How does one treat fungal infections of the nails?

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My friend has a fungal infection on one of his toenails, and he asked me how (if) they can be treated. Unfortunately I do not know (I never had these myself). Typical symptoms include but are not limited to discoloration and thickening of those nails which are infected. Is it possible to get the nails back to normal? If so, then how?
Oral prescription medications include Lamisil (terbinafine), Sporanox (itraconazole), and Diflucan (fluconazole). Lamisil appears to be the most effective treatment for toenail fungus in this group. While these treatment regimens have the advantage of being relatively easy, they do have rare severe side effects, and they are quite expensive if you have to pay for them out of pocket. People taking these fungus toenail treatments should be monitored for toxicity due to the drugs. There is one topical prescription drug available: Penlac (ciclopirox) nail lacquer is painted directly onto the affected nails, but can only be used when the infection is not advanced.

OTC antifungal ointments, creams and lotions may work quite well for fungal skin infections, but they are not recommended for nails simply because they are not an effective treatment for toenail fungus. They are applied to the nail topically, and they don't penetrate the thick nail to kill the fungus, which is protected in the nail bed below the nail. If you want to try one of these medications, it might be a good idea to combine it with one of the other types of remedy to increase the probability of success.

There are many natural healing remedies available today to consumers; some of them incorporate an oral product. Some of these products may be effective treatment for toenail fungus. Perhaps the most promising ingredient in natural remedies is the essential oil, Tea tree oil, which is produced in Australia. Studies of this extract are encouraging, and a number of natural remedies contain it, blended with other herbal ingredients. Tea tree oil is even available in pure form, however there is some risk of skin sensitivity so this may not be best way to use it. Other natural remedies may be worthwhile fungus toenail treatments, but scientific evidence for or against them is generally lacking, simply because the research has not been done.

Finally, there are a lot of traditional, or simply inventive, home fungus toenail treatments. They include soaking the feet in various solutions, or applying substances that are thought to be antifungal. The substances employed include chlorine bleach, vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, dark beer combined with a lactobacillus, Vicks VapoRub, Listerine mouthwash, DMSO (dimethyl sulfoxide), and others. Some people swear by a drink of apple cider vinegar, twice daily, to cure and prevent fungal toenail infections. Again, the primary focus for an effective treatment for toenail fungus rests with getting the treatment beyond the nail to the fungus. Good luck!

**I have read that Zetaclear is a great product to get rid of the yellowed nails. Here's the link:
http://www.zetaclear.com/  (+ info)

why is it harder to treat protozoan and fungal infections compared to bacterial infections?

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why is it harder to treat protozoan and fungal infections compared to bacterial infections?
Bacteria are "prokaryotes"
While animals(inc humans), fungi and protozoa are all "eukaryotes"
There are major differences in the way these two type of cells are organised and operated. These means that some chemicals which are highly toxic to bacterial "prokaryotic" cells have little or no toxic effect on Human "eukaryotic" cells .Antibiotic can be thought of as selective poisons which only harm bacteria .Fungal and protozoan cell are much more similar to human cells and so there are fewer chemicals which are toxic to them without being toxic to the host's cells as well  (+ info)

Can smoking cigars help cure fungal mouth infections?

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I have a fungal infection in the mouth and am currently taking the proper medicine for it. I was wondering though, if possibly smoking cigars may help to kill the infection while I am on the medicine. It would seem to make sense to me, but this is not my area of expertise.
Absolutely not. Smoke is not a fungicide. The only thing the smoke will kill is your healthy lung bronchioles, leaving the fungal infection uneffected.  (+ info)

What kind of doctor to call for internal fungal infections?

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What kind of medical specialist diagnoses and treats fungal infections such as candida and aspergillosis?
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What are some good remedies or products to get rid of fungal infections?

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What are some things or products i can use to make it go away? However, it's not foot fungal infection, it's on my stomach, right where the ribs are, and under my arms.
You should have it checked out to make sure it's what you think it is and not something more serious.

In the event that it is a fungus infection, Oil of Wild Oregano works great on this kind of thing. It's a natural extract from the wild oregano plant (not the same stuff you'd see in spaghetti sauce). It's very potent and good for both internal and external uses.

You can buy it on ebay at around $10 for an ounce bottle.  (+ info)

Is it okay to use anti-fungal meds on pinworm infections?

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I can't find any specific med for pinworms in the pharmacy, there's only those to cure and prevent itches as well as anti-fungal creams as I've mentioned. Close enough to treat ringworms but not pinworms - I've read on the label. So, can I use anti-fungal creams for pinworms?
Pinworms are not fungi, they are parasites, so the anti-fungal cream wont treat it.  (+ info)

Can Fungal Nail Infections spread to skin?

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Ive been told that it cant, only nail to nail, but can a fungal nail infection cause a fungal skin infection on other parts of the body? And since i plan on swimming soon, what is the best way to prevent getting a fungal nail infection?
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How long do viral eye infections take to go away?

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I've been seeing an opthamologist for almost a month. He told me I have a viral infection in the eye. He also said there is no medicine to cure this type of an infection. My vision is blurry in the eye. Is it possible for an eye infection to take this long to go away?
It definatily can...it can take a few days to a few months-maybe even a year. My boss has an viral eye infection that is lasting over five months now. It is a rare virus, but it took over her vision and now she cannot see out of one eye and flies from Hawaii to San Francisco to get treated every other week! Yikes  (+ info)

fungal nail infections are the tablets dangerous to take and what are the side affects?

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ive got fungal nail on all of my nails ( on left feet) ive had it for years and the nail laquer does not work!! the tablets are my only option left. Ive been putting it off but now ove had enogh its going to be summer abnd i want to wear open toe sandels!
To find prescription side effects "The Pill Book" is usually available near the pharmacy counter. The pharmacist might also give you a copy of the paperwork that would come with that tablet. Go to www.webmd.com for a search of prescriptions there also.

About the actual fungus, there was an article in the Sunday section of the Chicago Tribune on the 2nd or 9th of May. They told that Listerine applied to affected area daily can help in as little as 2-3 weeks. And that the pills may take several weeks or months because it works on the nail bed at cuticle where the nail growth begins.

Good luck. I just have one bad toe (on left foot also), while wet from shower, I keep the nail cut short and dab it several times a month with Hydrogen Peroxide. That works for me.  (+ info)

Any herbal remedies for eye infections would be greatly appreciated?

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my mom has an eye infection, but the eye drops that she is taking from the doctor is making her feel ill. Any herbal remedies?
take green tea bags and bil them for a few minutes then take the waem bags and place o the affected area.. repeat every 2 hours until infection clears  (+ info)

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