Onychomycosis Treatment; Depends On the Clinical Type and the Severity of the Infection
Onychomycosis Treatment |
Onychomycosis is a fungal infection of the toenails or
fingernails that may involve any component of a nail unit. For onychomycosis
treatment, drugs remain the first-line treatment choice and hold a major market
share owing to a consistently high success rate. Onychomycosis treatments
include oral anti-fungal drugs, medicated nail polish or cream, or nail
removal. The most commonly used drugs for onychomycosis treatment are griseofulvin,
terbinafine, itraconazole, and ketoconazole. These drugs help new nail grow free of
infection, slowly replacing the infected part. The treatment course is generally 6 weeks
for fingernails and 12 weeks for toenails.
For Onychomycosis
Treatment, drugs remain the first-line treatment choice and hold
a major market share owing to the consistently high success rate. However, the
disadvantages of oral antifungal agents are, they require a longer treatment
period and they have more side effects, e.g. terbinafine (Lamisil). A laser
treatment offers more promising therapy to treat onychomycosis in diabetics,
elderly patients with drug intolerance, and people with kidney and liver
disease due to lesser side effects associated with it. Moreover, the newer
generation of oral antifungal agents has replaced older therapies in the
treatment of onychomycosis.
Oral antifungal therapy should be prescribed
only after confirmation of infection. Oral terbinafine is typically the
first-line treatment for confirmed onychomycosis. Taking antifungal pills for
two months can cure an infection under the fingernails. Usually 3 months of Onychomycosis Treatment cures a toenail
fungal infection. Antifungal pills, however, can cause side effects. It can
take between 6 and 18 months for the appearance of the affected nail to return
to normal, and in some cases the nail may not look the same as before the
infection. Terbinafine and itraconazole are the 2 medicines most commonly
prescribed for fungal nail infections.
Continuous oral terbinafine therapy is
most effective against dermatophytes, which are responsible for the majority of
onychomycosis cases. Intermittent pulse dosing with itraconazole is as safe and
effective as short-term continuous therapy but more economical and convenient. The best pill for
toenail fungus is terbinafine. Evidence suggests it works better than the
alternatives with the fewest side effects. Terbinafine results in resolution of
toenail fungus 76% of the time. Taking antifungal pills for two months can
cure an infection under the fingernails. Usually three months of Onychomycosis Treatment cures a toenail
fungal infection. Antifungal pills, however, can cause side effects.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC), fungal nail infections, onychomycosis, are very
common, and fungal toenail infections are more common as compared to fungal
fingernail infections. They may affect up to 14% of the general population.
This in turn is expected to increase the demand for onychomycosis treatment in
the U.S.
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