Nail fungus which is also known as onychomycosis seems to be a very small problem affecting one of the toenails; however, it can be quite stubborn and several people who suffer from it may find it difficult to treat and live with. Image Courtesy: modpodpodiatry.com.auMoreover, it’s embarrassing because the affected toenail may become crumbly, distorted, brittle, yellow or discoloured or thickened, so much that you may feel worried to show it in public.Besides its appearance, it can cause pain too due to separation of the nail from the underlying skin due to which certain types of shoes cannot be worn and it can even lead to infection.Let’s see types of treatments available for fungal nail infection.Traditional treatments of onychomycosis may be expensive and time-consuming. Patient has to take medications for several months.
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Topical Medications
Unfortunately, topical medications are not that effective to treat these infections. Topical medications are prescribed to patients who cannot consume oral antifungal medications due to some reasons.These are to be applied to the nails every day for up to 12 months. In some cases, these medications are not effective just because they cannot pass through the nail to reach the infection.
Oral Antifungal Medications
Ranging in effectiveness, oral drugs prove to be quite effective in restoring clear nails. They should be taken for up to 12 weeks.There are three oral antifungal medications that are effective, two of which are fungal nail infections and one is for nail infections.All these medications have considerable side effects like headache, upset stomach, diarrhea and skin rashes, and interactions with several other medications. They can also cause more serious side effects like heart failure and liver damage.If you are taking these medications, you should have regular lab tests done to check blood and liver cell function. Since these medications are incorporated in the nail, they keep working even after you stop them. Moreover, none of them are to be taken during pregnancy, in poor health and in liver disease.
Terbinafine
This medication is 70 to 90 percent effective when used as directed. It interacts with a few other drugs, most notable of which are caffeine and cimetidine. The dosage is 250mg every day for 6 weeks for fingernail infections and 12 weeks for toenail infections.
Itraconazole
This medication is around 70 to 80 percent effective. It interacts with several medications and has to be taken with food. Itraconazole can be taken every day or as pulse therapy. When taken daily, its dose is 200mg once a day for 6 weeks for fingernail infections and 12 weeks for toenail infections.The pulse dose is 200mg twice a day for per month, up to 2-3 months.
Fluconazole
This is not FDA-approved for fungal nail infections but is effective as oral antifungal medication. Its benefit is that it remains in the body for quite long and so, should be taken only weekly. As per initial studies, this drug is 72 to 89 percent effective and its dosage is 450 mg per week for 4 to 9 months.
Laser Treatment for Fungal Nail Infections
A simple yet effective fungal nail infection treatment according to ModPod Podiatry is laser treatment. In this treatment, a laser is used to treat the toenail fungus and it converts the brittle, discoloured, yellow nails to clearer and healthier-looking nails.How does the Laser Work on Nail Fungus?Your provider will pass the laser light through the affected nail and its surrounding tissue. The pigment in the fungi absorbs the laser light and gets heated. Due to this heat, fungal organism is killed.This ultimately helps your nail grow normally.Visit https://www.modpodpodiatry.com.au/north-ryde/ to get more information on this, so that you’ll feel relieved of getting an effective and painless treatment option.