Fungal nail treatment options
Common treatments include a range of topical paints which are available through chemists one of the most common being Loceryl, clinically we find a very low resolution rate typically 1% to 2% at best and this is mainly in nails containing Superficial white Onychomycosis.
Other treatments of toe nail fungus include oral medications care must be taken when these are taken as they have some serious side effects which can include:
Toxicity to the liver, regular blood tests must be taken whilst on this medication.
Joint pain or swelling, swollen glands, patchy skin color, or a butterfly-shaped skin rash over your cheeks and nose;
Fever, chills, body aches, flu symptoms;
Changes in your vision;
Weight loss due to taste changes;
Scaly, itchy, and flaky skin rash; or fever, sore throat, and headache with a severe blistering, peeling, and red skin rash.
At the end of the day the clinical results would indicate a success rate of less than 40%.
When one weighs up the side effects as compared to the cure rate the question must be asked is it worth taking this medication ?
In some severe cases of Fungal nails Dr Greg Bastin Podiatrist may surgically remove toenails clean the fungus from under the nail and allow the nail to grow back this cures many of these nails along with topical treatments as the nail grows back the results are very good however the downside to this treatment is post op pain and the fact that a patient will have no nail for up to a year.
This condition of fungal nails is a special interest of Dr Greg Bastin Podiatrist, that is why after doing a lot of research it was decided to adopt the latest Laser techniques developed in the United States.
The treatment involves treating the fungal nails with a Laser that causes death to the fungal elements within the nail the result being the nail continues to grow however as the nail fungus is now dead it simply grows out.
It still takes several months to start to see a result but this treatment is successful in over 70% of patients it is used on.
