Recent studies indicate that there are over 35 million adults in the US who suffer from a nail fungus infection. Most of these will affect the toenails. In fact it is rare to have a fingernail fungus infection without at least one toenail being affected. Given the scale of the nail disorder, there has been a great deal of experimentation in toenail fungus treatments. We set out the five main options below but you’ll find that most sufferers treat the condition using topical treatments such as Funginix.
1) Home remedies for toenail fungus
For very mild infections, using a home remedy may result in improvements to the condition. The most commonly used are a white wine vinegar soak (mix warm water with vinegar and soak the toes for 30 minutes, twice a day), Listerine or Vicks Vaporub applied topically. But it is important to take into account that, unlike Funginix for example, none of these products have been designed to address toenail fungus infections. Furthermore products such as vinegar may bleach the toenail, making it appear to be improving despite the fact that the fungus is still present.
2) Topical toenail fungus treatment
One of the best toenail fungus treatments is Funginix. It has been specially formulated to address nail fungus infections and contains an FDA approved antifungal ingredient. With topical treatments you don’t run the risk of dangerous side effects that have been linked to oral antifungals (see point below), and by following a consistent application routine you will be able to effectively eliminate the fungus from your nails.
3) Oral antifungals
There are a large number of oral antifungal drugs available on prescription from your doctor. These are systemic medications that attack the fungus via the bloodstream. Unfortunately it is possible to suffer side effects from these drugs so discuss your options carefully with your doctor. You may be required to take toxicity tests to ensure your risks are managed during treatment.
4) Laser therapy
It is probably still too early to determine the effectiveness of laser therapy for toenail fungus, but early test results appear to be positive.
5) Surgical removal
Severe and advanced toenail fungus infections can result in very distorted and disfigured nails. At this point it may be difficult to wear tight-fitting shoes and painful to walk about. Surgical removal of the affected nail(s) remains an option at this point but there is little guarantee that the new nail growth will be free of fungus.
