Toenail Fungus Treatment Action Plan
May 31st, 2010 -- Posted in health & beauty products | No Comments »Effective toenail fungus treatments are available in non prescription and prescription strength; herbal remedies are also a popular toenail fungus treatment option. Before using any treatment, individuals should understand what toenail fungus is to keep it from reoccurring.
Toenail fungus or onychomycosis, occurs when a fungus penetrates the nail through a crack in the nail. Nail infections are highly contagious and are often spread in swimming pools, locker rooms and spa settings because these warm wet places allow bacteria to thrive. Though nail fungus can happen in the fingernails, the toenails are much more commonly affected. Individuals with toenail fungus are easy to spot because their toenails often swell up and become thick. The nail may become yellow, brown or black. Odor around the infection, pain in the toe and crumbly brittle looking nails are possible symptoms to look out for.
It’s not uncommon for individuals with toe nail fungus to feel embarrassed and worry that others might think they suffer from poor hygiene or don’t care about their appearance. With toenail fungus treatment, the infection can be cured and a healthy nail will gradually grow in its place. For home toe nail fungus treatments, several natural or herbal remedies are often recommended, though results may vary.
Submerging feet in a tub of same parts vinegar and water for half an hour per day is a favorable remedy because the acidity in vinegar makes an atmosphere where the fungus cannot survive. As well, a liberal amount of vinegar can be applied over the nail a few times a day. Natural antiseptics and antifungal remedies such as lemon, tea tree oil, garlic and iodine are known to be a great natural toenail fungus treatment.
Although these natural remedies are somewhat effective, mild and difficult toenail fungus will require the help of prescribed medications. Seeing a medical professional will as well give you the opportunity for testing to be conducted so the fungi can be diagnosed and the ideal toenail fungus treatment for the particular type of fungus you are suffering from can be picked.
Oral antifungal medications such as fluconazoleare or terbinafine are commonly prescribed for toenail fungus treatment. Prescriptions are commonly taken for duration of about 12 weeks; however, it may take months before a healthy nail grows in the place of the infected one. For some individuals though, the side effects of oral antifungal medicines outweigh the advantages because skin rashes, liver damage or failure may happen. Oral antifungal medications can irritate kidney functions as well as cause heart failure and include other grave side effects when mixed with alcohol and other medications.
Terinafine as a topical solution and other topical based toe nail fungus treatments can be used in place of or in combination with oral antifungal treatments. Because of the cost, some individuals may choose to take over the counter versions of Terinafine or another nonprescription topical toenail fungus treatment.
Medical professionals though, think these treatments to be more effective for prevention rather than treatment of toenail fungus. Even after the infection is gone, the infection may return. For individuals experiencing serious nail infections, or agonizing from reoccurring infections, removal of the infected nail might be necessary.
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