Anyone know about toenail fungus?

[shopnfun2me2]

Just wondered if anyone had any personal iinfo about toenail fungus. I dropped something on my big toe a while back and now my nail seems to be getting thicker Does anyone have any ideas or remedies to try before it gets worse? /Thanks!

 

[monkeyboy]

leeches

 

[Wishing on a star]

Did your nail turn black where you injured it?
Are you losing the nail (which would grow back....)

Or is just becoming discolored and thick?

You might want to see a Dr.

If it is fungus, and your entire nail is becoming affected, then that is the hardest to deal with. topical at home treatments will probably not work. The prescription can be very expensive.

If it is fungus, and is not too bad try

Fungi-Nail - it is the strongest OTC treatment that I have seen.
funginail.com
(Read the ingredients before you buy anything, or ask a pharmacist. There are many products on the shelf that are no good at all.)

Also - soak in vinegar. You can soak a cotton ball in vinegar and then tape it to your nail with bandage-tape.

You would have to treat daily for weeks/months

 

[disney1990]

My doctor would not subscribe the prescription that's available to me. She said that it causes liver damage and it's just not worth the risk. She suggested that I use a file to make the nail less thick and then put on polish.

 

[DebbieB]

I had ringworm (which is a fungus) on my arm after a trip to WDW last summer (I swear I got it from having my arm wrapped around a pole standing on a bus). I tried a cream that my PCP prescribed, didn't work, kept getting worse. I went to a dermatologist and he gave me a different cream, didn't work, it had grown to the size of a baseball. Finally he prescribed lamisil tablets. He did order a blood test to check liver function because it can cause liver damage. I was desparate so I tried it and it cleared it right up, hasn't come back.

 

[CF'er]

There is a Dr's column in our paper... Dr Gott.

He recommends rubbing Vicks on nails to get rid of fungus. It takes awhile but people swear it works. And it's cheap.

I've not tried it so I can't say. YMMV

 

[Tinijocaro]

There is a Dr's column in our paper... Dr Gott.

He recommends rubbing Vicks on nails to get rid of fungus. It takes awhile but people swear it works. And it's cheap.

I've not tried it so I can't say. YMMV

100% Tea tree Oil applied directly to the top and underside works wonders. You have to keep it up for a few weeks, but there are no dangerous side affects. It has a similar menthol smell to the Vicks.

Do a search- there's lots of info available.

 

[Olaf]

The tea tree oil worked for me. I soaked a cotton ball in it and taped it to my big toe at night. Did this for several weeks, then stopped, because I didn't think it was doing anything. A few weeks later, I noticed new growth free from the fungus. It took about six months to totally grow out. Give it a try.

 

[mickeyfan2]

There is a Dr's column in our paper... Dr Gott.

He recommends rubbing Vicks on nails to get rid of fungus. It takes awhile but people swear it works. And it's cheap.

I've not tried it so I can't say. YMMV

A nurse friend of mine says the same thing. She says she has patients who have done it and it worked.

 

[Hermosa11]

My doctor would not subscribe the prescription that's available to me. She said that it causes liver damage and it's just not worth the risk. She suggested that I use a file to make the nail less thick and then put on polish.

My doctor was the same. Some women are just too eager to fix something and not learn or know about the consequences. my fungus actually went away. Took about a year or so. I used topical stuff, and even mentholathim (sp) (stuff you rub on your chest when you are stuffy)......and I would SOAK my fee for the LONgEST time and the nail was about to fall off, and I helped it. I wanted to start fresh. As bad as that sounds. I may have been the best thing. Good luck

 

[va32h]

Another recommendation for Vick's. Trim the nail down as far as you can and smear the Vick's into the nail bed. It will start looking better immediately. Soaking in Listerine also helps.

 

[sugarpie]

Amputation might work too.

 

[Miss Park Avenue]

My father swears by Listerine. I think the key is realizing that whatever you use, it's not going to clear it up overnight. I have a terrible case of athletes foot that seems to have spread to a toenail fungus to my little toe. Some nights I treat it, some nights I forget. Months go by and it's still there. Now its time for summer sandals and I am determined to get rid of this.

I'm going to have to add Vicks to my regimen, which consists of Gold Bond Medicated Powder, some equate brand anti fungal cream for athlete's foot, and Listerine. It does seem to be improving but the little toenail is still thick and I think I have to wait until it grows out. It takes patience to deal with this.

 

[Ohiodislover]

Does the tea tree oil, or vick's, or listerine help the nail after the fungus is gone. What exactly does it do

My DD had a fungus years ago--the nail lifted and we had to cut it. her Dr. prescribed something for the fungus, however the nail is now weak, and yucky, and never has grown back properly. It breaks, and splits whenever she bumps it.

 

[Tinijocaro]

Tea tree oil works wonders. It is an astringent, an antiseptic and an antifungal.
http://altmedicine.about.com/od/herbsupplementguide/a/TeaTreeOil.htm

use 100% tto, not a cream with it in it.

 

[LJRJR]

My son (about 2 years old at the time) had nail fungus on his finger nail. The doctor said the medication was too dangerous. So I looked up natural remedies. They said to put the nail in a solution of vinegar and tea tree oil, then soak it in hydrogen peroxide and then cover it up with vaseline and gauze overnight (probably vicks has the same consistantcy). It took about a week, then it started to disappear and never came back. It was such a relief to see it gone. Good luck.

The tea tree oil and vinegar must kill off the fungus and the vaseline/vicks must make it so that no air gets to the fungus so that it keeps it from getting air to grow again.

 

[goofyernmost]

Real toenail fungus is indistructable. The only way to get ride of it safely is to remove the toenail. Seems harsh but you don't need toenails for anything anyway.

If there ever comes a time when it will be fiscally beneficial to find a cure, I'm sure someone will. Until then if you're a woman...use nail polish, if you're a man don't worry about it just call it an old football injury.

 

[wvjules]

My doctor would not subscribe the prescription that's available to me. She said that it causes liver damage and it's just not worth the risk. She suggested that I use a file to make the nail less thick and then put on polish.

I have toenail fungus and my dermatologist put me on oral lamisil tablets (generic terbanifil(sp)). Since there is a slim chance of liver damage I got a liver enzyme test prior to starting the pills then got one last week after 30 days. I will get the test every 30 days. If properly monitered the risk of liver damage is minimal. It is just like every other medication, it comes with risk. I choose to risk it so I can FINALLY have normal toenails.

 

[lovesmurfs]

I have toenail fungus and my dermatologist put me on oral lamisil tablets (generic terbanifil(sp)). Since there is a slim chance of liver damage I got a liver enzyme test prior to starting the pills then got one last week after 30 days. I will get the test every 30 days. If properly monitered the risk of liver damage is minimal. It is just like every other medication, it comes with risk. I choose to risk it so I can FINALLY have normal toenails.

I had the same. Dr. prescribed for 3 months (last July through September), and did a liver test every 6 weeks while I was taking it. Now, the toe nails (both big toes) are 1/2 way normal (the tops are nearly 1/4" thick - ick) -- I keep cutting down and trying to get to the normal nail.

My dad wasn't a candidate for oral meds, and he had his nails removed. It was pretty painful, from what he told me.

I didn't get treatment for years, and tried OTC stuff on and off with no results. It might be incredibly vain, but it's pretty exciting to know that this summer I might actually be able to get a pedicure!

 

[wvjules]

I had the same. Dr. prescribed for 3 months (last July through September), and did a liver test every 6 weeks while I was taking it. Now, the toe nails (both big toes) are 1/2 way normal (the tops are nearly 1/4" thick - ick) -- I keep cutting down and trying to get to the normal nail.

My dad wasn't a candidate for oral meds, and he had his nails removed. It was pretty painful, from what he told me.

I didn't get treatment for years, and tried OTC stuff on and off with no results. It might be incredibly vain, but it's pretty exciting to know that this summer I might actually be able to get a pedicure!

I started about 40 days ago so I have 50 more to go. The big toenails appear to be growing in normal. I can't wait to have pretty nails again!

I actually always thought I just had bad nails. I'm glad to know now that it is something that can be fixed. (Due to just thinking it was bad nails I did used to get pedicures. Once I found out it was fungus I did stop completely.) I am eagerly looking forward to my first french pedicure!