All posts in category Toenail Fungus Treatments

Reviews and suggestions about the best of toenail fungus treatments and the different kinds available.

A Toenail Fungus Treatment Review

Nail fungus infections are difficult to treat, and repeat infections are extremely common.  Treatments are many and there are a large number of over-the-counter antifungal nail creams and ointments that are untested and not very effective.  If you have athlete’s foot as well as nail fungus, you should treat the athlete’s foot with one of the reputable topical medications and be certain to keep your feet clean and dry.

Cure for nail fungusTopical Solutions

  • Antifungal lacquer.  If you have an extremely mild infection of nail fungus, your doctor may prefer to prescribe an antifungal nail polish called ciclopirox (Penlac).  Applications is simply painting it on the infected nails and surrounding skin once a day.  Every 7 days, the patient wipes the piled-on layers clean with alcohol and begins fresh applications.  Daily use of Penlac for about one year has been shown to help clear up some nail fungal infections but the treatment is rather expensive and not covered by most medical insurances.
  • Topical medications.  Your doctor may also opt for a topical antifungal medication.  Topical medications are often the most effective way to treat mild to medium level infections of nail fungus.  These toenail fungus treatments are often more affordable and very easy to use solutions compared with other forms of treatments.

Oral Medications

To treat nail fungus, a medical professional may prescribe an oral antifungal medication.  Studies have shown that the most effective treatments are terbinafine (Lamisil) and itraconazole (Sporanox).  The downside to oral medications is that they frequently expose a person to heavier and potentially dangerous side effects particularly if the patient has pre-existing medical conditions.

Oral medications will more than likely be prescribed if a patient:

  • Has diabetes or other risk factors for cellulitis
  • Has a history of cellulitis
  • Is experiencing pain or discomfort from the nail fungal infection

These medications will often help a new nail grow free of infection, slowly replacing the infected portion of the nail.  Typically, these medications from six to 12 weeks at a minimum, but you won’t see the end result of treatment until the nail grows back completely.  It can take up to a year to eliminate a heavily entrenched infection.  Recurrent infections are possible, especially if you continue to expose your nails to warm, moist conditions.

Antifungal drugs may cause side effects ranging from skin rashes to liver damage.  Doctors may not recommend them for people with liver disease or congestive heart failure or for those taking certain medications.

Surgical Options

  • If the nail fungus infection is severe or extremely painful, a medical professional may suggest removing your nail.  A new nail will usually grow in its place, though it will come in slowly and may take as long as a year to grow back completely.  Sometimes surgery is used in combination with a topical solution of some kind to treat the nail bed.

Treating nail fungus with a laser or photodynamic therapy — intense light irradiates the nail after it’s been treated with an acid — may also be successful. However, this new treatment may not be available everywhere and there are no complete studies of the long-term effectiveness of this treatment.

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by administrator on March 8, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Avoiding Toenail Fungus, Good Behaviors and Habits, Myths About Nail Fungus, Toenail Fungus Treatments, Topical, Oral and Laser
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Posted by administrator on March 8, 2012

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Top Ten Toenail Fungus Questions

1. What exactly is toenail fungus?

Toenail fungus is a microorganism called a dermatophyte(s) that thrive and spread in moist and/or dark conditions.  Dermatophytes are the same type of fungus that can cause athlete’s foot; however, in this case the dermatophytes find their way under the nail bed where it is largely protected and can grow.

Funginix2. What are the main symptoms of a toenail fungus infection?

The symptoms can vary but usually begin with a yellowing of the nail.  The discoloration can vary and instead be whitish opaque or even brown to green in color.  Along with the discoloration, the nail may begin to thicken and become brittle and start to flake away in smallish chips along the periphery of the infected nail.

3. Who is most susceptible to nail fungus?

Anyone can fall victim to nail fungal infections but people over 60 years of age and those who have compromised immune symptoms are more likely to get a fungal infection in general.  In addition, people who do not prevent fungal exposure by wearing shoes in public pools and showers are under increased susceptibility to fall victim to an infection.

4. Are nail fungus infections contagious?

Yes.  Damage to the nail bed, cuticle or nail matrix can allow an infection to occur if you come into contact with the fungus.  Nail salons, public pools and showers are common places to pick up the fungus.

5. Why does the fungus affect the nail?

Toenail fungus thrives in dark moist areas and it feeds on keratin.  Often nail fungus begins as a fungus of the skin and then enters the nail for more protection and a perfect growth environment.  Your feet are the perfect breeding ground for fungal infections and nails are made of keratin.  Once Fingernails Fungusexposed to the fungi, it works its way under the nail through a cut or trauma and the nail itself protects and feeds it.

6. Are fingernail fungus infections more or less severe?

Though toenails are a better breeding ground for fungus, fingernails can get nail fungal infections as well.  Fingernail infections are easier to notice, treat and cure as they are seldom in moist dark areas and people are more conscious of the look of their fingernail prompting them to get treatment sooner.

7. Can toenail fungus become a serious health problem?

Toenail fungal infections can lead to a lot of pain as well as a lifting of the nail allowing debris to enter and further decay the infection.  A complete loss of the toenail can occur if the fungus is left untreated.  Generally speaking though, nail fungus is never life threatening and would not spread to vital parts of the body.

8. What about using nail polish when toenail fungus is present?

Nail polish will cover the discoloration that is common with toenail fungus; however, it will not treat the infection and can often make it worse.  Nail polish will seal the nail and moisture and humidity with it which creates even more protection for the fungal agents.

9. Will toenail fungus ever go away itself?

No.  The sooner you begin treatment for the infection the more effective it will be and the quicker you will be rid of the fungus all together.  If left untreated the infection will continue to grow and spread until it is very painful and unsightly and possibly resulting in harsh chemical treatments, harmful oral treatments and even surgical removal of the nail.  There are quite a few very solid toenail fungus treatments available that have high success rates and are a reasonably priced.

10. Can I get rid of the toenail fungus myself?

Yes.  The earlier you begin treatment the more effective the treatment and quicker the cure.  Healing natural oils such as tea tree oil and lavender blends can be an effective remedy you can try on your own.  In addition, there are a variety of topical solutions available that are less intrusive and expensive than laser or oral, prescription medications.

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by administrator on February 9, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Avoiding Toenail Fungus, Good Behaviors and Habits, Myths About Nail Fungus, Toenail Fungus Information, Toenail Fungus Treatments, Topical, Oral and Laser
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Posted by administrator on February 9, 2012

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Do Laser Treatments Kill Nail Fungus

The answer to this question is still unclear.  Most forms of laser treatment have only provided the industry with small, poor-quality studies involving a small sample groups of patients with lighter cases of toenail fungus, some of whom appeared to experience improvement after the treatment.

Toenail Fungus TreatmentsAnd while most studies have reported no adverse effects, the system zaps the nail fungus with very high heat, which in theory could damage healthy tissue around the toenail.  In addition, many treatments can often cost up to or over $1,000 and most medical insurances do not cover these costs.  And perhaps most disappointing is the fact that the majority of patients who tested and saw positive results from laser treatment had to return for additional treatments within 4-6 months.  The idea of the “one-stop-shop” solution is evidently not the case.

However, there are some definite positives.  Laser toenail fungus treatment is completely pain free.  The laser toenail fungus procedure takes about 20 minutes and patients generally need between one to eight treatments in a multiple week period to significantly improve the infection.  It is recommended that each patient returns to the clinic after a month or two to allow the doctor to check on the progress of the infected nail or nails.  In addition, the risk of developing any infection is extremely minimal and there are few potential side effects (discussed above).  When compared with powerful oral treatments that all have the potential side effects, this is certainly a big bonus.

Until more evidence is available, medical professionals and podiatrists generally suggest to sticking with more-established treatments.  Topical nail fungus treatments are very often the most effective, least potentially dangerous and cost effective.  When you are choosing which method of treatment to pursue, do your homework and if possible, consult a podiatrist or medical professional for a discussion.

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by administrator on February 3, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Myths About Nail Fungus, Toenail Fungus Treatments, Topical, Oral and Laser
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Posted by administrator on February 3, 2012

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Preventing Toenail Fungus Before It Starts

The goal is to stop toenail fungus before it gets ahold of you.  There are plenty of products on the market that claim they can “cure” toenail fungus.  Be sure to do your research before purchasing any ingestible toenail fungus treatments.  Many of these oral treatments have potential side effects and have to be ingested for long periods of time in order to be effective.  We have found that topical solutions are the safest and easiest way to cure toenail fungus if used in the proper way and at the proper time. However, the best solution to foot and nail fungus is actually preventing the fungus before it starts.  Let’s begin with what causes nail fungus.

Nail fungus, or Onychomycosis, is a condition that is caused by the presence of a fungus living in and underneath the nail bed of a finger or toe.  The fungus houses itself within the nail bed making it difficult to reach and therefore difficult to eliminate. The cool and protected area underneath a nail Cure Toenail Fungusprovides the perfect growing condition for this type of fungus.  AND REMEMBER, SKIN FUNGUS ON THE FEET CAN BE (AND VERY OFTEN IS) A PRIMARY CAUSE OF TOENAIL FUNGUS!  The skin on both feet needs to be kept clean and dry as well.

The fungus starts by attacking the nail and causing the nail plate to turn yellow, cloudy or dark colored as it dies. If the fungus is not treated quickly, the fungus will multiply as the condition worsens and will cause the heavily affected nails to either thicken or become brittle and crumble apart.

Once affected, nails must be treated for a substantial period of time before all of the fungus has been eliminated. The suggested treatment time to kill all of the nail fungus infection once the nails have been affected is 6 months at a minimum. This will allow for a topical treatment to eliminate every last fungal agent around the affected area while a new nail grows in healthy and strong.

Fungal infection under the nails or between the toes is caused by a fungus that grows best in warm, moist areas.  The best way to prevent the Onychomycosis fungus is to keep feet dry at all times.  So here are some great ideas to keep your feet safe:

– Wear a fresh pair of socks every day.  Socks should be made out of natural fibers such as silk, wool or cotton.  These fibers allow moisture to pull away from the foot and circulate air around the foot and toe area.  If your feet become damp during the day or your socks become soaked by sweat, take them off as soon as possible, dry your feet with a clean towel and put on a fresh pair of socks.  It is best to avoid wearing socks and shoes all together when trying to prevent foot fungus.  This leads us to our next step in fungus prevention.

– Wearing the same pair of shoes, day after day can take it’s toll on your feet and expose you to bacteria and fungus.  When storing shoes make sure they stored in a well ventilated area for complete drying time.  Consider owning multiple pairs of fitness sneakers and rotate those pairs for optimal drying time.  Lastly, wear flip flops or slippers when entering a gym locker room or shower area.  This is a breeding ground for mold and fungi that cause toenail fungus and other bacterial infections.

– There are ways to help your nail technician do their best in preventing toenail fungus before it starts.  The first suggestion is bring your own nail polish.  This is an easy way to regulate what fungi goes directly on your nail bed.  You avoid serious fungal infection and get to pick out your favorite polish color.  The second suggestion is make sure all the equipment the nail technician is using on you is sterilized.  Each instrument should be disinfected and properly stored.  Lastly, avoid the pedicure whirpool bath.  This is a pool of germs and bacteria just waiting to inhabit your toenails.  Unless you can be certain that the tub was cleaned with the proper disinfectant or bleached after every client.  Our recommendation is to avoid it at all costs.

– Recurrent fungal infections are a common sign of a depressed immune system.  Supplementing your diet with nutrients and vitamins can certainly help prevent and keep “bad” bacteria at bay.  Introduce more garlic into your meals.  Garlic tablets can be ingested 2-3 times daily helping to neutralize most fungi.  Tea tree oil is also a natural anti-fungal cleanser.  Clean the foot and toenail area with a full strength tea tree oil formula.  Black walnut extract can work as well in preventing foot fungus externally.

– Sharing items can lead to toenail fungus infections.  Fungi can spread from person to person and other areas of the body when an item is shared and not disinfected first.  For maximum prevention, do not share towels, shoes, clippers or scissors with anyone else.

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by administrator on February 1, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Good Behaviors and Habits, Myths About Nail Fungus, Nail Fungus Prevention, Toenail Fungus Information, Toenail Fungus Treatments
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Posted by administrator on February 1, 2012

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About Prescription Oral Nail Fungus Treatments

Medical prescription treatments for onychomycosis are often given orally.  The decision on which nail fungus treatment is dependent on several factors.  Sometimes, if the fungal infection is heavily entrenched or has been in place for many years, an oral agent is the only way to eradicate the toenail fungus condition entirely.  Patient preference factors into the decision, too.  In some cases, a combination of oral and topical treatments is prescribed because this can lead to a more rapid clearance of the infection and full eradication of the onychomycosis.

Foot Fungus CureBecause of the potential psychological and physical discomforts, patients must be very cautious when considering oral prescriptions as a toenail fungus treatment.  All oral antimycotic (antifungal) treatments used for onychomycosis have the potential to damage the liver.  In fact, if the patient has any history of liver disease whatsoever, oral prescription nail fungus treatment should not be used and will not be prescribed by a physician.  Even without a history of liver disease, it is usually recommended that the treating physician check liver enzymes before starting oral antifungal onychomycosis treatment.  For some treatments, liver function should be checked again after four weeks.  Also, any sign of liver disease such as jaundice (yellow skin or whites of the eyes), dark urine, pale colored stools, upper abdominal pain, fatigue or malaise should be reported to the doctor immediately.

Historically, Griseofulvin was the only oral treatment for onychomycosis.  While it worked reasonably well, it was associated with a lot of side effects especially at moderately high doses.  Griseofulvin also required long treatment courses and the nail fungal infection would often come back once the drug was stopped.  Fortunately there are newer, more effective oral antifungal onychomycosis treatments.  In fact, there are three main prescriptions in use today.

1)  Terbinafine, also known as Lamisil, has become the most popular of the prescription treatments.  Terbinafine is given as a 250 mg pill once a day for six weeks if treating fingernails and twelve weeks if treating toenails.  Pulse therapy has been effective in some cases.  Pulse therapy delivers a higher Lamisil dose but separated by times that no drug is administered. A complete blood count and liver function tests should be performed before treatment is started and after four weeks of therapy.
2)  Itraconazole (Sporanox) is usually administered in pulse dosing. The most common treatment schedule is 200 mg orally, once a day for one week per month over three months.  Itraconazole can interact with a number of other medications so you must tell your doctor about all of your medications, both prescription and over-the-counter.  Liver function tests should be performed before treatment is started and after four weeks of therapy.
3)  Fluconazole (Diflucan) is administered once per week (150 or 300 mg) until the symptoms resolve.  Treatment times may be six to nine months long before results are seen.  This antifungal may interact with several other medications and must be used judiciously.  Fortunately no blood tests are required when using fluconazole (though they may be performed anyway).

We found that topical toenail fungus treatments are extremely effective when application is regular and the infection is not a multiple year, severely entrenched condition.  Some of the leading treatments found on the internet proved to have high efficacy when used properly and often.  This discussion of topical toenail fungus solutions will continue in further detail the next post.

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by administrator on January 31, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Myths About Nail Fungus, Toenail Fungus Treatments, Topical, Oral and Laser
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Posted by administrator on January 31, 2012

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Welcome To Our Website!

Hello Everyone! We’d like to take time to thank all of our visitors (past and present) for looking us up to find valuable information on toenail fungus and Toenail Fungus Treatmentthe best treatments for prevention and elimination.  Nail fungus is an extremely challenging condition to combat and the purpose of this website is to provide useful content about the variety of toenail fungus treatments and prevention techniques.

We are also extremely open to responses and communication from our readers to please feel free to share your experiences, thoughts and questions with our panel of “nail fungus experts”.  Our goal is simply to help anyone suffering from a nail fungus infection find the best possible treatment to eliminate the infection forever!

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by administrator on January 27, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Avoiding Toenail Fungus, Nail Fungus Prevention, Toenail Fungus Treatments
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Posted by administrator on January 27, 2012

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