Nail removal: If you have a severe infection or other treatments just don't work, your dermatologist may recommend removing the nail(s) to get rid of the infection.
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.
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.
Prescription topical treatments.
Filing down the surface of the nail may enable them to penetrate more deeply into the nail or the nail bed. In studies, their cure rate averaged around 35%.
A severe case of nail fungus can be painful and may cause permanent damage to your nails. And it may lead to other serious infections that spread beyond your feet if you have a suppressed immune system due to medication, diabetes or other conditions.
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. You typically take this type of drug daily for 6 to 12 weeks.
Symptoms of toenail fungus include yellow or dark discoloration, brittleness, and thickening of nails. Over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription products can treat nail fungus, but it can take 12 to 18 months for the fungus to grow out.
Fungi grow best in warm, moist places, and they can spread from person to person. You can get a fungal nail infection from walking barefoot in public showers or pools or by sharing personal items, such as towels and nail clippers.
Taking antifungal pills for two months can cure an infection under the fingernails. Usually three months of treatment cures a toenail fungal infection. Antifungal pills, however, can cause side effects. Your dermatologist will watch you closely.
“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…”
If they are treated properly, fungal toenail infections typically take several months of treatment to heal. Since the healing properties of fungal nail treatments work as your nail grows, the speed at which your nails grow makes a difference. In general, it takes around 3-6 months to see results.
Antifungal treatments are thought to be effective in treating about 60-80% of fungal nail infections. It can take between 6 and 18 months for the appearance of the affected nail to return to normal, and in some cases the nail may not look the same as before the infection.
However, it's important to remember that killing the fungus won't repair a nail that has already been damaged by it. Unfortunately, you'll have to wait for it to grow out naturally, which could take several months. While the full recovery period may be lengthy, it shouldn't discourage you!
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.
If you share a bed with another person, the fungus may transfer to them via shared linens. Wearing clean socks to bed and washing sheets regularly minimizes transmission risk.
Toenails are made up of multiple layers stacked on top of each other. Toenail fungus can be tough to get rid of because it can get into and in between those layers. It may also sit on top of the nail or grow underneath it. In some cases, fungus can get into the cells that make the nail, called the nail matrix.
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.
Additionally, biotin deficiency can increase the risk of fungal nail infections and subsequent nail plate discoloration. Changes in nail shape and surface. Nutritional deficiencies can cause several changes in the shape and surface of nail plates.
If your nail gets brittle and breaks easily, it's a sign the fungal infection is changing the composition of the nail. If it becomes soft and chalky and starts to crumble away, the infection is starting to become severe.