Nail Fungus Treatments – What Everybody Ought to Know

By: Susan Miller MS BSN RN

Nail fungus, otherwise known as Onychomycosis, has been recognized as being a very difficult type of fungal infection to treat. It is a cosmetic condition that most often affects the toenails. Risk factors for nail fungus include increased age, male gender, diabetes, nail trauma, hyperhydrosis, peripheral vascular disease, athlete’s foot, immunodeficiency, poor hygiene, and chronic exposure of the nails to water. There are many species of fungus that can infect the nail. Often in nail infections several types of fungus will be present at the same time. All nail fungus infections result in thickened, discolored, and distorted nails.

In the past, treatment options were limited and often not very effective. Now there are several treatment options available to cure nail fungus. It is important to see your health care provider to ensure that it is truly a fungal infection you are dealing with before any treatment starts. There are other disorders (such as: Psoriasis, Lichen planus, contact dermatitis, and certain bacterial infections) that can cause similar looking nail problems. Your doctor can verify if it is indeed a fungal infection by examining nail scrapings and clippings under a microscope and submitting these samples to a lab to be cultured.

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Topical Treatments for Nail Fungus

Nowadays there are many products available to treat toenail fungus, of these treatments there are oral or topical, and natural or prescription. The topical treatment is often preferred over the systemic medication because the topical treatment has far fewer side effects than the oral. The prescription medication Penlac (Ciclopirox) is a fairly new drug only approved in the United States by the FDA in 1999, and then in 2004 in Canada. This was extremely exciting news in the medical world as the common treatment for toenail fungus until this point was a long harsh regimen of oral anti-fungal medication, which carried a high risk of side affects.

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All about Toenail Fungus

Infections related to toenail fungus are fairly common conditions that affect approximately 10% of the American population. The fungus that invades your nail is a living organism that thrives in dark, damp conditions. While the fungus has the potential to occur in the fingernail, it is far more common in the toes because of the desirable environment of the foot. This fungus can live along side the nail, or under the nail; however, this may depend on many factors such as the progression or severity of the condition.

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Tea Tree Oil – Nature’s Cure for Nail Fungus

Rarely is there a natural treatment that comes along so effective that medical doctors suggest using it before prescription medicine. Well, tea tree oil is one of those rare cases, many doctors and hospitals alike suggest the use of tea tree oil over the more harsh effects of prescription medication. This natural medicine is so effective that it has been suggested as a therapeutic remedy by the Mayo clinic. To better understand the effects of tea tree oil, you must understand the plant itself, and its physical properties.

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Prescription Medication for Toenail Fungal Infections

Medications used to treat toenail fungal infections are classified as an anti-fungal. These drugs are often taken by mouth, and have frequently been associated with a long list of risky side effects, as well as being rather pricey. While the majority of prescribed anti-fungal agents are oral medication, there are also a few topical fungicides that doctors use to treat an infection in the early stages. Oral or topical the normal length of treatment is 12 weeks for toenail fungus and 6 week for fingernail.

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Do the Natural Products on the Web Actually Cure Toenail Fungus

There are several products available on the web, and all of them claim to be the very best at curing toenail fungal infections. However, there are two products that stand out against the rest they are Zetaclear and Nail Rx. There are many success story’s associated with these products and the best thing is they are all natural. Many of these toenail fungal infection medications are quite pricey and this is no exception when it comes to Zetaclear and Nail Rx, Zetaclear will run you about $60.00 for two bottles, and Nail Rx is about $75.00 for two.

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Can I Cure my Toenail Fungus?

Curing your toenail fungus can prove to be expensive, time consuming, and extremely difficult! Often times doctors fail to use the word cure in association with onychomycosis, or more commonly known as toenail fungus. You may find your doctor using words such as treating, killing the fungi, or dealing with the fungus. This is because a toenail fungal infection has a tendency lie dormant for a period of time, leaving the individual symptom free, and then coming back suddenly. Just because your doctor is hesitant to use the word cure, does not mean that it is impossible to cure.

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Natural Treatments for Fungal Infections of the Toenail

Nowadays it seems as if there are natural treatments for every possible condition and ailment that affects us… and there pretty much is. However, choosing the correct medication for your specific needs is very important. Despite common beliefs herbal medicine is more than a combination of daily vitamins, if you have a pre-existing condition it is extremely important that you check with your doctor before adding any type of herbal medicine, or supplements. That said, let me say that applying an herbal fungicide to a toenail fungal infection can, and does, prove to be very effective. 

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Home Remedies for Toenail Fungal Infections

Many of us think of home remedies as some ancient form of hillbilly medicine that Grandma Betty Jo passed down from her Grandma, who passed it down from her Grandma, and so on. Many of the home remedies we as a culture perform today have been passed down from our grandparents simply because they grew up in a different time era where running to the doctor for a cut, or runny nose, was clearly out of the question! Times were much harder and making due with what they had in the medicine cabinet, and sometimes under the kitchen sink, was they only treatment available. I have heard it said that home remedies are experimental medicine at its finest, that I am not so sure of, but what I am sure of is some of these remedies truly work!

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How Can I Tell If I Have Toenail Fungus?

Fungal infections of the toenails are quite common, and are caused by microorganisms that make their way into the tiny cracks in our skin, usually around the toenails. The toes are most often the site of infection because of the favorable environment of the foot… dark and damp. There are several indications or symptoms of a toenail fungus, and if you know what to look for these symptoms are very easy to spot.

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