Nail fungus, or onychomycosis is a common skin disease in which the fungus infects the part of the nail that includes the nail bed, nail matrix, or nail plate. Nail fungus can interfere with appearance, cause pain and discomfort, and affect daily activities. If the infection is severe enough, your nail may be permanently damaged or spread beyond the nail. If your toenails are infected with fungus, you can follow these few simple steps to fix it and get your toenails back to normal health.
Step
Method 1 of 2: Treat Toenail Fungus Medically
Step 1. Recognize the signs
Before treating toenail fungus, you must know what to pay attention to. Nail fungus does not always show the same symptoms. The most common sign of a nail fungus infection is pain or tenderness in the nail. Signs of a fungal infection include changes in the nails, such as discoloration. On the side of the nail will usually appear yellow or white stripes. This is usually caused by dirt buildup under or around the nail, brittle and thickened outer edges of the nail, loose or raised nails, and brittle nails.
- Although treatment for this disease is usually sought because it interferes with appearance, nail fungus can be a serious problem and must be treated. For example, if the infection is severe enough, your nails can be permanently damaged. Fungal infections can also extend beyond the nails, especially if you fall into a high-risk group, such as having diabetes or having a compromised immune system. People at high risk can develop cellulitis, an infection of skin tissue, if this nail fungus is not treated.
- Toenail fungus is caused by fungi such as Trichophyton rubrum. It is also caused by nondermatophyte molds and yeasts, especially Candida species.
Step 2. Don't use over-the-counter medications
Nail fungus is difficult to treat and repeated infections are common. Contrary to popular belief, over-the-counter antifungal creams are usually intended to treat athlete's foot and are not effective at treating toenail fungus. This is because such antifungal creams cannot penetrate the nail.
Step 3. Take the medicine you take
The most effective way to get rid of toenail fungus is systemic treatment using prescription antifungal drugs that are taken by mouth. Treatment with drugs taken by mouth takes 2-3 months or more. The prescription antifungal medication taken by mouth is Lamisil, which is usually prescribed at a dose of 250 mg daily for 12 weeks. Side effects are rash, diarrhea, or disturbances in liver enzymes. This medicine should not be used if there is an impairment in your kidney or liver function.
- You can also try itraconazole (Sporanox), which is usually prescribed in a dose of 200 mg daily for 12 weeks. Side effects include nausea, rash, or disturbances in liver enzymes. This medicine should not be used if you have liver problems. Sporanox can also interact with 170 other drugs such as Vicodin and Prograf. Consult with your doctor to make sure the medicine you are taking does not interact with itraconazole.
- Before receiving a prescription, tell your doctor if you have liver disease, a history of depression, a weakened immune system, or an immune system disorder. These drugs can cause liver toxicity.
Step 4. Try using a prescription topical antifungal medication
Topical drugs are not recommended to be used without other drugs, but can be used to complement drug therapy taken to shorten the duration of treatment. However, if you object to taking oral drug therapy or are hesitant to start this therapy long-term, topical medications are a good option.
- You can try Ciclopirox, an 8 percent solution that is usually applied topically for 48 weeks.
- You can also try the newest drug, Jublia, a 10 percent solution that is also applied daily for 48 weeks.
- Topical prescription antifungal medications may be effective if the nail infection has not yet reached the nail matrix, which is the layer of cells at the base of the nail. Your doctor will tell you if the fungal infection has extended to the nail matrix.
Step 5. Talk about surgical options with your doctor
If your toenail fungus is severe enough, you may need surgery to treat it. The option is partial or complete removal of the nail. After the infected nail is surgically removed, an antifungal cream is applied to the area to prevent the infection from recurring in the new nail.
Removal of the entire nail is usually not necessary
Step 6. Consider treatment without drugs, without surgery
This treatment does not require you to take medication or undergo surgery. This treatment requires nail scraping, which is the removal of dead or infected tissue and cutting the nail. This option is usually taken to treat severe infections or infections that cause abnormal growth.
Usually, the doctor will apply urea ointment and cover it with a bandage. This ointment will soften the nail for 7-10 days, after which the doctor can easily remove the infected nail. This procedure is usually painless
Step 7. Try laser action
Laser options are also available, but the costs are very high. This procedure uses a high-focus beam to kill the fungus that infects the nail. It takes several steps to treat this infection, which means you have to incur more costs each time you undergo the procedure.
This action is still in the testing phase. Laser surgery is not recommended for routine use, until further research is carried out
Method 2 of 2: Using Alternative Treatment Options
Step 1. Apply Vicks VapoRub
You can purchase over-the-counter Vicks VapoRub to treat yeast infections. Research shows that using Vicks VapoRub for 48 weeks can provide results that are as effective as treatment options with topical medications such as Ciclopirox 8 percent for toenail fungus. To treat toenail fungus using Vicks VapoRub, first make sure your nails are clean and dry. Apply a small amount of Vicks VapoRub using your finger or a cotton swab on the infected area every day, especially at night. Continue this treatment for up to 48 weeks.
The yeast infection will likely clear up before 48 days, but continue treatment for a few more weeks after the signs of infection clear up to make sure the nail is completely healed
Step 2. Use tea tree oil
Tea tree oil is a natural antifungal. A study suggests that tea tree oil may be effective at getting rid of toenail fungus. As many as 18 percent of patients who used tea tree oil twice daily for 24 weeks had recovered from a fungal nail infection. To treat toenail fungus with tea tree oil, use a 100% concentrated solution, as lower concentrations have not been shown to be effective in treating this kind of infection.
Make sure your nails are clean and dry before applying tea tree oil. Apply a small amount of tea tree oil solution with a cotton ball to the infected area twice daily for 6 months
Step 3. Try snakeroot leaf extract
In a study involving 110 people, snakeroot extract was shown to be as effective as a topical medication. To use this method, apply snakeroot extract once every 3 days for the first 4 weeks, twice a week for the next 4 weeks, then once a week for the last 4 weeks.
Snakeroot leaf extract is a traditional Mexican remedy and is generally easy to find there
Step 4. Prevent re-infection
There are many conditions that put you at greater risk for infection. You are at a higher risk if you are older, have diabetes, have a compromised immune system, or have poor circulation. If you are at high risk, you need to be very careful to prevent infection. Preventive measures include wearing shoes or sandals when in a humid public place such as a swimming pool or gym, trimming your nails and keeping them clean, ensuring your feet are always dry, and drying your feet after bathing.
- You should wear clean socks that can absorb sweat. Wool, nylon, and polypropylene are sock materials that can keep your feet dry. You should also change socks frequently.
- Throw away old shoes after the yeast infection has been resolved. Old shoes contain the remains of mold. You can also wear shoes with an open toe to reduce humidity.
- Don't lend your nail clippers or manicure and pedicure kits to other people. Choose a nail salon carefully.
- Use antifungal powder or spray to reduce the chance of infection.
- Avoid applying nail polish or using other artificial products for nails. Products like this can trap moisture and create a humid environment for mold growth.
Tips
- Don't borrow someone else's shoes if you have a yeast infection. Fungal spores from your feet can remain in them and can infect the feet of the owner.
- Be sure to call your doctor if your fingernail is infected with a fungus that won't heal or if the infected area is painful, red, or has pus.
- Natural remedies don't always work. If there is no progress after one week, consult your doctor for other treatment options.
- If you have other illnesses such as diabetes, toenail fungus can lead to more serious conditions such as cellulitis, which is a bacterial infection of the skin.
- Ask your doctor for help or seek home remedies.
