What Types Of Treatments Are Available For Toenail Fungus
Until recently, toenail fungus treatment had been limited to topical anti-fungal creams/nail lacquer and oral medication. With limited success and many downsides, these treatments have become secondary to the more effective laser treatments.
The antifungal cream/lacquer has the lowest success rate, ranging from 5-12% . Unless you have extremely mild toenail fungus, topical treatments are very unlikely to effectively penetrate into, underneath, and around the affected toenail.
Prescribed oral medications work somewhat better . Howeverand this is big, however oral antifungal medications have significant medical risks and often interreact with other prescription drugs. Oral medications should not be prescribed without consulting a primary care physician, in order to ensure safety and protection during the months you would be taking these pills.
Side effects might include liver failure, rash, loss of taste, or change of taste , headaches, stomach discomfort, and lupus-like symptoms.
Topical medications require daily applications for at least a year, and often longer. Even then, a lifetime of application on some level is required to prevent a recurrence. Oral medications, similarly, require several months of pills and are usually associated with recurrence at some point afterward.
Studies show the success in clearing fungal infection through laser treatment was good enough for laser treatment to be FDA cleared and is now considered the ideal method to treat onychomycosis.
Medicines For Toenail Fungus: What Is The Best Option
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Many people are interested to know the best medicines for toenail fungus. Its a common condition in the toenails caused by the growth of a fungus. Different fungi species can trigger skin problems such as bumps and rashes. However, its more common in the toenail. The fungus that causes the toenail infection thrives on damp surfaces, such as public showers and swimming pools.
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The bestmedicines for toenail funguswill depend on the type of infection you have. Thats why proper diagnosis from the doctor is a must. Your doctor can examine your fungal nails and take a sample by scraping some portions. The specimen will be sent to the lab to check your infection type. Once the doctor receives the result, your doctor will decide the best treatment. Sometimes, the condition may only be due to psoriasis and is only mistaken as a fungal infection. Therefore, its always a good idea to get tested with your doctor.
What Is the Best Treatment for Toenail Fungus?
To determine the best med for toenail fungus, seek medical advice from health professionals. There are different medications that the doctor can prescribe for the treatment of toenail fungus. But the type of medication will depend on the kind of nail fungus you have and the severity of the infection.
Over the Counter Medications
Oral Medications
Topical Medications
Surgery
Home Remedies
Self-Care
Home Remedies For Toenail Fungus
Risk factors | Diagnosis | Home remedies | Over-the-counter medicine | Prescription drugs | When to see a doctor
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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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.
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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Avance Salon And Professional Nail Fungus Treatment Machine
This advanced system for the treatment of toenail fungus uses a powerful 655nm laser to penetrate the nail and target Onychomycosis fungus to improve nail health, return thick toenails to a normal thinness, and bring back a healthy color and appearance without damaging skin cells.
It also comes supplied with a fungicidal gel to enhance the effectiveness of the treatment, plus two pairs of protective goggles to ensure eyes arent damaged when using the laser.
The company claims that in 77% of cases this professional level piece of kit gives visible results as quickly as 1 -2 weeks following the start of treatment.
Pros
- Supplied with a good range of accessories
Cons
Best Fungal Toenail Home Remedies
As home remedies are DIY for nail fungus treatment, these are convenient. That is why it is peoples favorite however, many people discontinue it as they think they are going to take forever to cure the nail fungus.
To find out which home remedy is the best treatment for toenail fungus, we have discussed each remedy for nail fungus.
So, lets start about each one of them.
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Laser Toenail Fungus Treatment
0What is laser toenail fungus treatment?What are the advantages of laser toenail fungus treatment?What are the disadvantages of laser toenail fungus treatment?How long does it take for the laser toenail fungus treatment to cure the toenail fungus?How fast will I see results after the laser toenail fungus treatment?How much does laser toenail fungus treatment cost? your home or officeHow much is a house call to evaluate my toes for toenail fungus? your home or office 415-308-0833Book Online
Do I Have To Limit My Activities After Laser Toenail Fungus Treatment
Laser toenail fungus treatment is a noninvasive method that doesnt require any downtime. Those who have this treatment done can go back to their regular activities without any restrictions.
- Our office offers LASER treatment for fungal nail infection using the FDA approved low level light laser from Erchonia. This is a safe class 2 LASER which uses a dual diode emitting light of 635 NM red laser light and 405 NM blue laser light. Treatment of both feet, is done simultaneously which requires 12 minutes per session. Four sessions, one week apart is required for best results.
- Laser light vaporizes the fungal cells and spores by passing light through the nail plate. The Laser light does not harm the skin and surrounding tissue.
- Laser treatment is generally not covered by health insurance companies, including Medicare. We offer a very economical treatment cost of $500 for four treatments which also includes disinfection of one pair of your shoes to reduce fungal contamination while you are being treated. Additional pairs can be done for $10 per pair.
- Cost is $500 total.
Insurance
Major Insurance Providers Accepted. Here is a short list of them. Please contact the office if you do not see your provider listed.
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Best Ointment: Fungi Nail Anti
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Infused with five oils for skin healing
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Easy-to-use brush applicator
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Only for mild infections
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Doesn’t heal the nail plate
Fungi Nail Antifungal Ointment uses an innovative design to address multiple forms of fungal infections one can find on their feet. Its wide-tip applicator applies the appointment on larger areas of the feet, such as the soles and in-between toes. Then the smaller applicator works to get around the nail cuticles and underneath the nail.
Once applied, the maximum-strength ointment kills the fungus with the active ingredients of zinc undecylenate and undecylenic acid to help treat toenail fungus. The ointment also soothes itching and burning that can come with an infection, all while healing the skin. For best results, apply twice a day to clean, dry feet.
The ointment also soothes itching and burning that can come with an infection, all while healing the skin. For best results, apply twice a day to clean, dry feet.
Active Ingredients: Zinc undecylenate 20% and Undecylenic acid 5% | Dose: Tube and brush applicator delivers the appropriate amount. Apply thin layer on affected area twice daily or as directed by a doctor. | Uses: Treats and prevents fungal infections fights athletes foot and ringworm
Laser For Fungal Nail Infections
Onychomycosis is a fungal infection of the toenails, which affects a large percentage of the population. The main cause of this infection are dermatophytes, a type of fungus that distorts the color, the shape and thickness of the nail, coming to destroy it completely, unless measures are taken to combat them. Until recently, treatment options were limited to topical creams and lacquers as well as oral mediation these suffer from slow results and liver toxicity. Today, advances in medical technology allow us to have a new and effective method: S30 PODYLAS laser, which treats the nail fungus quickly, safely and without side effects. S30 PODYLAS is a 1064nm laser 40W power used to treat onychomycosis, plantar warts and papillomas, neurovascular helomas, intractable plantar keratosis, postoperative recovery, analgesic and anti-inflammatory therapy and other dermatological conditions of the feet.
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Nail Fungus Treatment Faqs
How many laser treatments are needed for toenail fungus?
Most patients only need one laser treatment to get rid of toenail fungus. In some more severe cases it may take two treatments to fully extinguish toenail fungus. 90% of patients report that their fungus is gone after one treatment.
Can you file away toenail fungus?
In most cases patients can treat toenail fungus by filing it down and maintaining the nail so that there is not room for the fungus to live and grow. There are other topical treatments that can help get rid of the fungus as well.
Does toe fungus ever go away?
Toenail fungus will not go away until it has been treated. Over time the fungus will spread and grow around your nail until the nail has been totally destroyed. It is important to treat and maintain toenail fungus if you have it.
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A Pharmacist Can Help With Fungal Nail Infections
Speak to a pharmacist if the look of your nail bothers you or it’s painful.
They may suggest:
- antifungal nail cream it can take up to 12 months to cure the infection and does not always work
- nail-softening cream it’s used for 2 weeks to soften the nail so the infected part can be scraped off
The infection is cured when you see healthy nail growing back at the base.
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What Tests Might I Have For Toenail Fungus
Your provider will probably take a small sample from underneath your nail to further analyze it. Viewing the cells under a microscope can confirm a toenail fungus diagnosis. If the initial test is negative, a scraping can be sent to see if the fungus grows out in a culture. It also helps your provider identify the type of fungus.
How Soon Will I Be Able To See Improvement To My Toenails Or Fingernails After Treatment
It usually depends on the origin of the fungal infection. If it was at the root of the nail, improvement can be seen as early as 3 weeks. A continuous improvement will be gradual as the nail continue to grow out. Typically, a significant overall improvement will be seen after 3 months. As a rough estimate, toenails may take 9 12 months to grow out completely, and fingernails may take 6 9 months.
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How The Laser Treatment For The Toenail Fungus Works
Lasers are an emission of high frequency lights capable of cutting and destroying tiny atoms coming its way. The laser treatment for the toe-nail fungus also works on this basic characteristic of laser.
To treat the toenail fungus, the toes are put directly under the laser nozzle, and the laser will then hit at the nail bed where there is the fungus. This interaction will destroy the microorganism, killing it, through the heat.
The laser used for the toenail fungus treatment is the CO2 laser usually, but for the treatment of some complex grown lasers doctors prefer the YAG laser, also known as yttrium-aluminum-garnet laser.
The wavelength of this laser light is quite high because this is how it is going to kill and attack each micro-organismic cell of the fungus. The regular laser for the toenail fungus treatment comes with a 900nm to 1300nm.
This is to increase the temperature of the laser and this increased temperature will make the nail-bed hot for the fungus. It will burn the fungus at the nail bed.
Another benefit of this much higher wavelength is the sterilizing effect of heat. This sterilized nailbed is now safe and no more fungal growth can happen for the next few years.
You might wonder why we cannot have the fungus destroyed in a single session.
Well, you can but it will increase the risk of tissue destruction, so, there is no point to get into a hurry. The doctors make sure that your damaged tissues, even if they get slightly damaged during the session.
Toenail Fungus Treatment Options
Toenail fungus treatment can vary based on the infections severity. If caught early enough, oral or topical medication may be effective. However, these medications may need to be taken or applied for at least three months.
If medication is not effective, and for more severe cases, temporary or permanent removal of the toenail may be necessary. One of the easiest and safest ways to remove the infection is with a toenail fungus laser treatment. During this painless procedure, the laser targets the fungus under the nail bed. It quickly alleviates the associated pain, prevents the spread of the infection to other areas, and restores healthy nail growth. Some clients require only one treatment to completely remove the fungus, while others may need multiple treatments.
A benefit of the laser fungus removal treatment method is that there is no downtime. It may take a few months for the nail to return to its healthy, normal state, but you can resume normal activities right after the appointment.
To learn more about laser fungus removal and to determine if this treatment is right for you or your family, contact the professionals at Arizona Foot Doctors.
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Laser Treatment Is Expensive And Has No Proven Track Record
Laser treatment for toenail fungus is a new way to treat a nail infection by focusing laser energy directly on the infected area. The laser light passes through the toenail and is supposed to kill the fungus without causing damage to the nail or surrounding skin.
This new technology looks very promising and has raised great hope among nail fungus sufferers. Unfortunately, a deeper look at toenail fungus laser treatment reveals significant drawbacks that should be considered before selecting this option:
- Clinical trials aimed at testing the effectiveness of laser treatment were done on a very limited scale . These clinical trials are not statistically valid. It is well known in health research that new treatments performing well in small studies fail very frequently when applied in large studies with strict test protocols.
- The cost of a one-time treatment is typically $1,000. Recurring treatments cost about $500 each. In some cases, a full course of treatment may require 3 to 4 visits so the total cost can reach $3,000.This cost is not covered by health insurance and must be paid in full by the patient!
- One treatment lasts only 30 minutes but there is no guarantee that the toenail fungus will not recur. Moreover, patients will have to wait 4 to 6 months for a healthy nail to grow out.
Best Home Remedies For Toenail Fungus
Toenail fungus is a common condition that affects up to 10% of Americans. It can be embarrassing and painful when left untreated for too long. However, there are a number of home remedies that work as some of the best toenail fungus treatments out there. Heres a quick list of some of the most effective home remedies out there.
By far the best toenail fungus treatment out there, topical nail solutions come in a small, easy-to-carry bottle that includes a brush applicator for easy application. Its safe, affordable, and works quickly. Its the easiest item to use on the list. Start by cutting and filing the nail as close to the infection as possible. Wash the affected area thoroughly with warm water to loosen the skin around the nails. Dry completely before applying the treatment onto the affected nail. Usually, topical nail solutions need to only be applied twice daily.
2. Baking soda
Baking soda is a common household item, vinegar can soak up the moisture on your feet, and effectively treats the damaged or affected nail. However, the affected toenail may also loosen and fall off, making room for a healthy nail to grow. To use baking soda, make a paste out of the product with warm water, and spread it on the affected nails. Alternatively, you can also use it for a soak. Add baking soda to a bucket or tub of water, and soak your feet for 20 to 30 minutes. Make sure to thoroughly rinse your feet after, and dry them completely.
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