Sunday, March 24, 2024
HomeExclusiveDo Over The Counter Nail Fungus Treatments Work

Do Over The Counter Nail Fungus Treatments Work

Living With A Nail Fungal Infection

Why Don’t OTC Topical Medications Help Treat My Toenail Fung

If you have a nail fungal infection, some things can help:

  • Keep your nails cut short and file down any thick areas.
  • Dont use the same nail trimmer and file on healthy nails and infected nails. If you have your nails professionally manicured, bring your own nail file and trimmer from home.
  • Wear waterproof gloves for wet work . Wear 100% cotton gloves for dry work.
  • Wear socks made of wicking material . This pulls moisture away from the skin. Change your socks when they are damp from sweat or if your feet get wet. Put on clean, dry socks every day. Put over-the-counter antifungal foot powder inside your socks to keep your feet dry.
  • Wear shoes with good support and a wide toe area. Dont wear pointed shoes that press your toes together.
  • Avoid walking barefoot in public areas, such as locker rooms.

How Can I Prevent Toenail Fungus

Theres no way to guarantee that you wont get toenail fungus. But you can take several steps to help prevent it:

  • Avoid going barefoot in communal areas such as hotel rooms / showers, public showers, locker rooms and swimming pools. Most people pick up fungus in these situations. It helps to wear flip flops in these public areas.
  • If you have a family member with foot fungus or nail fungus, try to use different shower or wear flip flops in the shower to avoid coming in contact with it.
  • Trauma due to accidental or aggressive clipping of the nails can turn into portals of entry for the fungus.
  • Clean your nail trimmer before using it.
  • Do not tear or rip your toenails on purpose.
  • If you have diabetes, follow all foot care recommendations from your healthcare provider.
  • Keep your feet dry. Make sure to fully dry your feet after a shower.
  • Soak toenails in warm water before cutting them. Or you can cut your nails after a shower or bath.
  • Trim toenails straight across .
  • Wear shoes that fit correctly. They should not be too loose or tight around the toes.

How To Use Fungi Nail

Now that we have established the product comes from a reputable company and doesnt contain wild or crazy ingredients, it is important to understand how to properly use the product for optimum effect.

Fungi nail could not be easier to use, you simply must:

  • Thoroughly clean the area with soap and water. You can use a soft nail brush if you like but it is not absolutely required.
  • Trim your toe nails by cutting straight across and then rounding them slightly at the tips.
  • Apply Fungi Nail to the area under the nail and at your cuticles.

Recommended Reading: How Common Is Toenail Fungus

Also Check: How To Get Rid Of Skin Discoloration From Fungus

Is Laser Nail Fungus Treatment Effective

Before you schedule an appointment, your first question may be, is laser nail fungus treatment effective? Clinical studies show support for this treatments efficacy, and toenail laser treatments are approved for use by the Food and Drug Administration. Looking at the clinical trial data/facts, laser nail fungus treatment is effective.

  • A 2016 study by the FDA found that patients who received laser foot treatment displayed clear nails at three months and six months after treatment.
  • A 2019 study published in the journal American Family Physician by the American Association of Family Physicians found that after 180 days of toenail fungus laser treatment, patients had a 30% cure rate and a 91% improvement in symptoms. The AAFP study also concluded that laser treatment is more effective for fungus removal than both over-the-counter and prescription topical and oral antifungal medications.
  • In 2018, the journal Lasers in Medical Science published a study about the efficacy of laser treatment for fungus removal. These researchers reported a success rate of 83.7% among the patient population, who had infections that affected at least two-thirds of the nail.

Recommended Reading: How To Cure White Toenail Fungus

Kerasal Fungal Nail Renewal Treatment

Funginix Review: Does It Really Work For Nail Fungus?

Rather than going directly after the fungus itself, Kerasal Fungal Nail Renewal Treatment slowly removes layers of damaged, infected nail. In a sense, it acts as an exfoliant for your nails.

What we like: The Kerasal approach is novel but has amassed an impressive record of liberating nails from fungal onslaughts. It leverages the keratolytic properties of urea to remove damaged tissue and then promotes the growth of new, healthy layers of the toenail.

Flaws: You dont get very much in a tube.

Also Check: Does Kerasal Treat Nail Fungus

What Happens If I Dont Treat Toenail Fungus

According to Dr. Wagenseller, In many cases, it is not necessary to treat toenail fungus, and the condition is more often a cosmetic concern. If the appearance of your toenails is your biggest concern, you may want to forego medications that can have serious side effects. If the fungal infection is more serious and you notice a foul-smelling discharge or other signs of infection, treatment is necessary to ensure your whole body health and safety. Otherwise, determining whether or not to treat toenail fungus is really a matter of personal preference.

So Should You Use Topical Otc Anti

In our opinion there are no OTC anti-fungals that work as well as the prescription medications and the prescription topicals dont work that well either. In particular, avoid any OTC topical medications if they make any of the following claims:

  • They claim to have the most effective fungus treatment.
  • They claim that they have the best ingredients
  • They claim that their product will cure nail fungus

If you are going to try a topical medication for nail fungus, get a prescription from your doctor for Ciclopirox, Kerydin or Jublia. They are all more effective than any OTC topical. And Ciclopirox is both more effective and less expensive than OTC anti-fungals.

Recommended Reading: Does Fungi Nail Kill Toenail Fungus

Toe Fungus Removal Laser Do Over The Counter Finger Nail Fungus Treatments Work

What Essential Oil Can Be Used For Toenail Fungus Is Toenail Fungus Dangerous To Your Health Podiatrist Laser Toenail Fungus Jacksonville. Essential Oil Treatment Toenail Fungus Where To Buy Clear Nails Pro Liquid Solution Toenail Fungus Treatment S R Industries Llc. Nail Fungus Treatment Penlac Tow Nail Fungus Cure.

How Does Toenail Fungus Laser Treatment Work

DISCUSSION | Toe Nail Fungus Treatments

The lasers used for fungus removal attack the organisms under the nail without damaging the skin and tissue. Unlike topical therapies, the light can penetrate through the toenail to reach the fungus.

Before the procedure, our technicians may file your nails to prepare the area for the laser. You should remove nail polish or decals from your nails before your appointment. The treatment is almost always painless, though you may feel warmth or tingling on the nail bed during the treatment.

After toenail laser treatment, most patients display healthy new nail growth without damage to the surrounding tissue. The laser foot treatment can prevent the fungus from spreading and reduce the pain or discomfort associated with infection.

Most patients need just one treatment, though it can take six months to a year for your nail to return to its former appearance . While recurrence of infection is unlikely, some fungal infections may return and require additional treatment.

Because toenail fungus worsens and spreads over time, early treatment may prevent complications such as toenail loss. Individuals who have an immune disorder or diabetes are at risk for serious health issues caused by untreated toenail fungus.

Read Also: How To Get Rid Of Fungus Under The Nail

How Should This Medicine Be Used

Ciclopirox comes as a solution to apply to nails and the skin immediately surrounding and under the nails. It is usually applied once a day. To help you remember to use ciclopirox, apply it around the same time every day, usually at bedtime. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Use ciclopirox exactly as directed. Do not use more or less of it or use it more often than prescribed by your doctor.

Ciclopirox is used to improve the condition of nails, but may not completely cure nail fungus. It may take 6 months or longer before you notice that your nails are getting better. Continue to use ciclopirox daily as directed. Do not stop using ciclopirox without talking to your doctor.

Ciclopirox topical solution will work best if you trim your nails regularly during your treatment. You should remove all loose nail or nail material using a nail clipper or nail file before you begin treatment and every week during your treatment. Your doctor will show you how to do this. Your doctor will also trim your nails once each month during your treatment.

Only apply ciclopirox topical solution to your nails and the skin under and around your nails. Be careful not to get the solution on any other areas of the skin or parts of your body, especially in or near your eyes, nose, mouth, or vagina.

Do not use nail polish or other nail cosmetic products on nails treated with ciclopirox topical solution.

Health Solutions From Our Sponsors

J Dermatolog TreatMed MycolDiabet MedN Engl J MedJ Am Board Fam MedJ Eur Acad Dermatol VenereolBr J DermatolBr J DermatolJ Eur Acad Dermatol VenereolTrichophyton rubrumMed MycolBr J DermatolJ Pharm SciJ DermatolMycosesJ Eur Acad Dermatol VenereolTrichophyton rubrumTrichophyton rubrumActa Derm VenereolMycosesJ Clin Pharm TherBr J Dermatol

Recommended Reading: Which Doctor For Toenail Fungus

What The Experts Say

The most common presentation of toenail fungus is a white/yellow discoloration of the nail that is thick and filled with yellow/white keratin debris. The more severe the toenail fungus, the thicker the nail, and the more nails involved makes it that much harder to treat the nails even with effective therapies.”Orit Markowitz, MD, founder and CEO of OptiSkin treatment center in New York City.

Treatment Options For Nail Fungus

#1 Guide For Nail Fungus Treatment[over the counter]

Interviewer:

Dr. Hull:

Interviewer:

Dr. Hull:

Most of my conversation is usually discussing medical therapy, so things that are available by prescription only. And those come in two main forms, which are topical antifungal medications, and then oral antifungal medications. There are other surgical or procedural options, so you can remove nails as well. And then there’s starting to be more interest in technologies like lasers for nail fungus.

Interviewer:

Dr. Hull:

Interviewer:

Dr. Hull:

Interviewer:

Dr. Hull:

Recommended Reading: Does Urine Cure Foot Fungus

How Effective Are Tablets In Treating Nail Fungus

Tablets for the treatment of nail fungus have been tested in several studies. All participants had an infection on their toenails caused by a skin fungus. Overall, the study results showed that tablets are considerably more effective than nail polishes or creams.

One year after a three-month treatment with terbinafine:

  • About 17 out of 100 people who didnt have this treatment no longer had a detectable fungal nail infection.
  • About 76 out of 100 people who had this treatment no longer had a detectable fungal nail infection.

In other words, the treatment with terbinafine got rid of the fungal infection in about 59 out of 100 people.

Itraconazole also proved to be effective. After one year,

  • 7 out of 100 people who didnt have this treatment no longer had a detectable fungal nail infection.
  • About 43 out of 100 people who had this treatment no longer had a detectable fungal nail infection.

In other words, the treatment with itraconazole got rid of the fungal infection in about 36 out of 100 people.

Some studies directly compared itraconazole and terbinafine with each other. They confirm that terbinafine is somewhat more effective than itraconazole.

Treatment with breaks is thought to be about as effective as continuous treatment. But that has only been looked into in a few studies.

Ask The Doctors What Can I Do About Toenail Fungus

Dear Doctor: I had toenail fungus two years ago, and my doctor prescribed Lamisil. It took a long time, but it worked. Now the fungus, which is so ugly, is back again. Why is it so hard to get rid of, and are there any new treatments available?

Dear Reader: Toenail fungus is fairly common, but that’s not much consolation to the 6 million or so people in the United States who have to put up with it. It’s an often-unsightly infection caused by a microscopic organism called a dermatophyte that lives beneath the toenail. More precisely, it colonizes the portion of the nail known as the matrix, which is underneath the cuticle.

Initial symptoms are a yellowish or brownish discoloration of the toenail. As the infection progresses, nails will often become thickened, crumbly and malformed. Although the fungus affects the appearance of the nails, it actually lives on the layer directly beneath the toenail. That’s why it’s so difficult to treat.

Your nails are made up of keratin, a tough, fibrous protein. The same hard shell that protects your toes is giving shelter to the fungus. For topical medications to be successful in killing the fungus, they have to be able to reach it.

Anti-fungal creams and liquids are available, both in over-the-counter preparations and by prescription. But because nails are not porous, it’s difficult for the medication to reach the infection in concentrations great enough to kill the fungus. As a result, success rates for topical treatments are low.

Recommended Reading: What To Use To Cure Toenail Fungus

Satisfaction Or Money Back Guarantee

Even the highest quality toenail fungal treatments made by reputable manufacturers contain safe and effective ingredients and have a proven track record of success wont work for everyone. Reputable manufacturers know this, and they support their customers by offering satisfaction or money-back guarantees, and we gave preference to products that offered these types of guarantees.

Nail Fungus Consumer Review

FDA Approved Options For Toenail Fungus

People are more prone than ever to seek over the counter treatment options for common ailments. If you too are dealing with a nail fungus, you want to know quickly which products are effective and which are nothing more than a pipe dream in a bottle. We bring you here our findings about a popular OTC solution called Fungi Nail. We took an in depth look at this product and read many Fungi Nail reviews online to answer the most commonly asked questions:What is Fungi Nail? and Does Fungi Nail really work? Read on to get answers.

Also Check: Where To Buy Tea Tree Oil For Nail Fungus

What Causes A Nail Fungal Infection

The infection is usually caused by exposure to a fungus. The fungus grows in wet, dark conditions. The fungus grows when your feet are in warm, sweaty environment . It enters your nail through a crack in the nail.

Nail fungal infections happen at any age. They are more common in adults older than 60 years of age. They are common in people who have diabetes or circulation problems. They also are common in people with a weakened immune system. Men are more likely than women to get fungal nail infections.

Where Do You Begin Your Search For An Over Counter Treatment Medication For Toenail Fungus

First off, I want to say congratulations!

You have not only recognized that you have toenail fungus, BUT you have an understanding of the importance of treating toenail fungus!

Bravo!

Now, obviously, you are wanting the best treatment for toenail fungus otherwise, you wouldnt be hear, right?

Have you been to the drug store and walked the aisle with all of the different over-the-counter treatments for toenail fungus? Where do you start?

Do ALL of these over-the-counter items really work to get rid of these ugly toenails? What is the best over the counter toenail fungus treatment?

Recommended Reading: Is There An Over The Counter Medicine For Nail Fungus

Prescription Treatments Are Potent But They Have Serious Side Effects

Oral prescription medications are very potent but they tend to be expensive and have very serious side effects. These prescriptions include fluconazole , itraconazole , and terbinafine . These treatments tend to be very expensive and may cause serious health problems for people suffering from liver problems or a history of congestive heart failure. In the case of Lamisil, there may be diarrhea, upset stomach and it can potentially damage the liver or cause liver disease.

There are also two topical prescription treatments available called Ciclopirox and Amorolfine . These treatments use fungicide ingredients that are very powerful chemicals to kill fungus. Unfortunately, Ciclopirox can cause uncomfortable burning, stinging and redness, and is also quite costly. Amorolfine can also cause skin irritations such as burning, drying, scaling, itching and weeping.

Some Side Effects Can Be Serious The Following Symptoms Are Uncommon But If You Experience Any Of Them Call Your Doctor Immediately:

Nail Fungus Nightmares Cured! â Apex Urgent Care Clinic ...
  • irritation, itching, burning, blistering, swelling, or oozing at the place where you applied ciclopirox
  • pain at the affected nail or surrounding area
  • discoloration or change in shape of nail
  • ingrown nail

Ciclopirox topical solution may cause other side effects. Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while taking this medication.

If you experience a serious side effect, you or your doctor may send a report to the Food and Drug Administration’s MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program online or by phone .

Read Also: What Medication Kills Toenail Fungus

*** Let This Doctor Help You ***

Hello all and welcome to my site! I am a podiatrist and also the owner and creator of FixUglyNails.com. You can read more about me, personally, by clicking HERE!

My goal with this site is to educate you on a wide array of conditions and ailments pertaining to the feet in the hopes that you will be able to make informed decisions regarding your health.

In addition, I will recommend products that actually work to combat a multitude of foot ailments through my Product Reviews in order to prevent you from throwing away your hard-earned money!

I sincerely appreciate your visit to my site and feel confident that whatever foot affliction that you or your loved one is suffering from I can help!

Enjoy my site, which is always a work-in-progress, and please comment if you have any questions or concerns regarding ANY information found in its contents. I am truly here to help!

RELATED ARTICLES

Most Popular