Expected Results from Onychomycosis Treatment
Previously onychomycosis treatment was not very effective. Even with the right treatment, onychomycosis or toenail fungus is very difficult to treat, as nails do not get too much blood supply and also tend to grow very slowly. However, advances in medical science have made it quite easy nowadays to treat this fungal infection.
Are There Any Nail Fungus Home Remedies That Work?
Today, the oral and topical medications have improved tremendously and are more effective than medications used in the past. Unfortunately, the rate of recurrence of these toenail fungus home remedies is extremely high. This means if you have onychomycosis treatment once, possibilities are high you will keep getting the infection. This is why people suffering from nail fungus are turning towards laser nail fungus treatment, which is now considered one of the most effective treatments for toenail fungus.
Topical-Antifungal-Medication
If you visit the doctor for discoloration or thickening of toenails which is due to the fungal infection, initially you may be put on topical an onychomycosis medication. These antifungals are prescribed if less than half of your toenail is infected or you are unable to take oral medications.
Topical toenail fungus treatment could be terbinafine (Lamisil cream), ketoconazole (Nizoral cream) or even a medicated nail polish such as Penlac.
The-Downside-of-Topical-Antifungals
You may feel after using the topical medication prescribed your onychomycosis treatment will finish within no time and your toenails will be restored to their earlier appearance and beauty. Unfortunately, this is not the case. These antifungals are unable to penetrate your nail and hence cannot reach the nail bed where the fungus is thriving. As a result, your onychomycosis will not disappear.
Usually, it is best to combine topical antifungal medications with another treatment, such as oral medications. With a two-pronged attack on the fungus, the onychomycosis treatment will be more effective.
Onychomycosis Treatment Using Oral-Medications
As you take the antifungal orally, there is no worry about the medication penetrating the infected nail. In fact, oral medications can reach the nail plate through your body within a few days of starting them. However, anecdotal evidence shows oral antifungals do take a very long time to show effect and that is why the onychomycosis treatment process is long drawn.
There are several newer types of antifungal drugs that can be taken orally. Some of them include terbinafine (Lamisil tablets) and itraconazole (Sporanox capsules).
Disadvantages-of-Oral-Antifungal-Medications
While the older medications had several side effects, the new oral medicines have fewer side effects. But the risk of damaging your liver always exists, as the medication has to be processed by your liver. If your liver is not functioning properly, you could further damage it. Also, many patients complain of stomach pain and nausea when they are put on oral antifungals.
Surgery
If the nail fungus is severe, the doctor may recommend surgically removing your nail. Alternatively, it can be removed using a chemical. When the nail is removal chemically, a urea compound is used. This procedure is known as nail avulsion.
Drawbacks of Surgery
Surgically removing your nail is not an effective treatment for nail fungus, as the fungus lives on your nail bed. Surgery, usually, is considered an adjunctive treatment, which is combined with oral medication to give best results. Also, let’s not forget surgery of any type is painful, even if it is removing a mere fungus-infected nail.
Laser Treatment
Perhaps the most effective onychomycosis treatment is to eliminate and reduce chances of recurrence by laser treatment. The Q-switched Nd:YAG laser, which is state-of-the-art laser is known to penetrate through the nail and kill the fungus living in your nail bed. It is a pain-free way to get rid of nail fungus and also enjoy high rate of success. You never have to worry about aftercare recovery.