Treatment for Toenail Fungus

Basically, toenail fungus is a nail disorder which can be identified with discolored and distorted nails. Its medical term is onychomycosis. It is caused by growth of a specific group of fungus named dermatophytes. These fungi thrive well in damp and dark environment that exist inside your shoes and feed themselves on the keratin present on the surface of the nails. It mostly affects the big toe and the little toe but other toes may also get infected. Those people who wear shoes for long hours are at a higher risk of getting this infection. It is highly contagious in nature and often gets transmitted from an infected people to others on sharing of towels, swimming pools, locker rooms, nail clippers, etc. The main aim of the treatment for toenail fungus is to inhibit the growth of the fungus and minimize the damage to the toenail.

Symptoms
At the early stage, a white or yellow spot at the tip of the toenail is the first visible sign of toenail fungus. As the fungus enters deeper into the nails through cuts and breaks of the nails and its surroundings, the toenails become thick and turn yellow or brown in color. Gradually, the nail gets raised from the nail bed and causes a lot of pain. At a later stage, you will find debris under the infected nail that emits foul smell. In severe infection, the nail starts crumbling at the edges.

Treatment
When the toenail infection is mild, it can be treated with antifungal creams and ointments with urea content to be used topically on the site of infection. The treatment for a more serious infection needs to be more aggressive and both oral as well as topical medicines are prescribed. Terbinafine and Itraconazole are two very popular antifungal oral medicines used for toenail fungus treatment. These medications contribute towards growth of a fresh nail which is free from infection. You have to take them everyday for 6 to 12 weeks depending on the severity of the infection.

Another effective medicine used in this condition is antifungal lacquer named ciclopirox. It comes in the form of nail polish and should be applied on the toenail once daily. At the end of every week, you have to wipe off the coats of lacquer thoroughly and start applying fresh coats. It may have to be continued till the time the infection clears up completely. If the raised nail is causing pain, then doctors file the nail and shorten its size to provide relief from the discomfort. In case it is a severe infection and its symptoms are extremely painful, doctors recommend laser treatment which is also known as photodynamic therapy. Laser treatment involves use of a high intensity laser radiation on the infected toenail in order to destroy the fungus quickly.

Natural Treatment
Toe fungus treatment is a time-consuming process and the medicines have to be used for several months. Prolonged use of these medicine often cause side effects like skin rashes and other health problems. For this reason, many people consider natural remedies as they do not have any adverse effects.

Vinegar treatment is the most popular among them. Both white vinegar as well as apple cider vinegar can be used for this purpose. The acidic component of vinegar control the growth of fungus and provide relief from the symptoms. Add one part of vinegar in two parts of water and soak your toenail into this mixture for an hour. Then wash it off with plain water and dry your feet thoroughly.

After cleaning the feet with vinegar foot bath, it's time to apply some tea tree oil on the toenail. It has excellent antiseptic properties that can fight off the infection really well. However, use of pure form of tea tree oil can cause skin irritation. Therefore, prepare a mixture with equal amounts of tea tree oil, lavender oil and a carrier oil like olive oil. Heat this mixture to make it lukewarm and then apply it on the affected toe before going to bed.

Lemon juice is also acidic in nature and is used for toenail fungus treatment. You can apply concentrated lemon juice directly on the toenail with the help of a cotton swab. Or else, you can mix equal amounts of olive oil and lemon juice and rub this lotion on your feet.

The treatment for toenail fungus should not be delayed. If you neglect it for long it can lead to more complicated toenail problems. Once the infection is cured, you should take some suitable measures to prevent its recurrence. Maintain good personal hygiene and keep your feet clean and dry. Wash your feet thoroughly after returning from public places like swimming pools, spas, locker rooms, etc. If you are prone to toenail infection try not to share towels, socks and other such personal items with others.