How Can I Treat Fungal Nail Infection

How Long Does It Take To Recover

You need to be consistent with the treatment in order to see results. It usually takes a few months for the nail to heal completely. Healing time depends on how severe the infection is and how quickly your body responds to the treatment.

The fungal infection is cured when youve grown an entirely new nail thats free from infection.

You can continue the tea tree oil treatment after the nail has healed to ensure that the nail fungus doesnt return.

Its important that you use a high-quality tea tree oil for best results. Here are some things to look for when buying tea tree oil:

• The oil needs to be 100 percent pure.
• Buy an organic oil, if possible.
• Look for a tea tree oil that has a 10 to 40 percent concentration of terpinen. This is one of the main antiseptic and antifungal components of tea tree oil.

You can buy tea tree oil online or at a local health store. Always buy from a brand that you trust. The supplier should be able to answer any questions you have about their product.

Research your brands and manufacturers. Essential oils can have issues with purity, contamination, and strength. The U. S. Food and Drug Administration doesnt regulate essential oils, so its important to purchase from a supplier you trust.

There Is A Wide Range Of Options With Varying Success Rates

Other than keeping your toenails trimmed and perhaps painted, you may not pay much attention to them unless a problem develops. Healthy toenails are pink, shiny and smooth, but a fungal infection can cause them to become discolored, thick, brittle and even painful.

Toenail fungal infection, known as onychomycosis, is a common but challenging condition toenail fungus treatments include a wide range of options with varying success rates.

Causes of toenail fungus

Fungal nail infections are usually caused by fungi called dermatophytes that infect the skin beneath the nail yeast is another common culprit. Toenails are especially vulnerable to infection when your bare feet contact damp surfaces such as showers, swimming pools and locker rooms. If you have athletes foot, the infection can spread to the nails.

Wearing closed shoes such as athletic shoes for extended periods also can contribute to infection if your shoes and/or socks are damp from perspiration or heat. Moreover, if your shoes fit snugly enough to put pressure on your toes, they can damage the nail bed, making it more susceptible to infection.

People with chronic diseases, such as diabetes or circulatory problems, also may be more prone to toenail infections.

Symptoms of toenail fungus

Toenail fungus symptoms can develop slowly over time and may go unnoticed at first. Symptoms can include:

Toenail fungus treatments

• Tolnaftate
• Terbinafine

When to see a doctor for toenail fungus

Preventing toenail fungus

When Should I See A Bethesda Or Springfield Podiatrist

If you have a condition that compromises your immune system, home treatments and remedies may not be a viable option to begin with, so its important to see a podiatrist right away to avoid complications and minimize risks. For healthy individuals, home treatments may help to get rid of the fungus, but they are never a guarantee.

If you find that you have stubborn toenail fungus that wont go away with home treatments or you need to see a podiatrist because you have diabetes or another condition, Dr. Paul Ross can help! Please dont hesitate to give us a call at .

The Podiatry Centers located in Bethesda, Maryland and Springfield, Virginia treat all medical and surgical foot and ankle conditions. Licensed Podiatrist, Dr. Paul Ross can help bring you foot and ankle pain relief.

Our Bethesda, Maryland and Springfield, Virginia Podiatry offices offer the most effective and state-of-the-art, quality podiatry care services with a smile to patients in our local community, including: Woodbridge VA, Fairfax VA, Annandale VA, Arlington VA, Alexandria VA, Burke VA, Gaithersburg MD, Potomac MD, Silver Spring MD, Rockville MD and Chevy Chase MD.

Return to a pain-free life and get back to the things you love!

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What Are Treatments For Toenail Fungus

Do you need to treat your nail fungus? Maybe it doesn’t hurt, and the yellow, thick nails don’t bother you.

But nail fungus doesn’t go away by itself. And if you don’t treat it, there’s a chance it could get worse. It could spread to other nails or through your body. It could cause pain when you walk.

There are a number of ways to take care of it, including:

Nonprescription options. You can buy antifungal creams, gels, and nail polish at the store and online without a prescription. You might want to try one of them first if the infection doesn’t look bad. Some people also swear by home remedies like menthol rub, tea tree oil, mouthwash, or snakeroot extract — but studies show mixed results.

Prescription polish and creams. Your foot doctor will likely trim your nail and file away its dead layers. They may also take a piece of your nail and send it to the lab to make sure itâs really a fungus and to find out what type it is.

The doctor might suggest an antifungal drug that you paint on your nails. This may work on its own, or they may suggest you take it with antifungal pills.

Prescription medications. One of several antifungal pills may help. They work, but it may take many months to do the job. They also come with side effects like nausea, vomiting, and headaches. They may cause liver damage too, so your doctor will watch you closely while you take them. Be sure to tell them about any other meds youâre taking — some antifungal pills might not work well with them.

Soak In Listerine And White Vinegar

The combination of Listerines antifungal ingredients and vinegars acidity makes an inhospitable environment for fungi. This treatment is effective for green nails which may have whats called atypical organisms, says Dr. Goldenberg. If you have true toenail fungus, its less likely to work, though.

How to use it: Combine the two in equal portions and soak your toes in the solution, ideally for 45 to 60 minutes daily.

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How Can You Prevent Fungal Nail Infection

Unfortunately it is impossible to eliminate the risk of developing fungal nail infection. However, there are simple things you can do to reduce the risk of getting infected. 1,2

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Nail Anatomy And Onychomycosis Infection

Figure 1 shows the composition of the nail, including the nail plate , nail bed and nail matrix.

Figure 1: Nail anatomy and physiology

The nail plate and nail bed are joined by layers of hard, translucent, keratinised cells. The nail bed and nail matrix are vascular components of the nail, with nail cells located within the nail matrix where the nail plate is formed. The thickness of the nail plate determines the length of the matrix

• Apply cosmetic nail varnishes or artificial nails
• Walk without footwear in public areas
• Cut nails too short.

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Is It Possible To Prevent The Recurrence Of Nail Fungus

Tinea pedis, also known as athlete’s foot or foot fungus, can cause 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 affected skin. Keeping footwear and socks clean can be helpful. You can also use portable UV light sanitizers to disinfect shoes.

How To Cure A Skin Fungal Infection

Fungi are microorganisms that live in different places, including the human body. They can appear for different reasons and cause different symptoms such as skin irritation and redness that can lead to infections. These infections are usually found in moist areas of our body, since these are the areas where more fungi can be found. An infection can be caused by a weak immune system or from suffering from an illness, although in most cases we contract it due to contact with various factors. Fungal infections can appear on different parts of our skin and body as well as for example our nails and scalp.

These infections produce itching and discomfort, and it’s important to treat them well. In this article we explain how to cure a skin fungal infection.

Before starting, we must understand the reasons why a fungal infection can occur in our body. Causes of a fungal infection:

• First, it is essential to have good personal hygiene, as it is one of the main causes of fungal infections.
• A poor diet that leads to an immune system deficiency.
• Contact with people who have a fungal infection. Fungal infections are contagious and among humans they are mostly spread through sexual intercourse.
• Antibiotics. Antibiotics and other medicines can increase our chances of developing fungal infections by weakening our immune system.

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What Causes Fungal Nail

Fungal nail is most commonly caused by a group of fungi called dermatophytes which infect the nail and the nail bed. It is highly contagious and transmitted in places like shower cubicles, swimming pools and changing rooms where people are barefoot. Toenail fungus can also be transferred in nail salons where the same nail accessories are used for many customers. Furthermore, nail trauma can also increase the chances of developing a fungal nail infection.

What Is The Treatment For Fungal Nails

Oral antifungal therapy has a high cure rate, depending on the medication. It can take nine to 12 months to see if it has worked or not, because that is how long it takes for the nail to grow out. Even when therapy works, the fungus may come back. Currently, an oral antifungal therapy is considered the best treatment for toenail fungus because of higher cure rates and shorter treatment duration compared to topical therapy.

Prescription oral medications that are effective against nail fungus include the following:

There are several innovative treatments that are still being tested:

• Laser therapy or uses application of light-activated agents onto the nail followed by shining light of a proper wavelength on the nail.
• Use of electrical current to help absorption of topical antifungal medications into the nail: This is also called iontophoresis.
• Use of a special nail lacquer that changes the micro-climate of the nail to make it inhospitable for the fungus to grow: If this works, it may be an inexpensive way to treat this problem in the future.

One way to definitively get rid of toenail fungus is by surgery. Surgical treatment of onychomycosis involves nail removal. However, this often only provides temporary relief, and recurrence is common unless additional antifungal medication is simultaneously used. However, surgical removal may be warranted when the affected nail is associated with other factors such as trauma and or infection.

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Nail During Treatment For Fungal Nail Infection

The fungi that are killed with treatment remain in the nail until the nail grows out. Fresh, healthy nail growing from the base of the nail is a sign that treatment is working. After you finish a course of treatment, it will take several months for the old infected part of the nail to grow out and be clipped off. The non-infected fresh new nail continues growing forward. When it reaches the end of the finger or toe, the nail will often look normal again.

Fingernails grow faster than toenails, so it may appear they are quicker to get back to normal. It may take up to a year after starting treatment before toenails look completely normal again and six months for fingernails to look completely normal.

Consult a doctor if there does not seem to be any healthy new nail beginning to grow after a few weeks of treatment. However, the infection can still respond to treatment even after you finish a course of medication. This is because the antifungal medication stays in the nail for about nine months after you stop taking medication.

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Fungal Infection Where Does It Come From

Fungus is everywhere. Its how the natural world decays organic matter from fallen leaves to the fruit in your fruit bowl. The fungus actually digests the colonized organic matter. It produces thousands of microscopic spores every day which can travel and eventually come in contact with more organic material and colonization. This starts the process again.

The human body is vulnerable to such fungal infection. The feet and toes are particularly vulnerable to nail infection due to humid, warm and dark environment within shoes. This leads to increased toe nail fungus colonization and growth.

When To Contact A Doctor

Toenail fungus is typically not a significant problem for most people. However, if there are no improvements or complications occur as a result of home remedies, people should speak with a doctor and stop using the home remedy as soon as possible. It is also advisable to contact a podiatrist if a person notices any discoloration, thickening, or abnormality of the toenails.

Furthermore, people at higher risk for complications should seek medical treatment for their toenail fungus and avoid home remedies altogether. This includes those with diabetes or with weakened immune systems.

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Will A Podiatrist Treat Toenail Fungus

Fungal infections in the toenail are relatively common, causing foul smells and unsightly appearances around the nail plate. If you recognize the symptoms of toenail fungus, you must meet with the right doctor, a podiatrist, for proper treatment.

Podiatrists will treat toenail fungus by using topical creams, removing part of the nail, and or using more modern methods like laser therapy to eliminate the infection. At Arizona Foot Doctors, our podiatrists conduct a thorough evaluation of your nail before starting treatment to better understand the infections origin, possible underlying conditions, and to create a treatment approach that best fits your needs and lifestyle.

Nail Fungus Sufferers: What Works And What Doesnt

Are you tired of suffering from stubborn and ugly nail infections? Do you long for letting your once beautiful toes see the sunlight again? Do you wonder what its going to take to get rid of the fungus?

Over the years weve had the opportunity to collect testimonials from people who left comments on ToenailFungusTreatments.com, who have used different types of nail fungus remedies. After analyzing them, weve created some useful suggestions for those who want to eliminate nail fungus.

Of course, nothing is ever 100% guaranteed, but if we can learn from others with similar problems, we have a better chance of crossing off one more problem we have from the list that seems to accumulate many problems as we age.

How Doctors Heal Patients

In fact, I was thinking about doctors and how they learn. I know that if you ask any doctor who he or she learned the most from, they will say their patients. In the practice of medicine, a doctor who pays the most attention to the results that their patients are receiving, and makes appropriate adjustments is often the most successful both with people and against disease.

Recognizing this feedback loop was very valuable, we started collecting reports on remedies from our readers and have been able to create some basic guidelines for anyone with nail fungus problems who wants to use these treatments to get clear nails again.

Guidelines From Our Readers about Nail Fungus Remedies

Ugly Toenail Transformed to Beautiful and Perfect

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Other Options For Foot And Nail Fungus

Oral antifungal medications offer a different approach to treating nail fungus. Studies have shown the most effective treatments to beterbinafine and itraconazole. They help a new nail grow free of infection, slowly replacing the infected portion of your nail.

Oral medications are generally prescribed for foot fungus and nail fungus related to

• Diabetes.
• A history of cellulitis.
• Pain or discomfort resulting from the nail infection.

The course of treatment generally lasts from 6 to12 weeks, but full results are not realised until the nail grows back completely, which can take up to four months. Recurrent infections are common, particularly if your feet become warm and moist inside your shoes.

Antifungal drugs for foot fungus may cause side effects from mild to extreme . This course of therapy is not recommended for people suffering from congestive heart failure, who have liver disease or take certain types of medications.

Other treatment options for nail fungus

Your doctor may also suggest these nail fungus treatment options: