Kayla Young
Toenail fungus is gross and can can be a great frustration. Unfortunately, there is no fast, immediate cure for toe fungus. But there are plenty of treatment options available that are supposed to work fast. So, what kills toenail fungus instantly?
- Antifungal medications are known to start working right away
- Prescription treatments are the best solution for toenail fungus
- Home remedies and OTC treatments may work for you, but success is varied.
The difficulty is that it even if you kill fungus immediately, you won’t see full new growth for up to six months. It takes time for the fresh, healthy nail to grow.
Your best bet is to call the doctor, but many people don’t want to do that just for an ugly toenail. We’ll look at several options for quick fungus remedy below.
Contents
Medications
Antifungal drugs may be prescribed orally or applied topically by your doctor. In some cases, combining oral antifungals with topical antifungals may be beneficial.
1. Antifungal Medications Taken Orally
Infections are often cleared more quickly with these drugs than with topical drugs. Sporanox and Lamisil are two options. This is because the drugs help the infected part of the nail gradually be replaced with a new one free of infection.
Infections are often cleared more quickly with these drugs than with topical drugs. Sporanox and Lamisil are two options.
A six- to 12-week treatment is typical for this type of medication. However, it will take time for the nail to grow back completely, so you won’t see the result immediately. An infection may remain active for four months or longer.
In addition to skin rashes, oral antifungal drugs can damage the liver. Blood tests may be needed occasionally to monitor your response to these drugs. Patients taking certain medications or those with congestive heart failure or liver disease may not receive prescriptions for them.
2. Nail Polish With Medicinal Properties
Your doctor may prescribe an antifungal nail polish similar to Penlac Topical Treatment The solution is applied daily to the nail and skin around the infection. In this case, you’re not hiding the nail fungus with polish, you’re actually treating it.
Once the layers have accumulated for seven days, you clean them with alcohol and repeat the process. This nail polish may need to be used daily for around six months.
3. Nail Cream That Is Medicated
Infected nails may be treated with an antifungal cream prescribed by your doctor. Depending on the cream, thin the nails first if possible. As a result, the medication can penetrate directly into the fungus underneath the hard nail surface.
Nails can be thinned with urea-containing lotions. It is also possible for your doctor to thin the nail surface by filing it.
Home Remedies You Can Try
The reality is that all of these have mixed success reports.
Much depends on how bad your individual toenails are, and on your body. If nail fungus is only a minor concern to you, you can try these and see if they work. But if it’s a major problem, don’t bother. Just go to your doctor.
If nail fungus is only a minor concern to you, you can try these and see if they work. But if it’s a major problem, don’t bother. Just go to your doctor.
1. Hydrogen Peroxide
Toenail fungus can be killed by hydrogen peroxide. Toenails and toes that are infected with the fungus can be treated directly with a cotton swab or cloth. You can also soak your feet in hydrogen peroxide. Soak feet in cool water for 10 minutes using 1/8 cup hydrogen peroxide. After rinsing, pat your feet dry with a towel.
2. Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is another home remedy for treating toenail fungus. You can soak your feet in vinegar and water to treat fungal infections. Discolored toenails are whitened with acetic acid, and infected areas are prevented from spreading to other toes.
You can soak your feet for 20 minutes daily in vinegar mixed with warm water. You can enhance the experience by adding some essential oils if the smell is too overwhelming. Both white vinegar and apple cider vinegar are equally effective alternatives.
3. Garlic
It is well known that garlic is an antimicrobial plant. Therefore, you can treat it topically by chopping garlic cloves and applying them to the affected nails daily for 30 minutes. However, garlic raw can cause chemical burns if used excessively.
Obtain herbal supplements containing garlic from your pharmacist. In addition to treating skin infections, these supplements can also treat high blood pressure, cancers, and heart disease.
4. Ozonated Oils
Oils containing ozone gas, including olive and sunflower oils, are called ozonated oils. As a result of the ozone, oxygen is delivered to the affected area. This kills bacteria and stimulates the skin to heal more quickly. You should clean your foot and dry it before trying this remedy. Then, put a small amount of the product on your nail and surrounding skin and gently massage it.
5. Snakeroot Extract
In addition to treating toenail fungus, snakeroot extract, which comes from sunflower plants, is regarded as an effective antifungal homeopathic remedy. Snakeroot extract is commonly used in Ayurvedic medicine in India as a treatment for toenail problems.
You should apply the extract for several months every two to three days. If you suffer from foot fungus, consult your healthcare provider about snakeroot extract.
6. Home Laser Treatments
There are home anti-fungal laser treatments that some have reported success with. There are also physician-guided laser treatments as well, which again are likely to work better.
7. OTC Medications
There are a lot of over-the-counter medications like Emoninail, Kerasal, ZetaClear, and more. Many of these use a combination of the ingredients above, and all have mixed success.
There are no OTC medications that are proven to treat nail fungus. And most of the ones that imply that they work against nail fungus will actually say something like not guaranteed to work on nail fungus in the small print.
Again, you can try these if you want, but don’t be surprised if they fail
Who Is at Risk for Toe Fungus?
The following factors may cause infections with nail fungus:
- As we age, our blood flow decreases, we are more exposed to fungi, and our nails grow slowly
- Excessive sweating
- Being prone to athlete’s foot
- Swimming pools, gyms, and showers with damp floors
- Injuries to the skin or nails or skin conditions like psoriasis
- When you are diabetic, have circulation problems, or have a compromised immune system
How to Prevent Nail Fungus
It is possible to prevent nail fungus by adopting the following habits:
- If you plan on having your nails done at a nail salon, make sure the tools are sterilized for each customer
- File down thickened areas and trim nails straight across. After using nail clippers, disinfect them
- Getting rid of artificial nails and nail polish
- Hands and feet should be washed regularly. If you touch an infected nail, wash your hands immediately. After washing your nails, moisturize them
- Change your socks frequently or wear sweat-absorbing socks
- Shoes made from breathable materials are the best
- Disinfect old shoes with antifungal powder to disinfect them
- In the pool area and locker room, wear footwear
Conclusion
There’s nothing out there that can magically clear nail fungus from your toe. Even if the fungus is immediately killed, you’ll have to wait for the fresh nail to grow out. Most home and OTC products have a not-great track record.
If quick and certain nail fungus removal is your goal, make an appointment with your doc.
