Fungal nail infections can be treated successfully, but some types are more easily treated than others. One type, distal subungual onychomycosis, can be a lifelong infection and hard to treat. Another type, white superficial onychomycosis, can be easily treated. If you have a mild fungal nail infection or are concerned about the risks of oral antifungal medicine, try an antifungal medicine you put directly on your skin, such as terbinafine or ciclopirox. You can also use a topical antifungal to prevent athlete's foot, which can cause fungal nail infections. But topical medicines may not be as effective as oral medicines in treating fungal nail infections.
Even after treatment, your nails may continue to look irregular in shape and appearance. It can take a year or longer before they return to normal. Even after apparently successful treatment with antifungal pills, a fungal nail infection can return, either as a new infection or as regrowth of the original fungi. Severe toenail infections, particularly those involving a big toe, are difficult to treat and tend to recur. After treatment, be sure to take steps to keep a fungal nail infection from developing again. Before bed, thoroughly wash and dry your feet or hands and apply a topical antifungal medicine, such as terbinafine or ciclopirox, directly to your skin or nail. Use the topical medicine for 1 year.
Keep your feet and hands dry. Dry skin and nails are less likely to become infected. Apply powder to your dry feet or hands after you take a shower or bath. Wear dry cotton socks and change them 2 or 3 times a day if necessary. Wear sandals or dry roomy shoes made of materials that allow moisture to escape. Avoid tight, enclosed shoes. Injury to the tips of the toes because of tight shoes may be the biggest single factor that leads to recurrence of a fungal nail infection. Wear shower sandals or shower shoes when using a public pool or shower, and let them dry between uses. Don't share shoes, socks, nail clippers, or nail files with others.
Avoid injuring your nail. Cutting nails too short is a common cause of nail injury. If you decide to get artificial nails or have a manicure, go to a salon that uses sterile instruments. Nail manicure and certain nail products can damage the nail or cuticle, making the nail more susceptible to infection. Control chronic conditions such as diabetes. Stop smoking. The problem with using chemical drugs to treat nail fungus is that unlike bacteria, both human and fungal cells are similar on a molecular level; they are both eukaryotes. It is very difficult to create an effective antifungal drug that does not also damage the human system.
Some people consider tea tree oil or cream to be an effective alternative for treating and preventing athlete's foot and mild fungal nail infections. It is typically used to treat minor cuts, burns, acne, athlete's foot, mild fungal nail infections, vaginal yeast infections, and respiratory problems. There is little research on how effective tea tree oil is for fungal nail infections. What's more, medicinal plants deliver profound results to cure a vast array of ailments; recent scientific studies demonstrate this very fact. Plant medicine for nail fungus is targeted with insignificant toxicity and side effects, which is one of the main sources of clinical drugs.
Western culture analyzes and follows up nature that provides human with necessity for subsistence endlessly, and the slogan of conquering nature is even raised. According to medical knowledge, the advantage of western medicines is that they have clear healing efficacy and powerful lethal effect to infectious agent because they are usually chemical substances. Yet at the same time, as western medicines have certain side effect more or less, some present toxic side effect obviously and even can cause serious drug-induced diseases and drug resistance. It is thus clear that western medicines cause serious harm to the body at the time of dealing with animal diseases.
The toxicity issue of western medicines is an increasing concern. Chemical synthetic drugs have a very strong side effects and can cause canceration and malformation to the body, damage of physiological function, and even paralysis and death. While the ingredients of natural drugs are all biological organics and essential materials that are useful and harmless to human and animals selected and left by long-term practice. Natural drugs play an important role in multiplication and prosperity of livestock and human health. When treating the skin, please only apply an organic treatment. To learn more, please go to .
