What Cures Nail Fungus Over The Counter

What Causes Toenail Fungus

Toenails are more prone to nail fungus because they are generally confined in socks and shoes which provide a moist, warm environment an ideal situation for fungus.

Older people are more likely to get fungal nail infection because they may have poorer circulation, and their nails grow slower as they get older, and nails also thicken as we age.

Creams & Topical Treatments For Toenail Fungus

Over-the-counter fungal creams like clotrimazole dont work well for treating toenail fungus. Prescription nail polishes are available, but they take longer to work and arent effective for severe cases. Thats because they dont penetrate the nail very well. That said, they are still a good option for people with mild cases of toenail fungus, or for those who cant take the oral antifungals. Examples include:

Side effects are usually minor and include redness or burning at the application site.

You might hear or read about medicated chest rub as a treatment for toenail fungus, but its mostly hype. Its a tempting option because its so safe, easy to use, and cheap. But its not likely to help.

Other Options For The Best Toenail Fungus Treatment Over The Counter

The best toenail fungus treatment over the counter may be topical medications. These are creams used together with an over-the-counter lotion containing urea to help on speeding up the absorption.

The best toenail fungus medication over the counter may not cure the nail fungus but used in collaboration with oral medications. To make topical medication more effective, debridement, that is, the filing of the surface of the nail, may be resorted to for lessening of the amount of infected nail to be treated.

The best toenail fungus treatment over the counter may be an oral antifungal medication. Antifungal drugs may cause side effects ranging from skin rashes to liver damage, thus, are not recommended for people with liver disease or congestive heart condition as well as people taking certain medications.

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Whos At Risk For Fungal Infections

There are many different causes of fungal nail infections. Each cause has a treatment of its own. Although many of the causes of a fungal nail infection are preventable, some risk factors increase the likelihood of developing one. Youre more likely to develop a fungal nail infection if you:

• wear closed-toe shoes, such as tennis shoes or boots

Nail infections occur more often in men than in women, and the infections are found in adults more often than in children. If you have family members who often get these types of fungal infections, youre more likely to get them as well.

Older adults have a high risk for getting fungal nail infections because they have poorer circulation. The nails also grow more slowly and thicken as we age.

A fungal infection of the nail may affect part of the nail, the entire nail, or several nails.

Common signs of a fungal nail infection include:

• a distorted nail that may lift off from the nail bed
• an odor coming from the infected nail
• a brittle or thickened nail

What Is A Fungal Nail Infection

Fungal nail infections are a common problem that can affect any nail, but most often affects the toenails.

They’re caused by the growth of fungal spores that make their way between the toenail and the skin underneath the nail bed. The spores feed off the skin or the keratin in the nail.

The type of fungi responsible for athletes foot, another common foot condition that affects the skin mainly between the toes, can cause the infection to spread to the nails.

More rarely, fungal nail infections can be caused by other types of fungi, usually yeasts, which tend to attack nails that are already damaged because they are easier for the fungi to invade.

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Tips To Prevent Fungal Nail Infections

Making a few simple lifestyle changes can help prevent a fungal infection of the nails. Taking good care of your nails by keeping them well trimmed and clean is a good way to prevent infections.

Also avoid injuring the skin around your nails. If youre going to have damp or wet hands for an extended amount of time, you may want to wear rubber gloves.

Other ways to prevent fungal infections of the nails include:

• washing your hands after touching infected nails
• drying your feet well after showering, especially between your toes
• getting manicures or pedicures from trustworthy salons
• avoiding being barefoot in public places
• reducing your use of artificial nails and nail polish

Products to help you avoid nail fungus

If youre prone to excessive moisture around your fingernails or toenails, consider buying:

Stop This Skin Infection In Its Tracks With These Over

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Verywell Health / Sabrina Jiang

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. But if left untreated, the fungus can grow severely by hardening the nails and spreading to other toes.

The fungus often begins in the form of athlete’s foot between the toes or on the soles of the feet. At this stage, the fungal infection is easier to treat with over-the-counter medication. But Shari Lipner, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medicine, told Verywell Health toenail fungus can be difficult to treat because of how slow the nails grow. 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, she says.

Diagnosing the fungal infection early is key to make treatments effective. Dr. Lipner recommends visiting a board-certified dermatologist to properly treat the infection if it grows to be too severe.

Here are a few of the best over-the-counter toenail fungus treatments on the market.

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Thoughts On Over The Counter Nail Fungus Treatments Are There Any That Might Work

What Should I Know About Storage And Disposal Of This Medication

Keep this medication in the container it came in, tightly closed, and out of reach of children. Store it at room temperature and away from excess heat and moisture . Keep the bottle of ciclopirox topical solution in the package it came in, away from light.

Unneeded medications should be disposed of in special ways to ensure that pets, children, and other people cannot consume them. However, you should not flush this medication down the toilet. Instead, the best way to dispose of your medication is through a medicine take-back program. Talk to your pharmacist or contact your local garbage/recycling department to learn about take-back programs in your community. See the FDA’s Safe Disposal of Medicines website for more information if you do not have access to a take-back program.

It is important to keep all medication out of sight and reach of children as many containers are not child-resistant and young children can open them easily. To protect young children from poisoning, always lock safety caps and immediately place the medication in a safe location â one that is up and away and out of their sight and reach.

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Strength of Money-Back Guarantee: A money-back guarantee shows the manufacturer is so confident in the product that theyre willing to put their money where their mouth is. Theres simply no reason to trust a product that doesnt offer a money-back-guarantee.

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How To Diagnose Yellow Nail Syndrome

You shouldnt ignore a change in nail color or shape, especially if your nails turn yellow. Yellow nails can indicate a problem with your liver or kidney, diabetes mellitus, fungal infections, or psoriasis, which need to be treated by a doctor.

If you develop yellow nails along with swelling or respiratory problems, see a doctor.

A doctor may diagnose yellow nail syndrome if you exhibit primary symptoms of the condition. Your doctor may also order a pulmonary function test to measure how well your lungs work or take a sample of your nail to check for fungus.

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The 6 Best Nail Fungus Treatments To Finally Get Clear Clean Nails

Itâs certainly not cute or glamorous, and can even be downright embarrassing, but nail fungus happens. Nail fungal infections technically called onychomycosis say that three times fast actually occur in 10 percent of the general population, 20 percent of people older than 60 years old, and 50 percent of those older than 70, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians.

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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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What Causes Fungal Nails And What Are Some Of The Risk Factors

In normal, healthy people, fungal infections of the nails are most commonly caused by fungus that is caught from moist, wet areas. Communal showers, such as those at a gym or swimming pools, are common sources. Going to nail salons that use inadequate sanitization of instruments in addition to living with family members who have fungal nails are also risk factors. Athletes have been proven to be more susceptible to nail fungus. This is presumed to be due to the wearing of tight-fitting, sweaty shoes associated with repetitive trauma to the toenails. Having athlete’s foot makes it more likely that the fungus will infect your toenails. Repetitive trauma also weakens the nail, which makes the nail more susceptible to fungal infection.

Elderly people and people with certain underlying disease states are also at higher risk. Anything that impairs your immune system can make you prone to getting infected with the fungus. These include conditions such as AIDS, diabetes, cancer, psoriasis, or taking any immunosuppressive medications like steroids.

Treatment Options For Fungal Nail

Treatment options, some of which can be prescribed by your GP and the others found at your local pharmacy, include:

Antifungal nail creams or paints

These are applied directly to the nail over several months and are most effective when used at the early stages of the infection. They aren’t generally considered to be as effective as tablets because it can be difficult for the product to reach the deep layers of the nail. Some people choose them over tablets because side effects are less common. These are available over the counter.

Nail-softening kits

A paste is applied to soften the infected area. This is then covered with a plaster for 24 hours. The next day, the paste is washed off and the softened nail gently scraped away.

This process has to be repeated every day for two to three weeks. When no more of the infected nail can be removed, an antifungal paint is applied to prevent re-infection as the nail grows over the next few months. These kits are available from your pharmacist.

Antifungal tablets

These are only available on prescription and need to be taken for several months, before the infection has completely cleared up. Some tablets are unsuitable for people taking certain medicines, and some people may experience side effects. Always see your doctor or pharmacist for advice about medicines.

Laser treatment

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The Danger Of Waiting To Treat The Fungus

The greatest danger of not treating the foot or toenail fungus is that it can spread to other parts of the body, such as the hands and groin.

If for some reason you cant treat your toenails or your feet right away, at least use an antifungal topical cream on the surrounding skin, Dr. Ng says. That will help keep it from spreading and keep the skin intact.

Corn And Callus Treatments

Some antifungal nail treatments can also help to prevent athlete’s foot. Here at Walgreens.com, you can find other athlete’s foot treatments as well. Another way you can help your feet look and feel their best is by using callus and corn removal products. You can use a foot file to gently remove callused skin, and regularly use buffing pads and exfoliators to remove tough skin. Foot creams and foot lotions can help keep your feet soft and comfortable.

*The total item count is approximate. The count will be inaccurate when sponsored products are displayed, when multiple sizes or colors of a product are grouped on a single product card, and when the in-stock filter is applied.

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Are There Home Remedies For Toenail Fungus

The Internet is filled with anecdotal information on how to cure toenail fungus using home remedies. Vinegar is a commonly recommended home remedy. Some people apply various oils such as tea tree oil, coconut oil, essential oils, and oil of cedar leaf to their nails as well. The effectiveness of these home remedies is highly doubtful. Application of household bleach and hydrogen peroxide is also not recommended due to lack of evidence that these treatments work. These agents can also cause unwanted skin irritation. Thickened nails that have been affected by fungus can be difficult to trim. Using topical urea cream will soften the nail and make it easier to trim. These creams do not require a prescription.

What Oral Medications Are Available

To treat fungal nail infections from inside the body, you can take tablets that inhibit the growth of fungi or kill them. They are all prescription-only. Terbinafine and itraconazole are typically used for this purpose.

• Terbinafine is preferred if the nail fungus is caused by a skin fungus . This is usually the case.
• Itraconazole is generally used if the nail infection is caused by yeast or mold.

Itraconazole and terbinafine tablets can both be taken either continuously or with breaks between treatments. But they are used differently:

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