Treatment of Ingrown Toenail
Fungal infections can affect any part of the body. Fungi are normally present in and on the body alongside various bacteria. But when a fungus begins to overgrow, you can get an infection.
Fungi that are already present in or on your body can cause nail
infections. If you have come in contact with someone else who has a fungal
infection, you may have contracted it as well. Fungal infections affect
toenails more commonly than fingernails, likely because your toes are usually
confined to shoes, where they’re in a warm, moist environment.
Treatment for Ingrown
Toenail
Fungal nail infections can be
difficult to treat. Talk with your doctor if self-care strategies and
over-the-counter products haven't helped.
Treatment depends on the severity of
your condition and the type of fungus causing it. It can take months to see
results. And even if your nail condition improves, repeat infections are
common.
Medications
Doctor may prescribe antifungal drugs
that you take orally or apply to the nail. In some situations, it helps to
combine oral and topical antifungal therapies.
Oral antifungal
drugs.
These drugs are often the first
choice because they clear the infection more quickly than do topical drugs.
Options include terbinafine and itraconazole. These drugs help a new nail grow
free of infection, slowly replacing the infected part.
The FDA has approved the following systemic (works
throughout the body) medicines to treat nail fungus:
·
Fluconazole
·
Griseofulvin
·
Itraconazole
·
Terbinafine
Medicated nail polish.
Doctor may prescribe an antifungal
nail polish called ciclopirox. You paint it on your infected nails and
surrounding skin once a day. After seven days, you wipe the piled-on layers
clean with alcohol and begin fresh applications. You may need to use this type
of nail polish daily for almost a year.
The US Food
and Drug Administration has approved the following medicines that you apply to
the nail to treat nail fungus:
- Amorolfine
- Ciclopirox
- Efinaconazole
- Tavaborole
Medicated nail cream.
Doctor may prescribe an antifungal cream, which you rub into your infected
nails after soaking. These creams may work better if you first thin the nails.
This helps the medication get through the hard nail surface to the underlying
fungus.
To thin nails, you apply a
nonprescription lotion containing urea. Or your doctor may thin the surface of
the nail with a file or other tool.
Nail removal:
If you have a severe infection or other treatments
just don’t work, your dermatologist may recommend removing the nail(s) to get
rid of the infection. Your dermatologist will use one of the following
techniques to remove the nail:
- Nonsurgical nail removal
- Surgical nail removal
Your dermatologist can perform both types of nail
removal in a medical office or a clinic. With either procedure, the nail can
grow back. If the infection fails to clear, however, your dermatologist can
treat the nail so that it cannot grow back.
Comments
Post a Comment