Check If It’s A Fungal Nail Infection
Fungal nail infections usually affect your toenails, but you can get them on your fingernails, too.
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How To Treat Your Toenail Fungus
While not a serious issue, toenail fungus, or onychomycosis, can be an embarrassing and uncomfortable condition to experience. Toenail fungus is often caused from public areas that harbor fungi and improper cleaning/drying of the foot. Once infected, the fungus grows deeper into the nail and can be very hard to get rid of.
There are different types of fungus that cause toenail fungus. Dermatophytes, yeasts, and molds are the most frequent forms of fungus to infect the toenail. Dermatophytes are the most common among the three. Symptoms associated with fungal nails include the discoloration of the toenail, brittleness, and in some circumstances, a smell. Pain is rarely a symptom caused by toenail fungus.
Diagnosis of fungal nails is generally a rather quick process. However podiatrists will make sure that the cause is not another condition such as lichen planus, psoriasis, onychogryphosis, or nail damage. Podiatrists will make use of fungal cultures and microscopy to verify that it is fungus.
While over-the-counter ointments are readily available, most are ineffective. This is due to the fact that the nail is very protective and that the fungus slips in between the nail plate and bed. Podiatrists can offer oral medication which currently provides the best results.
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Treatment And Prevention Of Toenail Fungus
- Footwear can help prevent fungal infections. Do not walk barefoot in public showers, swimming pools, communal bathrooms, and locker rooms. Even when you go to a public shower, wear shower shoes. It is important to wash your feet after each use to clear away any fungus you may have picked up. Your nails are less likely to pick up a fungus if you keep your feet clean and dry.
- You may use prescription anti-fungal medicine to treat fungal nails. Oral drugs can very effectively remove the fungus as compared to topical treatments. But these oral medications have side-effects associated with them and can possibly harm your liver. It is best to have a podiatrist diagnose your condition and formulate a treatment plan that works best for you.
- Laser treatments to fight off fungal infections under the toenails have become a fairly common practice. This treatment helps your disfigured, ragged, and discolored nails to recover quickly, safely, painlessly and with no known side-effects. The treatment procedure is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration – a federal body that ensures the safety of these product devices.
- If you have a severe or recurring case of nail fungus, surgery may become necessary to ease the pain and completely remove the offending nail.
Physical Strategies And Laser Therapies
Heinlinet al.40 showed that repeated, daily cold atmospheric plasma treatment inhibits thein vitro growth ofT. rubrum. Recently, a pilot study demonstrated the effects of non-thermal plasma in treating onychomycosis41. Non-thermal plasma was created by using an electric insulator by short pulses of electric fields that ionize air molecules. This process creates ions, electrons, ozone, hydroxyl radicals, and nitric oxide, which are fungicidal and cytotoxic41. Ultimately, 13 patients 33 to 74 years of age with 25 to 50% nail involvement completed the trial, and 15.4% achieved mycological cure . Additional studies are required because of the small sample size and varying protocols, but it is the first clinical study to report that thermal plasma may be effective against toenail onychomycosis.
Commonly used lasers include neodymium-yttrium garnet lasers and Q-switched laser systems1. The smaller temporal pulse length in this laser is less than the thermal relaxation time of the fungi, which permits contained heating of the fungi in the nail plate while allowing dissipation of heat in the surrounding soft tissue of the toenail and fingernail. There is a lack of robust clinical data. Randomized, double-blind trials are required to determine whether they are actually fungicidal51,52.
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Best Overall: Ariella Nail Fungus Treatment For Toenail And Fingernail
No matter whether youre trying to treat your fingernails or toenails, this Amazon fan-favorite nail fungus treatment will do the trick. Shoppers repeatedly rave about how its out-performed many similar products theyve tried and how easy it is to use. To that point, it touts a super convenient and mess-free brush-on applicator, and the liquid formula dries very quickly. The brand promises youll see results in 2-4 weeks, and recommends applying the treatment 2-3 times per day to help eliminate discoloration and strengthen nails.
One reviewer wrote: This is the only product that has worked on a nail fungus Ive struggled with since high school. After decades of covering it with acrylic toenails, I decided to attack this at its roots. The pen-style allows easy application of the product. It also absorbs quickly into to the nail.
What Other Information Should I Know
Keep all appointments with your doctor.
Do not let anyone else use your medication. Ask your pharmacist any questions you have about refilling your prescription.
It is important for you to keep a written list of all of the prescription and nonprescription medicines you are taking, as well as any products such as vitamins, minerals, or other dietary supplements. You should bring this list with you each time you visit a doctor or if you are admitted to a hospital. It is also important information to carry with you in case of emergencies.
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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:
What Causes An Ingrown Nail
An ingrown nail occurs when the side of your nail grows into the soft support tissue of your toe or finger. This leads to inflammation and pain.
There are several reasons why ingrown nails happen, including:
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Improper nail trimming: This is a common reason for developing ingrown nails. Cutting the nail too short or at an improper angle increases the risk of a nail becoming ingrown as it regrows.
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Wearing tight- or ill-fitting shoes: Tight shoes can cause increased pressure on the nail. This can cause nail fragments to grow deep into the skin and also increases the risk of recurrence.
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Repeated trauma to the toenail: Ingrown nails can happen with certain athletic activities, especially those that involve running or kicking.
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Excessive sweating: Heavy sweating can cause moist skin and nails. Softer nails may split more often and grow into the skin.
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Overly curved toenails: This is uncommon, but misshapen nails can cause repeated ingrown toenails.
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Genetics: A condition causing deformed fingers or toes can also lead to ingrown nails.
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An Established Fungal Infection Is Hard To Eradicate But You Can Stop Its Spread And Improve Your Toenail’s Appearance
Toenail fungus isn’t a pressing health problem. Yet a fungal infection can ruin the appearance of your nails and cause pain as it lifts the nail away from the nail bed. And fungal infections are notoriously difficult to get rid of. Most often, you should consider fungal toenail a condition to be managed rather than cured.
The Best Nail Fungus Treatment: What Really Works For Yellow Crumbly Nails
Riverchase Dermatology
Nail fungus isnt pretty. The nails can become misshapen, thick, crumbly and brittle. They may turn a nasty color yellow, green or brown. Fungal infections of the nail can also produce a slightly foul smell. If youve developed toenail fungus or fingernail fungus, youre no doubt searching for the best nail fungus treatment, one that will restore your nails to normal as quickly as possible.
So, how to get rid of nail fungus fast? Unfortunately, its not easy. It may take trial and error to find the best nail fungus treatment for you, and no treatment for nail fungus can get rid of it overnight.
There are many over-the-counter nail fungus medicines available, but they may take two months or longer to work, if they work at all and the nail fungus may return. Topical medicines treat the fungus on the skin surrounding your nail but arent as effective at killing fungus in the nail bed.
If you think you have nail fungus, see you dermatologist to make sure. The dermatologist can make an accurate diagnosis and come up with a treatment plan.
Your dermatologist will likely trim the infected nail and scrape away any debris under it, which helps get rid of some of the fungus. The doctor may take a sample of the fungus to identify which type is causing the infection, which helps them decide the best treatment. Your nail fungus treatment plan may include any of the following.
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What Is The Best Home Remedy For Toenail Fungus
Self-care and body awareness can be key in keeping toenail fungus at bay. Wash feet with warm soapy water and pat completely dry to reduce the spread or growth of fungus on the feet. Allow feet to breathe when possible. Protect your feet and wear breathable shoes and clean socks. Change socks regularly and wash in hot water if you are struggling with toenail fungus. Over-the-counter antifungal powders used for treating athleteâs foot can also be used for treating mild cases of toenail fungus.
Avoid nail polish and pedicures that use polish or nail plate coatings. Even though you may want to conceal the discolored or warped look of an infected toenail, allowing maximum air circulation to the nail and skin of the toes is best.
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Causes Of Toenail Fungus
Well, essentially its an imbalance of bad bacteria to good bacteria in your body. Just like with other health conditions that stem from gut-related problems, when you dont have enough good bacteria living within your gut, you wind up developing high levels of yeast and fungus in your body that can show up on your skin.
Besides poor gut health, other risk factors that can tip the scale in terms of an infection forming include:
- Having athletes foot
- Coming into contact with fungi, for example in nail salons, contaminated swimming pools, gyms and saunas
- Damaged nail beds
- Wearing dirty or tight shoes
- Skin conditions, such as psoriasis
- Circulation problems in the legs, from existing conditions like diabetes or artery disease
- A weakened immune system
- Genetic predisposition
In particular, fungal nail infections can be caused by three different types of fungus, either by themselves or in combination:
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What Other Conditions Can Be Mistaken For Fungal Nails
Here are some other conditions you may have instead of fungal nails:
Trichophyton
What Is The Best Medication For Toenail Fungus
Below is a list of the most recommended prescription treatment for toenail fungus.
Best medications for toenail fungus | |
---|---|
Drug name | |
200 mg once daily for 12 consecutive weeks | Nausea, vomiting, rash, headache |
Dosage is determined by your doctor based on your medical condition, response to treatment, and age. Other possible side effects exist. This is not a complete list. A very rare side effect can be trouble breathing if this occurs, seek immediate emergency medical attention.
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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 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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Best Supplements For Toenail Fungus
So, here are the top 5 supplements that you can use to fix the nail fungus.
Remember that these are not like regular medicines that you can just get from any shop and there is a reason for that.
The reason is that these are specifically created to fix the fungus on nails, skin or even hair and are not sold everywhere.
And these are supplements, not medicines.
However, it is just very simple to buy these online and also, for your information, you would get a huge discount too, by going through our reference.
Also, these are not something costly to buy, for the price you will pay for a home remedy, you can get these too.
These are all Oral supplements that you can use easily to cure the nail fungus.
Oral nail fungus supplements
These are to repair the inefficiency of your body to tackle the nail fungus infection.
The severe toenail infection, which is not going anywhere for a long time, is a sign of some under-lying deficiencies and ill-health conditions.
To fight such fungus, you need to cure the internal body functions.
The nail fungus pill can be the best remedy to treat nail fungus when you are confused and tired of using many herbal remedies for nail fungus.
Because the fungal treating supplements for toenail is far more effective and faster than the homemade remedies for nail fungus.
Why? Because the internal body starts supporting the fungal infection when it is weakened.
So, lets see the most effective ones.