The 7 Best Toenail Fungus Treatments Of 2022
The Lamisil Terbinafine Antifungal Cream treats fungus all over the body
Sarah is a freelance writer with a focus on health and wellness. She has written for publications like Women’s Health, Healthline, and Parents. She taught creative writing for five years, and has a bachelor’s degree in English from Southern Connecticut State University.
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Toenail fungus is a common fungal condition that often starts after a rash on the foot spreads to the nails. When mild, it looks like white and yellow spots growing under the nail beds. If left untreated, the fungus can grow severely by hardening the nails and spreading to other toes.
Why Should You Use Bleach For Toenail Fungus
The foremost reason is quite recognized for the usage of bleach is the convenience. Bleach is the best home remedy for toenail fungus and readily available and that too at a lower cost. A good number of people have confirmed that their treatment has been successful with bleach.
If the infection is lesser, the soaks may work. However, if the case is severe, applying the bleach directly is recommended. It can kill the fungal spores and also lighten up the yellow toenails. Nevertheless, talk to your doctors to make an informed decision.
When Should I Consult My Doctor About Toenail Fungus
Anyone with toenail fungus can try home remedies or OTC treatments, but some prefer to go right to their healthcare provider for a more aggressive treatment with prescription medication.
People with certain conditions, such as a compromised immune system, diabetes, or circulation problems, should see their doctor for toenail fungus. Anyone with signs of infection, such as pain, redness, or pus around the toenail, should seek medical care. People who have used home remedies or OTC treatments without success should also see their doctor.
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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.
How Do Dermatologists Diagnose Nail Fungus
To find out if a patient has nail fungus, a dermatologist examines your nails and nearby skin. Its important to check the skin because the fungus can spread. You may already have a skin infection caused by fungus like athletes foot.
To get rid of the infection, you will need to treat all infected areas.
Before giving you the diagnosis, your dermatologist may also take some samples. Collecting a bit of debris from beneath a nail, trimming off part your nail, or scraping off a bit of skin can be very helpful. In a lab, these samples can be examined under a microscope to find out whats causing the problem.
Are you hiding an infected nail with nail polish?
Be sure to ask your dermatologist if you can wear nail polish while treating nail fungus.
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Laser Treatment For Fungal Nail Infections
Laser Treatment for fungal nail infections is now available at Podiatry Care. The team at Podiatry Care are the first to incorporate leading German laser technology to deal with fungus affecting toe nails and have over 5 years experience in administering laser treatment.
You may have spoken with your Podiatrist in the past about treating fungal nail infections. Without doubt it is one of the more difficult conditions to successfully treat. Until now messy and ineffective topical creams and ointments along with hazardous oral anti-fungal medications have been the only treatment available.
Often the side effects of the drugs and the inability of the medication to penetrate the nail and nail beds have meant poor compliance and subsequently very poor outcomes. The introduction of the 1064 Diode laser has meant we can now treat this embarrassing and often extremely stubborn condition with a success rate of up to 80%.
The treatment is safe, requires no anesthesia, there are no side effects and is a walk in, walk out procedure.
The patients love the ease of the procedure. The technology is so advanced that the only perceivable sensation is a slight warming effect. Even the most affected nails can be treated, with a great improvement in the appearance of the nails in 3 to 4 months following laser treatment.
Call Podiatry Care and ask about our special GAP FREE* assessment to see if you qualify for Laser treatment of your toe nail fungus.
What Is Toenail Fungus
Toenail fungus, also known as onychomycosis or tinea unguium, is a common nail condition affecting millions of people in the United States. Fungal nail infections can develop on the nail from various organisms such as molds, yeasts, and fungi. This usually occurs after these organisms come into contact with a cracked nail or skin surrounding the nail as the opening provides a portal of entry for these organisms.
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How Do You Get A Fungal Nail Infection
Most fungal nail infections occur as a result of the fungi that cause athletes foot infecting the nails.
These fungi often live harmlessly on your skin, but they can sometimes multiply and lead to infections. The fungi prefer warm, dark and moist places like the feet.
Youre more likely to get a fungal nail infection if you:
- dont keep your feet clean and dry
- wear shoes that cause your feet to get hot and sweaty
- walk around barefoot in places where fungal infections can spread easily, such as communal showers, locker rooms and gyms
- have damaged your nails
- have a weakened immune system
- have certain other health conditions, such as diabetes, psoriasis or peripheral arterial disease
Fungal nail infections can be spread to other people, so you should take steps to avoid this if you have an infection.
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Best Alternative: Vicks Vaporub Ointment
Yes, you read that correctly. Vicks VapoRub is often mentioned as an effective nail fungus treatment because of both the active and inactive ingredients it contains. says Dr. Stern. âThymol, menthol, camphor, and oil of eucalyptus have shown efficacy against dermatophytes in a lab setting,â she explains. The caveat? If youâre using this regularly and not seeing any improvement after two months for fingernails or four months for toenails, see a dermatologist, she advises.
âI bought this after watching a YouTube video about using Vickâs for toenail fungus â so it was a good deal to get these here,â noted a shopper. âIt seems to be working, but itâs only been one month and the videos say it could take more like three. The only thing is itâs greasy and messy, so you have to wrap your toe to not get it everywhere.â
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What To Look For In A Toenail Fungus Treatment
Severity
Toenail fungus, if left untreated, can become a tough problem to treat and will greatly influence what medications you need. If the toenails are thick, yellowed, and left untreated for a long time, that could indicate you need a prescription for oral medication.
Location
Fungal infections can start on the nails and transfer to this skin, or start on the skin and transfer to the nails. It is important to treat both as they will continue to spread.
Ingredients
Zinc undecylenate and undecylenic acid are both FDA-approved ingredients to treat toenail fungus Also, if you seek help from a professional, they will likely prescribe medications in the azole family. This compound interferes with the synthesis of the fungal cell membrane, which essentially kills the fungus.
Type
Toenail fungus treatments can come in a variety of forms, but oral, topical, and homeopathic medications are the most commonly used for treating toenail fungus.
Treatment From Your Gp
Your GP can prescribe antifungal tablets. You’ll need to take these every day for up to 6 months.
Tablets can have side effects including:
You cannot take antifungal tablets if you’re pregnant or have certain conditions. They can damage your liver.
If your nail has a very bad infection, you may need to have it removed. This is a small procedure done under local anaesthetic.
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How To Choose The Best Fungal Nail Treatment For You
Do I need a fungal nail treatment?
If you’ve noticed that one or more of your toenails has got thicker, slightly discoloured and yellow, and is perhaps getting brittle enough for bits to break off or even start separating from the nail bed, it’s pretty likely that you have a fungal nail infection . You can treat it at home using one of the products we recommend below.
If you’re not sure, show the nail to your local pharmacist, who’ll be able to confirm that you’ve got a fungal infection and not some other less common nail problem.
What should I look for in a fungal nail treatment?
Amorolfine, ciclopirox and pentylene glycol are among the most-used active ingredients of anti-fungal nail treatments. They restore pH balance, kill fungal and bacterial infections, and allow the nail to grow healthily from its base.
Urea also blitzes fungus and can be aggressive enough to kill the infected nail tissue completely. Be careful not to get a strong urea-based treatment onto healthy skin.
If the nail has grown very thick, you might want to file the surface first to help the solution penetrate it and reach the infected skin below. A couple of our recommended products come with files included.
Some fungal nail treatments double up as nail polishes, so they cover up the problem while also treating it. You can also get nail treatment pens, which make anti-fungal treatments really easy and safe to apply.
Can I Wear Nail Polish If I Have Toenail Fungus
You may feel tempted to cover up a discolored toenail with nail polish. If you are using a topical antifungal, you probably should not use polish. Some providers may tell you not to wear it in any case. Polish traps in moisture from the nailbed . Because fungi thrive in moist environments, wearing nail polish may make a fungal infection worse. However, the nail continues to grow with or without polish.
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Home Remedies For Nail Fungus
Some people try over-the-counter products such as Vicks VapoRub or tea tree oil as home remedies for nail fungus. Vicks VapoRub contains camphor and eucalyptus oil, which may have anti-fungal effects when applied regularly over time. Tea tree oil for nail fungus could in theory help because the oil has anti-fungal properties. But dont count on either of these for a fast or permanent cure. Seeing a dermatologist is your best bet for treating nail fungus.
Jessica Brown, a health and science writer/editor based in Nanuet, New York. She has written for Waters Edge Dermatology, Prevention magazine, jnj.com, BCRF.org, and many other outlets.
What Causes Nail 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. Moreover, if you have a fungal infection on the skin of your foot, this can also transfer to your nails.
Wearing closed 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.
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The Best Fungal Nail Treatments
Posted 22 Apr ’21
Fungal nail infections occur when a fungus has infected and penetrated your nail. It canaffect the physical appearance of your nail, however it is rarely associated with pain and wont have a major impact on your qualityof life. Nevertheless, they are a pesky, irritating nail condition to resolve.
In this article, we will highlight some of the best fungal nail treatments currently on the market.
What Are The Side Effects Of Jublia
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. A healthcare provider can advise you on side effects. If you experience other effects, contact your pharmacist or a healthcare provider. You may report side effects to the Food and Drug Administration at fda.gov/medwatch or 1-800-FDA-1088.
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How Does It Work
Laser treatment for toenail fungus works by aiming a 1064nm wave-length laser at the affected area.
The laser delivers light energy to gently heat the toenail bed and kill the toenail fungus and the fungal spores that spread the fungus.
It does this by attacking the fungus in two ways by altering the cellular metabolism of the fungus and damaging the cell components, and with a photo-chemical effect that further damages fungal cell enzymes, proteins and membranes.
In a nutshell? It literally zaps that pesky fungus out of existence.
After the laser treatment takes place and the fungus is killed it requires a little patience to see the results.
The damaged toenail needs to grow out and be replaced by a healthy, fungus free nail, which can take anything from 3 months to a year depending on how much of the toenail was affected.
Take a look at this video to see exactly whats happening under the nail:
DIY laser treatment works a little differently.
In order to be safe, the lasers in the home devices are a pulse laser with a shorter wavelength of around 900 nm which isnt powerful enough to heat the flesh but is still capable of penetrating beneath the surface into the skin tissue.
This is usually coupled with a blue light which works on fighting the fungus cells found on the outer surface of the nail helps to stop the fungus from affecting other toes in the area.
Thyme Oil For Toenail Fungus Treatment
Thyme/thymol oil is a very effective essential oil. If you are suing the oregano oil for nail fungus but want to have a change as both these oils can take months to show some results, you can alternate these two oils.
The reason why we are suggesting you alternate these two is the similarities in construction.
The oregano oil and thyme oil have an 85% similar structuring. Both have the strongest compounds for fungus and bacterial infections. They have the carvacrol, and thymol.
Along with it, the thyme oil has camphor, borneol, and linalool.
To use the thyme oil, you need to find a carrier oil, the best carrier oil for thyme oil can be the mustard and coconut oil.
However, if you feel annoyed by the mustard oil, you can try the olive oil or any other pleasant fragrant oil.
How to use thyme oil remedy for nail fungus treatment?
- Apply it directly, take a few drops of thyme oil and rub it on your entire foot. Many people think that applying it on the infected spot is enough, which is not. You need to detoxify the entire foot, because a lot of times the bacteria residing on the skin can support the growth of the nail fungus.
- Mix it in a foot soak. If you are making a foot soak of baking soda/Epson salt/ Hydrogen per oxide, mix a few drops of the diluted thyme oil in it.
- Make a paste with baking soda and thyme oil. It is a least known treatment and is mainly applied with clove oil, but you can shuffle the clove oil with thyme oil as well.
Cons of using thyme oil
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Hydrogen Peroxide For Nail Fungus
Hydrogen peroxide is a known treatment for nail fungus.
However, we still do not know what the scientific evidence for it are, as no scientific research proves it. It is still a matter of debate.
What is so far known of the Hydrogen peroxide as a treatment for nail fungus is the developing of Hypochlorous acid which is an effective way to kill nail fungus.
The Hydrogen peroxide is an extremely active, why many people use Hydrogen peroxide as a treatment for nail fungus is the affordability.
It is available almost at every place, moreover they do not need a prescription for this.
How to use Hydrogen peroxide for nail fungus?
- Apply it directly with a Q-tip. Take a little of Hydrogen peroxide and dip a Q- tip in it, apply it on the infected area only.
- Try the breathing foot soak method. All you have to do is take almost 2 to 3 percent of hydrogen per oxide with water. Put your foot in it and press the infected area for almost 2 minutes and release, repeat this process several times for 15 minutes.
- Use it with baking soda, you can either make a paste of baking soda and Hydrogen peroxide or make a foot soak. Whichever is more convenient. Th easier one is the paste, but it is for the extreme cases, if it is the onset of the infection you can try making the foot soak.
Pros of using Hydrogen peroxide as a home remedy for nail fungus
Cons of Hydrogen peroxide as a remedy for nail fungus
- It is not skin friendly.
- Not approved by any doctor specifically for toenail fungus.
