nail, cutting back each infected nail to the place where it attaches to your finger or toe. Your dermatologist may also scrape away debris under the nail. This helps get rid of some fungus.
To completely get rid of the infection, most people also need one or more of the following treatments:
Medicine you apply to the nail: If you have a mild infection, a medicine that you apply to your nails may get rid of the infection. This treatment helps keep new fungus out while the nails grow. Fingernails typically grow out in four to six months. Toenails take longer, usually takes 12 to 18 months.
Probably the most difficult part of this treatment is remembering to use it as often as prescribed. Some treatments must be applied every day. Others you apply once a week. To get the best results, its essential that you apply these medicines exactly as directed.
The US Food and Drug Administration has approved the following medicines that you apply to the nail to treat nail fungus:
Side effects from these medicines are generally mild. Possible side effects include redness and swelling, an ingrown toenail, and stinging or burning when you apply the medicine. In clinical trials, none of these side effects caused patients to stop using the treatment.
Antifungal pills, however, can cause side effects. Your dermatologist will watch you closely. Youll also need to have blood tests every month to check for problems.
Ariella Nail Fungus Treatment
O-hydroxybenzoic acid is a powerful antifungal agent and is at the heart of the Ariella Nail Fungus Treatment formula. Ariella mixes it with other ingredients that attack the fungus cell walls and facilitate the activity of the O-hydroxybenzoic acid.
What we like: Ariella Nail Fungus Treatment goes after nail fungus with a potent one-two punch that weakens it and then takes it out. Other ingredients restore the nail tissue once it is free of the fungi.
Flaws: Must use two or three times per day in order to see benefits.
The Triple Fungus Blast
The Triple Fungus Blast from 3 Naturals is the most effective antifungal formula to cure toenail fungus and improve the immunity in the best and most efficient way side by side.
One can use this supplement without any prescription as it not only cures fungal infection but also cures the infections of Gastrointestinal tract, which sets it apart from other anti fungal formulas.
After testing multiple anti-fungal formulas and supplements, Triple fungus Blast is at the top of the list and here is a briefing of it.
What makes the Triple Fungus Blast the best treatment for nail fungus?
Triple fungus blast is made up of 100% organic nutrients and extracts which is not only good for killing nail fungus but also deals with acute and chronic inflammation for the whole body.
The most interesting feature of this formula is its effectiveness. After using this product for a couple of weeks only, you will see visible results.
After that, the cost factor. It is the cheapest yet most effective supplement for treating nail fungus that you can get.
Ingredients of Triple Fungus blast
Here are the main ingredients of this antifungal formula which cures a toenail fungus very effectively and eliminates the chances of fungal growth in future.
However, the organic ingredients and extracts it contains are as follows
Some other additional ingredients it includes are:
Cons
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Toenail Fungus Home Care
Sometimes itâs possible to treat your toenail fungus at home. You can try:
- Over the counter antifungal creams or ointments. File or cut off any white markings on your nails. Soak your nails in water and dry off before you put on the medicated cream.
- Special nail care. If you keep your nails trimmed, it can reduce the pressure and pain you feel. You can also thin your nail bed by filing it down. This can help antifungal creams get to the problem easier.
Who Needs A Toenail Fungus Treatment
According to the CDC some 14% of American adults need a toenail fungus treatment. Thats how many Americans are thought to have toenail fungus. In numerical terms, thats nearly 35 million people, just in the US. Many of these folks do not realize over the counter remedies exist and that some of them are quite effective.
If you notice even a tiny spot of yellow-greenish discoloration along the ridge of your toenail you should start treatment immediately. The sooner you catch the infection, the easier it will be to eradicate it. If you wait until it has taken over your nail and the nail is falling apart, you may be in for an extended period of treatment.
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Maphie Nail Repair Pen
The Maphi Nail Repair Pen provides an affordable, surprisingly effective treatment for nail fungus. There is no muss and fuss, and if you use it as directed, you should start to see improvement in two or three weeks.
What we like: O-hydroxybenzoic acid is one of the most powerful non-prescription antifungals you can get. When combined with deacetylated chitin, it weakens the cellular structure of the fungal cells then eliminates them.
Flaws: Applying it three times a day means you may run out before the treatment period ends.
Softening And Scraping Away The Nail
As it can take a long time for antifungal medication to work, some people may prefer to use a treatment that involves softening and removing infected parts of nail over a few weeks.
Treatment kits are available from pharmacies that contain a 40% urea paste, plasters and a scraping device. The paste softens the infected parts of the nail, allowing them to be scraped away so they can be gradually replaced with healthy nail.
To use the treatment:
- wash the affected area and dry it thoroughly
- carefully apply the paste to the infected nails
- cover the nails with plasters and leave them for 24 hours
- wash the paste off the next day and scrape away the softened parts of the nail
- repeat this process each day for 2 to 3 weeks
Once no more infected parts of the nail can be removed, ask your pharmacist for antifungal nail paint to prevent re-infection as the nail regrows over the next few months.
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Can Thick Toenails Cause Complications
Untreated toenail infections can cause some complications. Over time, the infection can get worse, and symptoms may become more severe. Toenails might thicken to the point that they cause discomfort when you try to wear shoes, or even make it more difficult to walk.
If you have preexisting medical conditions, treatment can be vital so that the fungus doesnt contribute to secondary infections or complications.
Prevention And Treatment Of Toenail Fungus
Once its taken hold, toenail fungus can be hard to kick. Here are some techniques for the prevention and treatment of toenail fungus.
Anyone who enjoys wearing open-toed sandals in the summer knows how good it feels to have healthy-looking toenails. But good looks arent the only reason to keep your toenails in top shape. Fungal infections of the toenails also known as onychomycosis don’t go away on their own, and if left untreated, the fungus will spread and can eventually destroy the nail.
If you have comprised blood flow, theres even more reason to safeguard your toenails, since youll have trouble healing, says Ami Sheth, a doctor of podiatric medicine in Los Gatos, California, and a spokesperson for the American Podiatric Medical Association. And once you have a wound, you can get fungal skin infections, which can lead to a subsequent bacterial infection if the skin breaks down, notes Dr. Sheth.
However, because toenail fungal infections are typically painless, people are often unaware that they have a problem unless they are inspecting their feet regularly.
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For Vinegar Foot Soak For Toenail Fungus
To make this effective foot soak one needs to have the following things.
- A tub to soak your feet in.
- Now add vinegar with 1:2 of water.
Once you have created this mixture it is time to soak your feet in the tub for almost 20 minutes at least. If you have sensitive skin, then you can minimize the duration to 10 to 15 minutes. It will be enough.
The Danger Of Waiting To Treat The Fungus
The greatest danger of not treating the foot or toenail fungus is that it can spread to other parts of the body, such as the hands and groin.
If for some reason you cant treat your toenails or your feet right away, at least use an antifungal topical cream on the surrounding skin, Dr. Ng says. That will help keep it from spreading and keep the skin intact.
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Best For Fingernails: Dr Remedy Anti
Applying cuticle oil daily is arguably one of the best things you can do to keep your nails both healthy and hydrated. And this one goes above and beyond the call of duty, thanks to the inclusion of undecylenic acid, an ingredient to help treat and even prevent fungal infections from starting. The other nice thing? The formula can even permeate polish, meaning you can apply the oil even if your nails are painted.
“This is one of my favorite products from Remedy Nails,” raved a fan. “I’ve suffered from toenail fungus for years and tried many products. This has been the only one I’ve had success with. I love using it on my fingernails as well. My cuticles look healthy!”
Best Home Remedies For Toenail Fungus
A variety of treatment options for toenail fungus are available, including drug-free alternatives, over-the-counter medicine, prescription drugs, laser treatment, or even surgical removal for those severe cases. Many people would rather start with items they have around the house before purchasing medication or visiting their doctors office. These treatments are most effective in mild fungal cases.
Unfortunately, there are no quick fixes when it comes to treating nail fungus. This is because a new toenail must grow to replace the old, damaged toenail. This can take up to 18 months to regrow the toenail. This time frame varies on how fast or slow your toenails grow and how severe the fungal infection is. Many home remedies quickly improve the appearance of the nail, but the actual fungus is not gone until the new, healthy nail has replaced the old, damaged one.
Try some of these effective home remedies for toenail fungus:
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Q: What Is Toenail Fungus
A: Toenail fungus affects anywhere from 3-12% of the population, depending on which source you believe. Also called onychomycosis , it is a fungal infection that typically starts off as a discolored spot along the edge of a toenail and slowly spreads to encompass more and more of the nail. In some cases, onychomycosis is mild and can be easily treated. If it has been ignored and allowed to spread, however, it can become devilishly difficult to remove.
What If It Does Happen Again
Sometimes, despite our best efforts, a fungal infection can return. The good news is, you likely know what to look for in your nails by now, and catching it early will most likely mean a much easier and shorter treatment time than your first go.
Our treatments, including Lunula laser therapy, are ready for you when needed. We will be perfectly happy if we never have to use them for you again, however.
If you ever have any questions or suspicions regarding a potential fungal nail infection, please do not hesitate to reach out to us. Call our Princeton office at or our Roselle Park office at . You also can consult our free downloadable guide on fungal nails for some more tips!
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Sets With Creams And A Nail Scraper
Treatment sets that contain two creams and a nail scraper can also be used for the topical treatment of nail fungus:
- One cream has urea in it, which softens the nail so it can be removed.
- The other cream contains bifonazole, which has an antifungal effect.
For this treatment, the affected toe or finger first has to be soaked in warm water for ten minutes and then dried. After that, the urea-based cream is applied to the nail, and the nail is covered with an adhesive bandage. After 24 hours, the bandage is removed and the toe or finger is held in warm water again. The softened layer of the nail is then scraped off using a spatula, the cream is applied again and the nail is covered with a new bandage. This treatment is carried out over 14 days. Once the infected part of the nail has been scraped away completely, the skin beneath is treated for another four weeks with a bifonazole cream.
Ozonized Sunflower Oil And Other Ozonated Oils
Ozonized sunflower oil combines sunflower oil and ozone and is made by treating the sunflower oil with ozone which leads to an ozone reservoir that slowly releases into the skin or nail area. Ozone is one of the best bacteriacidal, antifungal, and antiviral agents known and represents a promising and needed alternative to current antimicrobials, because it is cheap to make and can avoid resistance. A laboratory study showed ozonized sunflower oil inhibited the growth of 5 different strains of fungi, although this was less than with conventional agents such as fluoconazole or itraconazole. Another study that compared ozonized sunflower oil twice a day for three months to ketoconazole 2% cream, found 90.5% were cured and 9.5% reported an improvement in their nail fungus with Oleozon compared to only 13.5% cured with ketoconazole and 27.5% improved. 59% remained the same.
Verdict: Ozonized oils including ozonized sunflower oil are promising antifungal agents that appear significantly more effective than conventional agents when used to treat toenail fungus.
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Keep Clippers To Yourself
If you have been using a certain pair of clippers on your toes, you will very much want to disinfect or replace those as well. How best to do this?
- Let the clippers soak in boiling water for a few minutes.
- After removing them , scrub with dish soap and an old toothbrush to clean off any remaining dead skin cells or residues.
- Rise, then wipe down the clippers with a paper towel soaked in rubbing alcohol.
- Completely dry the clippers with a paper towel to avoid rusting.
You can also use Barbicide if you happen to have it around.
Now that you have a clean pair of toenail clippers, make sure to use them only on your toenails. They should be the larger kind designed for toenails, too. Sharing clippers runs another risk of fungal infection, and using the same pair of clippers on your fingernails and toenails can run the risk of transferring an infection from your feet to your hands, or vice versa.
Apple Cider Vinegar For Toenail Fungus
Treating toenail fungus with apple cider vinegar is also a common practice. Apple cider vinegar is a common kitchen staple available in almost every house.
Many people wonder how the apple cider vinegar can kill toenail fungus? well, the apple cider vinegar has two acids, the maleic acid and the acetic acid.
Both these acids are meant to disturb the pH of the toenail fungus and ultimately kill it.
Having apple cider vinegar as a treatment of nail fungus is quite long. It will take almost 6 to 7 months to kill toenail fungus.
To get fast results you need to add it in your diet as well to strengthen your immune system.
All its ingredients are very common, and you can have them whenever needed, but instead of taking each antifungal and immunity booster you must have a single supplement for it.
Ways to use apple cider vinegar to treat toenail fungus
- Make a foot soak, making a foot soak is quite easy and it will only take a few minutes. Add two tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in two liters of water. Soak your feet in it for almost 30 minutes a day.
- Mix apple cider vinegar with baking soda. As baking soda is already a home remedy for nail fungus, mixing it with apple cider vinegar will only reinforce its effect. You need to make a paste of the two and apply on the nail fungus with a Q-tip.
Pros of using apple cider vinegar for nail fungus
- Anti-microbial.
Cons of using the apple cider vinegar as a remedy for nail fungus
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See A Dermatologist To Pinpoint The Problem
Foot fungus wont just go away on its own, Dr. Ng says. If you think you have foot or toenail fungus, see your dermatologist, she says. There are several tests that your dermatologist can perform to identify exactly whats going on.
Its important to be aware that there are other diseases which can cause nail changes, she says. For example, we do see things like squamous cell skin cancers in the nail beds and even melanomas, which have a brownish or blackish discoloration.
Q: Can Toenail Fungus Treatments Cure Onychomycosis
A: Toenail fungus treatments are often successful at restoring the appearance of the nail. Completely ridding the nail of the infection is another story. The problem is, the fungi are microscopic, and removing them all can be like trying to rid your yard of ants. Even the most sophisticated treatments cannot guarantee they will be 100% effective . The longer you wait to begin treatment, the harder it will be to remove the fungi permanently.
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