i'm starting to think i have toenail fungus. what should i do?

Question

Answer 1

See a foot doc: Or dermatologist who can test the nail and tell you if fungus is present. If so treatment can be discussed.

Answer 2

Try tea tree: Try tea tree oil 1-2 x daily under the nail. Most of the time, topical medications don't work nearly as well as oral rx meds for nail fungus. Tea tree has shown to help clear fungal infections, but many people develop irritant dermatitis from it. You can also look for urea cream otc which will soften the nail. Expect 1 mm per month normal nail growth. If 1 nail only, may have tumor mimicking.

Answer 3

Several: Put tea tree essential oil under the nail. Lavender can also be helpful. Soak the nail in hydrogen peroxide. The key is to be persistent, as it can take a while.

Answer 4

Many things: There are many topical medication both that can be purchased at the drug store and homeopathic remedies.

Answer 5

See below: Initially, you can try some over-the-counter anti-fungal creams and powders. If that doesn't work, you may need a prescription strength cream and/or oral anti-fungal medications to kill all the fungus. Any skin itching or peeling due to fungus might get sufficiently treated with a cream. But, toenail fungus (yellowing, odor) may need oral tablets.

Answer 6

There are many: Treatments range from topical medicine, to medication by mouth, to laser treatment. What you have to remember is that it takes approx. 1 year for the nail to grow out clear.

Answer 7

Microscope: Dermatologists take scrapings of the debris under the nail and examine them under a microscope for the presence of fungal organisms. Topical antifungal creams seldom work on toenail fungus; see a dermatologist and get a prescription for an oral antifungal.

Answer 8

Exam: If the nail is changing color such as white or yellow and starting to thicken. It may be a fungus. The only way to be sure is to have a sample of nail sent for testing at a lab.

Answer 9

Topical vs Oral Tx: Toenail fungus, if caught early enough, can be treated with topical anti-fungal gels/creams/lotions etc. Once the infection has progressed it can be very challenging to clear the nail(s) with just topical medications. At that point, you usually will have to resort to oral treatment. See your doctor to discuss. A new laser used by podiatrists may be helpful but is harder to find.

Answer 10

Not on its own: It needs treatment. Topical medications can work only on thin nails or are used as an adjunct to oral medications or laser treatment. In any case, it usually takes several months to obtain results. See a podiatrist or dermatologist.

Answer 11

Fungus gone: There are many ways to get rid of fungus in the toenails. Topical medicines or oral medicines such as Lamisil (terbinafine) or sporonox and or lasar.

Answer 12

See a DPM: A podiatrist can give you a number of treatment options to help you become fungus free.

Answer 13

Medications or laser: Either topical or oral medications can be used to treat nail fungus. The choice is often dependent on the level of severity. Laser therapy is another alternative to medications.

Answer 14

Have it evaluated.: It may or may not be fungus. If it is fungus, there are effective treatment options available. Have it professionally evaluated.

Answer 15

No: It needs treatment.

Answer 16

Nope: If it does, it's probably not a fungus. While a fungus is the most common cause for a thick, discolored nail, it isn't the only cause. Diagnosis is made with special stains and a culture.

Answer 17

Topical or systemic: There are many otc antifungal medications on the pharmacy shelf. In my experience they all take a long time and do not work very well. I have patients use vick's vaporub on the nail and am having good luck with this treatment. They use it every day. There are 2 prescription medications on the market, Lamisil (terbinafine) and sporonox. They can take their toll on the liver, discus this with your doctor.

Answer 18

Few: Choices are topicals, orals or laser. Topicals are the lease effective working about 8-10% of the time. Orals are most effective - shold monitor liver function enzymes when going on them. Lasers are better than topicals not quite as good as orals and while you don't have to monitor blood they are expensive about 750-1, 000 for the treatment.

Answer 19

Many ways...: Topical solutions, oral medications, laser treatments, surgical removal, homeopathic remedies, etc. The most used treatment is oral Lamisil (terbinafine) tablets once daily for 90 days. See a podiatrist for what may be best for your specific needs and expectations. Tea tree oil is one of the home remedies that has been shown to work and some have tried Vicks vaporub.

Answer 20

There are many: There are many treatments for toenail fungus. The most common are Lamisil (terbinafine) tablets, topical medications and laser treatment.

i'm starting to think i have toenail fungus. what should i do?

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