Toenail Fungus

Get the care you need for your toenail fungus.

Our Foot Doctors Can Help with Your Toenail Fungus Treatment

A fungus is an organism that thrives in warm moist areas. Toenail fungus is a common problem that can affect people of all ages, although it most commonly affects individuals who are older. Toenail fungus often begins as an infection in the skin called tinea pedis (also known as athlete’s foot). The fungus often starts under the nail fold at the end of the nail. Over time it grows underneath the nail and causes changes to its appearance, such as a yellow or brownish discoloration. It can also cause thickening and deformity of the toenail. Many people have difficulty with their toenails and need assistance in caring for them. Our experienced Doctors can diagnose the cause of toenail problems and recommend treatments.

Weil Foot & Ankle Treatments of Toenail Fungus

Often our patients are proactive and take over-the-counter (nonprescription) products. However, often those medications haven’t solved the problem long-term. Even if you find relief from your symptoms, repeat infections are common. That’s why is imperative to have your condition properly diagnosed by our expert podiatrist who will recommend and prescribe the best treatment for you! Your podiatrist at Weil Foot & Ankle may suggest a combination of prescription drugs and topical approaches to solve your problem or recommend the most advanced non-invasive Lunula Laser Treatment for onychomycosis – toenail fungus.

Medications For Toenail Fungus

Oral antifungal drugs. Your Doctor may prescribe an oral antifungal drug. Studies show the most effective oral treatments are found using terbinafine (Lamisil) and itraconazole (Sporanox). These drugs help a new nail grow free of infection, slowly replacing the infected part. You typically take this type of drug for 6 to 12 weeks. Results take over 6 months until the nail grows back completely.
Treatment success rates with these drugs appear to be lower in adults over age 65. Treatment success seems to improve when you combine oral and topical antifungal therapies.
Medicated nail polish. Your doctor may prescribe an antifungal nail polish called ciclopirox (Penlac). You paint it on your infected nails and surrounding skin once a day. After 7 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 a year.
Medicated nail cream. Your doctor may prescribe an antifungal cream, which is rubbed 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 an over the counter (nonprescription) lotion containing urea. Alternatively, your doctor may thin the surface of the nail (debride) with a file or other tool.
Medicated Foot baths. One of the latest and most effective treatments is the use of a medicated foot bath in which you soak your foot in medicated water each night. The bath saturates the nail making certain the medication gets to all locations around and below the nail. Prior to starting the medication, your Doctor will take a culture to identify the exact organism causing the infection so it can be treated most effectively.

Lunula Laser Treatment

At Weil Foot & Ankle Institute, we are dedicated to providing our patients with the industry’s leading and highest quality treatment options. We understand that many of our patients come through our doors experiencing discomfort due to toenail fungus. It is our duty to offer convenient solutions that yield real results – in this case – the Lunula Laser. The Erchonia Lunula laser device is a Low-Level Laser Light that is specifically designed for treating onychomycosis – toenail fungus. To find out more about this treatment, please visit this page.
Please contact Weil Foot & Ankle Institute to learn more about our services and to schedule your next appointment. We look forward to working with you to get you back to feeling your best. Contact our office today!