Treatments For Toenail Fungus - Take Your Pick
Nail fungus is the fungal infection of the nail bed and the plate
under the surface of the nail, and it is characterized by thickening of
toenail along with yellowish discoloration, disfiguring, and splitting.
Gradually, the toenail becomes rough and can get separated from the
nail bed. In medical terms, nail fungus is known as "Onychomycosis" or
"Ringworm of the Nail". Toenail fungus can press against shoes causing
irritation and pain. Also, it can cause social, psychological, and
employment related problems. Toenail fungus is caused by three main
groups of organisms which include dermatophytes, yeasts, and
non-dermatophyte molds. Approximately 90% of the toenail fungal
infections are caused by dermatophytes. Around 8% of the cases are due
to yeast [Candia albicans] infections and non-dermatophyte molds cause
the infection in 2% of the cases.
The fungus treatment for
toenails is challenging because the infection is embedded within the
nail which is difficult to reach. The toenail receives little blood
supply and grows slowly. Therefore, medications and topical applications
used in the treatment for toenail fungus will reach the infected site
in little quantity which will not be sufficient to cure the infection.
Hence, the infection responds slowly to the treatment and may take a
year or more for complete removal of the symptoms. Treatment for toenail
fungus includes various treatment options such as pharmacological
treatment, laser treatment, and surgical treatment.
Pharmacological Treatment
This line of treatment includes oral and topical anti-fungal
medications. Newer oral anti-fungal drugs such as Itraconazole,
Terbinafine have revolutionized the treatment for toenail fungus. As a
standard line of treatment for toenail fungus, oral anti-fungal drugs
are administered for 3 months. Terbinafine is administered daily for 3
months whereas Itraconazole is often prescribed in pulse doses. Pulse
doses means it is administered one week in a month for 3 months.
These
anti-fungal drugs produce fewer side effects with few contraindications
such as congestive cardiac failure and liver diseases. Itraconazole
should be avoided along with certain drugs because it interacts with few
antibiotics such as Erythromycin and certain asthma drugs. About 50% to
75% of the cases respond very well to the oral anti-fungal therapy and
in 20 to 25% of the cases toenail fungus can recur.
Oral
anti-fungal therapy combined with topical and surgical treatments can
reduce the duration and side effects of the oral therapy. In superficial
toenail fungal infections, topical anti-fungal agents are advised which
include ciclopirox, olamine and amorolfine. These topical agents are
available in the form of nail paints which can be applied to the
affected nail.
Laser Treatment
A noveon type laser is used in the treatment for toenail fungus. This laser is also used for some types of cataract surgery.
Surgical Treatment
In surgical treatment, nail fungus is removed surgically or
chemically. In chemical removal, about 40-50% urea compound is used to
remove infected nail. It is a painless procedure which is useful in
patients with very thick toenail. Surgical removal of the infected
toenail plate alone is not effective. Additional oral anti-fungal
medications can be helpful. Combining oral and topical anti-fungal
therapies with surgery increases the effectiveness of the surgical
treatment.
Prevention
Prevention of nail fungus is very important because the recurrence
of toenail fungal infections is common. Do not wear wet socks, keep the
nails dry, and do not wear tight shoes. Cut the toenail regularly to
keep it short and while cutting the toenail do not dig into the corners.
Athlete's foot should be treated otherwise it may cause toenail fungus.
More information on popular products that have been successful like Zetaclear can be found on the Treatment For Toenail Fungus website.
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