What To Get Rid Of Toenail Fungus

What Is The Best Medication For Toenail Fungus

Below is a list of the most recommended prescription treatment for toenail fungus.

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.

Your Options For Treating Toenail Fungus

If you think you may have toenail fungus, you should see a podiatrist or dermatologist, who will send a specimen or a piece of your nail to a lab. Different types of fungus are treated slightly differently, so its important to know which type you have, says Sundling.

Also, sometimes the root of the problem is not a fungus at all, but rather another condition, or some kind of trauma to the nail bed for instance, if you dropped something on your toe. There is no treatment for toenail trauma, but removing the nail may be an option if the nail is painful.

If you do have a toenail fungus, your doctor will likely recommend one or more of the following treatment options:

What Is The Outlook For Someone With Toenail Fungus

While toenail fungus is common, its usually not harmful. Symptoms mostly affect the look of your toenail.

Toenail fungus may spread to the skin between your toes or other areas of your body. When getting dressed, put your socks on first to reduce the chance of spread.

Treating toenail fungus takes a long time, and it doesnt always work. Even then, toenail fungus often returns. Discuss the pros and cons of treating toenail fungus with your provider to determine whats best for you.

Practicing good hygiene and foot care reduces the chance toenail fungus will come back. If you have diabetes, getting regular foot exams may help you address foot problems before they get serious.

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Home Remedies For Ingrown Toenails

There are also some simple home care tips to help you care for a toe that has an ingrown toenail. Heres what you can do:

• Soak your foot in clean warm water several times a day .
• Ensure your feet are dry except for when youre soaking them. Any moisture the rest of the day must be avoided.
• Wear open sandals to reduce pressure on the toenail until it heals.
• If you need to wear shoes, make sure they are roomy in the front so theres plenty of space around the toes.
• Simple over-the-counter painkillers like acetaminophen or ibuprofen can help ease the pain.

If you dont see any change in the condition or if the pain or symptoms seem to get worse, do get in touch with your doctor right away. Those with medical conditions like diabetes and vascular problems should be particularly careful and alert their doctor soon. If you have a badly infected toe, you might need a course of antibiotics prescribed by a doctor. If the problem is linked to a fungal infection, appropriate treatment will be suggested.

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Ways To Safely Treat Toenail Fungus At Home

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Stocksy/Design by Cristina Cianci

Toenail fungus sounds funky, but believe it or not, its much more common than you think. Thats because the pesky foot issuewhich most often presents as yellowing, cracking, and thickening of the nailscan be caused by everything from slower-growing nails and excessive sweating to athletes foot and walking barefoot in communal areas such as pools, shower rooms, gyms, and the like.

Most infections are caused by tinea species, but can involve harder-to-treat species of dermatophytes,” says Francisco Oliva, DPM. He adds that infections usually occur when theres a combination of issues affecting the toenail. Sometimes there is an injury to the nail at some point, he explains. The effects can be delayed for months and years. Once the fungus invades the nail, the keratin layer of the nail becomes a difficult barrier to penetrate.

Why Is Toenail Fungus So Hard To Get Rid Of

So is this story just a total bummer for toenail-fungus sufferers like poor Liz?

Im just so over it, she said with a deep sigh, admitting that she has toenail envy when she sees people who have pretty, freshly pedicured feet.

No, says Tracey Vlahovic. In fact, the FDA has just approved a new topical treatment for fungus, the brand name is Jublia. Canadian drugmaker Valeant Pharmaceuticals expects sales of $800 million in the U.S. And another product will come out shortly.

Its a class of antifungals were all familiar with, Vlahovic said. The data there is very nice, its beautiful, and I think that patients will really like the further topical options that are coming out.

The new topicals have higher cure rates than topical options currently on the market and they can be used under nail polish, something thats very important to many women who have nail fungus.

Vlahovic says there is currently a lot of movement in this field, which has been stagnant for a while but even with better treatments, patients have to accept one bitter truth: There is no quick fix for this.

Nothing is going to work within a week. Nothing is going to work within a month, you must give things time, Vlahovic said.

So, if any person or product promises you to cure this thing quickly just dont buy it.

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What Does A Laser Toenail Fungus Procedure Look Like

After discovering you have toenail fungus, you can decide whether to try a home remedy or have it treated professionally. Home remedies are hit or miss, and theres a lot of questionable stuff out there.

See these articles for more information:

Prescription treatments have a much higher chance of working, but there can be interactions with other medicines, etc.

Thats where laser treatments come into play. Laser treatments are non-pharmaceutical and can be highly effective.

Why Does The Onychomycosis Fungus Attack Toenails And Fingernails

Even though fungal infections are not only limited to nail areas, there are other type of fungal infections as well, for example, fungal paronychia which is the inflammation of the tissue folds surrounding the nail. However, the most common areas for fungi to cause infection is still around fingernails and toenails, toenail holding the highest probability for infections, the reason behind this is easily understandable. The area surrounding our nails is prone to accumulate most of the dirt and bacteria that are not even visible to the naked eye. While we use our hands to touch everything throughout the day, from tying our shoe laces in the morning to holding doors and handles in the bus for support, then using the same hands to eat food, we don’t even realize how many germs we consume in our body. Besides that, fungal infections are so easily transmittable from one person to another, while borrowing gloves from somebody else or getting a manicure/pedicure at the salon you might think you are getting your nails cleaned which is not the case always. So, it is advised to ask for clean healthy tools every time you visit a salon, that will sound annoying and nosy but it is worth preserving your health.

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Staying One Step Ahead Of Toenail Fungus

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. “You may want to consider fungal toenail a condition to be managed rather than cured,” says Dr. James P. Ioli, chief of the podiatry service at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

Toenail Fungus Prescription Medications

Sometimes prescription medications are needed to treat a toenail infection that just wont go away with natural remedies or over-the-counter medication in a few months. In this case, prescription-strength antifungal medication can eradicate stubborn onychomycosis.

Topical medications often are effective in treating mild to moderate toenail fungus. Topical solutions may include medicated nail polishes or liquid medications. Loprox , Penlac , Kerydin , and Jublia are among the top prescription drugs for toenail fungus.

Oral medications can come in capsules, tablets, or liquid. Some common prescriptions are Diflucan , Lamisil , Onmel , and Sporanox .

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How Do I Know If I Have Toenail Fungus

A toenail fungal infection has a slow, eroding effect on your toenail but usually takes a while to develop and spread so you might not notice it at first.

Here are some of the toenail symptoms you may encounter:

• Change in color often the toenail turns yellow, brown, white, or eve green
• Nails become thicksometimes so thick you cant get a toenail clipper to work
• Toenail shape becomes curved, twisted, or ingrown on the sides
• Initially, a white dot may show itself which then slowly grows larger
• Toenails become brittle and break easily, sometimes they seem to crumble or get chalky
• Toenails become flaky and break off
• Sometimes the toenail has a cottage-cheese type substance especially under the hard-outer shell
• Toenails may loosen and separate off the nail bed occasionally they may even fall of entirely
• You get pain around the toenail as the hard, curved nail digs down into the sides
• There is a bad-cheese smell coming from your toenails
• Eventually, the fungus spreads to your other toes and even out onto the skin on your feet

If left untreated, you can develop a secondary bacterial infection and even get ulcerations, which are extremely dangerous if you are diabetic or have poor circulation. For some people, toenail fungus has even ultimately led to the surgical amputation of toes or even leg amputations.

Top Home Remedies For Toenail Fungus

There are many home remedies available nowadays for getting rid of toenail fungus, which means you have many choices. When it comes to which ones you should try, it’s really a matter of experimenting to see which home remedies may or may not work for you.

So what are some top home remedies for toenail fungus people use to address their fungal infection? See below for some of the more popular home remedies for treating toenail fungus.

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Tips To Combat Foot Fungus

The best way to combat foot fungus is to reduce your exposure to it. There are simple things you can do to prevent from contracting foot and nail fungus.

Organic Apple Cider Vinegar:

Apple cider vinegar is very famous for its amazing and powerful beauty effects as well as health effects. In terms of skin and nail issues, apple cider vinegar is actually one of the best remedies for fingernail fungus infection as well. This acidic home remedy can help to ward off bacteria and prevent other skin and nail areas from being infected by fungus. I suggest that you and other people who are suffering from the fingernail fungus or also some other infections should make use of this ingredient because it can act well for a great deal of purposes. You can make use of the organic apple cider vinegar lotion in 2 different ways:

Diluted:

Prepare equal amounts of water and apple cider vinegar and use the mixture to apply onto your nails for about 30 minutes. Practice makes perfect, so you need to apply this tip every day and do not forget do pat the infected area dry after each soak session.

Spray:

Take 1 cup of water and 1 tablespoon of organic apple cider vinegar and put them both into a spray bottle. Use this spray to apply under your each fingernail every night before going to sleep so that you will be able to heal and regain the natural beauty of your nails fast and effectively.

In fact, this is also one of the best and most effective home remedies for fingernail fungus that people should not skip but try making use to stop the current concern fast and safely without making use of any type of costly yet useless creams or medical interventions.

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Dangers Of Traditional Treatment Options

Fungal nail infection is treatable with oral anti-fungal drugs, topical medications, surgery, or laser treatments. The problem with these modern treatments, however, is that they can sometimes cause complications. Depending on the chosen treatment, some of the possible side effects that may occur include skin rashes, blisters, loss of appetite, gastrointestinal issues, headaches, respiratory problems, abnormal nail growth, or liver damage.

Due to the many risks associated with modern treatments for fungal nail infection, many people are now opting for alternative remedies that are relatively safer. As an added bonus, its also possible to treat fungal nail infection using just a few basic ingredients one already has available at home.

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What Should I Ask My Healthcare Provider About Toenail Fungus

If you have toenail fungus, you may find it helpful to ask your provider:

• What type of infection do I have?
• Do you recommend I treat it? Why or why not?
• How long will I need treatment?
• What steps can I take to stop it from coming back?
• Should I be aware of any potentially serious complications or treatment side effects?

A note from Cleveland Clinic

Toenail fungus is an incredibly common infection that can be difficult to treat. The condition usually isnt painful, but it may make you feel self-conscious about how your foot looks. If it bothers you, talk to your provider about your treatment options. A trained specialist can provide guidance on whats most likely to address your concerns while protecting your overall health.

Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 12/17/2020.

References

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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 athletes 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.

What Is Black Toenail Fungus

If you have a dark, thick toenail, it could be toenail fungus, which is usually caused by a type of fungus called dermatophytes. It affects the toenail and the area beneath the nail and causes color changes, thickening, and abnormally shaped nails.

Its fairly common, with at least 12% of American adults diagnosed with it, according to Seminars in Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery. Older adults and people with diabetes, circulation problems, or a weakened immune system are more likely to have toenail fungus.

This infection doesnt usually go away on its own, and it can take a year or more to treat it with prescription medications. These are applied to the nail or taken in pill form.

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