Fungus thrives in moist and dark places so give it some light. Keep them naturally dry by exposing them to the sun whenever you can.
Ultraviolet radiation from the sun kills fungi capable of causing athlete's foot. Avoid reinfection by keeping feet dry as much as possible. Go barefoot. Expose your feet to sunshine (but don't get sunburned!).
It is well known that darkness and humidity promote fungal proliferation. Sun exposure has an antifungal effect by diminishing these factors.
However, sometimes a podiatrist may recommend getting laser therapy to treat a toenail fungus. The laser system we use here at our practice is FDA-approved to treat and kill the fungus that infects nails. This UV light will penetrate through the nail to kill the fungus without damaging or harming the skin or nail.
The fastest way to eliminate the infection is through toenail laser treatment. Laser nail therapy specifically targets the microorganisms under your nail while leaving the keratin intact. In just a few treatments, the infection can be entirely eliminated.
Oral antifungal drugs.
These drugs are often the first choice. One option is itraconazole (Sporanox). These drugs help a new nail grow free of infection, slowly replacing the infected part.
Terbinafine and itraconazole are the 2 medicines most commonly prescribed for fungal nail infections. These usually need to be taken once or twice a day for several months to ensure the infection has completely cleared up.
You'll know that the medication is working and the toenail fungus is dying when your toenail changes back to its natural color, decreases in thickness, shows healthy new growth, and you see a clear delineation between the infected part of the toenail and your new nail growth.
Nail polish traps in moisture from your nailbed (the tissue below your toenail). Because fungi thrive in moist environments, wearing nail polish may make a fungal infection worse.
Look for a spray that treats fungus safely in footwear. If you can, expose as much of your shoes as possible to some sunlight; fungus hates sunlight! Cleaning your sheets and your shower more often will also help to reduce the spread of athlete's foot fungus.
People with a poor immune system must avoid sugar, starch, yeast and alcohol. These foods can aggravate a fungal infection.
Finally, while it would be lovely to write off a seaside vacation as a medical expense, Lucy is sorry to inform you that, according to Dr. Larson, salt water has no medicinal properties when it comes to treating toenail fungus.
To get rid of the infection, you will need to treat all infected areas. Before giving you the diagnosis, your dermatologist may also take some samples. Collecting a bit of debris from beneath a nail, trimming off part your nail, or scraping off a bit of skin can be very helpful.
If you do have a toenail fungus, your doctor will likely recommend one or more of the following treatment options: Trimming the Toenail Trimming the toenail is usually combined with medication, but having a podiatrist periodically trim the nail down is helpful and allows the medication to work better, says Sundling.
If toenail fungus is left untreated, it can spread to the surrounding skin on the foot, causing another condition known as athlete's foot. An athlete's foot is a condition resulting in itchy, red, and cracked skin, which can become very uncomfortable.
“Applying Vicks VapoRub to fungus-infected toenails can clear up the notoriously hard-to-treat condition. Michigan State University clinicians found that applying the product daily to the infected nail cleared the condition in 32 of 85 patients, though it took anywhere from 5 to 16 months…”
Fungal nail infections typically don't go away on their own, and the best treatment is usually prescription antifungal pills taken by mouth. In severe cases, a healthcare professional might remove the nail completely. It can take several months to a year for the infection to go away.
The best type of vinegar to treat toenail fungus is apple cider vinegar, a very acidic and strong solution that destroys toenail fungus at the source. To take full advantage of this, mix one cup of apple cider vinegar with at least 2 cups of water – this will dilute the vinegar so that it won't burn your skin.
A warm salt water bath will help relieve itching caused by a fungal infection.