For those stricken by the fungus, onychomycosis treatment guidelines are an invaluable resource. But first you must be sure that you actually have the fungus. The most common symptom of toenail fungus is the thickening and discoloration of the nail. If it is white, black, yellow, or green, that’s a good sign that you are suffering from a fungal infection.
With the progression of the infection, nails can become brittle; entire pieces can fall off. If not treated, the skin underneath and around the nail can become inflamed and painful and there may also be white or yellow patches on the nail bed.
Onychomycosis Treatment Guideline
There are various treatment options for toenail fungus. If the infection is not severe, you can try the various home remedies for toenail fungus, however, if the infection is severe, the best treatment option would be laser therapy.
Vicks VapoRub
Vicks VapoRub has been demonstrated to be a safe, cost-effective alternative for toenail fungus. Although there are other home remedies that may work, none of these (Grapefruit seed extract, thymol, Australian tea tree oil) have been clinically demonstrated to work.
Griseofulvin
Historically, the treatment of onychomycosis has been a challenge to the medical community. Griseofulvin has been available for many years, but its use is limited. This is because it only treats a narrow spectrum of the fungus, requires long courses of treatment, and also has high relapse rates. The oral form of ketoconazole (brand name Nizoral) is much more effective but carries a risk of hepatotoxicity. While it has long been treated with topical antifungal preparations, they can be inconvenient, and aren’t always effective.
Nail Avulsion
Nail avulsion is another option. Treatment using nail avulsion in combination with topical therapy has had more success than some pharmaceutical treatments, but can be time-consuming and very painful. It is essentially a removal of the nail, allowing the exposed nail bed to regrow a healthy nail.
Ciclopirox Therapy
Ciclopirox (brand name Penlac) is a nail lacquer developed for the treatment of mild to moderate onychomycosis. Although safe and inexpensive, ciclopirox therapy is seldom effective, and may also only work for very specific diagnoses; among onychomycosis treatment guidelines, this is one of the less consistently effective treatments.
Laser Treatment
Laser treatment for toenail fungus is the most effective way of treating fungal infections. The fungus is destroyed using a laser which penetrates the toenail and destroys the fungus in the nail bed. The procedure is painless and does not take long.
Conclusion
In recent years, treatment outcomes for patients with onychomycosis have continued to improve and this is primarily because of the advent and introduction of more effective oral antifungal medications. At the current time, evidence supports the use of these newer agents as part of a physician-overseen individualized treatment plan, one that considers the patient’s profile, nail characteristics, potential drug toxicities and interactions, and previous treatments. While researching onychomycosis treatment guidelines is a good idea, remember that all treatments will interact with individuals differently based on their profile.
