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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Cure for fungal big toenail infection

119 replies

Toenailsupportgroup · 25/01/2021 16:57

AIBU to ask if anyone has found anything to permanently get rid of this. I've had this problem for years and I've tried painting various treatments on and it seems to be just in the top half of my toenail but never grows out completely. Please recommend any products that truly work!

OP posts:
PastyMuncher · 24/05/2021 13:53

Terbinafine prescribed by Dr. Tried lots of other cosmetic treatments including Vicks. None of the worked, but Terbinafine had it gone on 2/3 months. Treated myself to a pedicure to celebrate!!

listsandbudgets · 24/05/2021 14:06

Not sure if it will work but I had what I think was a fungal infection in my ear and nothing seemed to be touching it UNTIL I got thrush and took a canesten pill - bingo no thrush, no fungal infection. I had a pessary as well but drew a line at sticking one of those in my ear Grin

No idea whether it will work on toes though.

igivein · 24/05/2021 14:14

I tried all the OTC stuff (it laughed at them) tablets (twice) laser treatment (£500 and it came straight back after the treatment) and finally after about 17 years it was seen off by neat tea tree oil twice a day.

CounsellorTroi · 24/05/2021 14:26

A GP once told my DH that male and female fungal toenail infections are different, so what works for a man might not for a woman and vice versa.

Thighdentitycrisis · 24/05/2021 14:31

I took the tablets for a year and it went, but it’s back again

I don’t think I would get the prescription again and the risks are real.

I don’t have any answers, just wear nail polish!

Marmite27 · 24/05/2021 14:44

Several months on from my original post on this thread, the infection in my left big toe has gone. This was quite recent though - only been battling it 2 years or so. The one on my right foot little toe will probably never go no, but it’s been decades. It was a good 10 years before I realised what it was, and another 5 before it bothered me to treat it.

It wasn’t sore and was barely noticeable at the time, in all my sandals the toe isn’t visible so it didn’t bother me.

Why worked on the big toe, that did bother me, was alternating schol paint on treatment and a cheap one from home bargains until the infection went. I used one bottle until it was finished, morning and night then started on the other one. Went back to the first when finished.

I cut/ filed off as much of the infected nail as possible every time I had a bath. Every time I got my feet wet, I dry and use athletes foot powder, I change my shoes often and spray with anti fungal spray after every wear.

I do a hot wash for my socks every week, and added dettol to the while I had an active infection. I don’t bother now there’s nothing showing.

I had a little bit of recurrence when I missed a few days for what ever reason, but I cut the nail back and carried on. It’s very nearly grown out now and I’m down to once a day treatments. Once it’s fully grown out I’ll go down to every other day, with a view to twice a week eventually!

It has been a long haul, but with Covid, I’ve had nothing better to do Grin

BahHumbygge · 24/05/2021 14:50

One Christmas I got a really bad cold, so went to H&B to stock up on supplements to ward it off. Well, it didn't work, but I carried on taking the Zinc & Vitamin C lozenges well into January. A few weeks later I noticed that my fungal toenail infection that I'd had for years was growing out, no other interventions. I'd also recommend taking a moderate dose vitamin D, and minimising alcohol & sugar intake... they're antagonistic to vitamin D, an important immune system pro-hormone, along with providing a rich substrate for the fungus to feed on.

MayLeaveADentInYourSofa · 25/05/2021 04:53

After suffering on my big toe nails only for 9 years and working with a podiatrist for the last 2 years I was finally discharged last week with healthy toe nails! I am on such a high as I thought I would never get rid of it.

I tried: the tablets, both OTC and prescription ointments, laser treatment and things like apple cider vinegar soaks and laser treatment. These all worked a bit, but not enough.

The combination that finally worked was removing the toe nail and having 3 sessions of laser treatment and using a topical solution called taverberole daily.

I also regularly sprayed the inside of my shoes and will continue to do that.

Essentially I think it was the toe nail removals that worked.

Good luck and don't give up!

SproutLady · 25/05/2021 05:14

I got rid of a twenty year infection using a version of @Ecci and Bobbin’s methods. First, I got rid of as much nail as possible by filing down and across the flat surface. Then I applied 40% urea gel to soften further overnight, wrapping the nail with medical tape to keep the gel on. After about ten days, the fungal bit had dissolved away, then I applied canesten cream every night. It took about six months to grow out but now I have perfect nails for summer. Start in October after sandal season! I read a couple of medical journal research papers about this and basically they all said the nail itself prevented topical antifungal a from getting to the infection, which is why the paints you buy in boots only treat minor cases.

annie335 · 25/05/2021 06:17

Following your thread as I'm still looking for a solution. Every nail on one foot is infected and has been for years. I've tried all sorts but nothing seems to work. The tablets made me ill so had to give up on those.

justanotherneighinparadise · 25/05/2021 06:24

Following.

Warsawa31 · 25/05/2021 06:30

I had my big toenail permanently removed ten days ago - it's obviously still healing but I'm glad I done it as I had damaged toenail and what I thought was fungal infection for about 7 years.

Laser is about 500 pounds.

The medication you can take orally can be quite harsh on your liver - and it's always worth checking if you actually have a fungal infection - I didn't my nail was just damaged very badly and grew incorrectly. I would have subjected my self to months of pointless anti fungal medication for no results.

Good luck

JustMeAndWheatley · 25/05/2021 06:40

I’ve been taking terbinafine for 2 years and it has achieved nothing at all. My GP just tells me to be patient. This thread has made me think that I need to consider alternatives.

efeslight · 25/05/2021 19:16

Have been trying to get rid of my big toe nail infection for years. It is finally improving after treatment already mentioned. Cut the nail as short as you can. Then file as much of the nail away as you dare. Really thin the nail down. I have been using alternate treatments of vix vapour rub and tea tree oil, but I think whatever cream or treatment you use, it has to penetrate to under the nail, which it can't do, if the nail is too thick.

Ewock · 12/03/2023 11:48

Sorry to revive an old thread but I started using the canespro fungal nail kit a week ago. I can see a difference to my horrendous big toe nail. Its slowly all coming off. Did people then use curanail?

Ynwa12345 · 12/03/2023 20:29

Hi! Don't apologise it's an ongoing battle with fungus! I've had for ten years, tried quite a few things went to a podiatrist who told me to use curanail which I've been using since November 2022 , it has made a little difference but not loads. He said it'll take over one year!

ThinWomansBrain · 12/03/2023 20:47

I had a fungal infection on my thumbnail, looked really unsightly; I used Emtrix® Fungal Nail Treatment Cream, which got rid of it in about three months.

ThinWomansBrain · 12/03/2023 20:56

Forgot to mention - my blood sugars had gotten a bit high; I had a lot of thrush at the same time as the fungal fingernail. Worth getting your blood sugar levels checked, or have you done so recently?

Ewock · 12/03/2023 22:48

Thanks for the tips. I've had a lot of blood tests due to other health issues but haven't had blood sugars checked for a while. Like others I've tried so many different things. Hoping this works and read about using curanail when I've finished the camespro treatment.

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