Best Treatment for Fungal Nail Infection

[Loopzy]

I've been treating my toe nail since August last year with Curanail and it hasn't got any better, or worse for that matter. I'd say it's a pretty mild infection too, but it has now spread to both big toe nails.

Can anyone recommend a treatment that has worked for them please?

My dad uses tea tree oil - sprays it on and it's the best thing he has used.

You could try this.

https://www.boots.com/boots-fungal-nail-once-weekly-treatment-amorolfine-3ml-10326227

The best one I know of is not available in the UK ATM AFAIK. It's eficonazole, sold under the brand name Jublia. It's available on prescription in the US and Canada.

Oh, sorry, I didn't see you were already using Curanail!

Vicks vapo rub. As recommended to me by a podiatrist.

I had fungal nails for the best part of 20 years and it really upset me. It was murder trying to disguise my thickened black/yellow green(yes really) nails with copious amounts of nail polish every summer.

I tried every single thing going, no matter how whacky it seemed. I had a bit of improvement sometimes that my nails went crusty yellow instead of black but it was dreadful.

I was nervous about taking the tablets for them because I understood that they can affect your liver, but in the end I just went for it. I am in pretty good general health.

So, last Summer I began my anti-fungus journey and... this year, for the first time in years, my toenails look normal again!

I know it sounds pathetic and shallow but it really got to me that I had manky toenails and it's lovely now looking down at my clear and healthy toenails.

Long winded way of saying 'try the tablets' with the caveat that you have to be in good health and have monthly testing to check that you're not having a bad reaction.

Good luck OP whatever you choose.

I’ve just started using the Asda cheap version of Vicks vaporub and I actually think it is making a difference. I don’t know if it will cure it but it’s definitely stopped getting worse. First thing that’s helped in years.

What do you do with the vapour rub? Just rub it in or do you need to slather it over and cover with something?

There was a thread here a while ago and many people, me included, suggested trying to remove as much as possible of the infected nail (trim/file) and putting athletes foot cream on the nail bed.

Terbinafine tablets. I got a private prescription through an online chemist. Needed blood tests to check my liver every 3 months, but they were the only thing that worked after years of other treatments.

I've tried tea tree oil, fungal polishes, creams. My ex husband gave it to me and I managed to keep it at bay apart from a small patch on one big toe. Met my now husband, (soon to be ex) and his toes were also infected. Unfortunately it's spread crazy on my toes, I hate my feet. I'm going to ask for the tablets and I'm tempted to get 2 toenails removed and let them regrow as they are so bad and ugly. X

I just smooth some onto the top of the nail. I don’t know if that’s the right approach!

@Cathbrownlow did you need to give a toenail sample to determine what tablets to get? X

I took the tablets. They worked really quickly and I had no issues.

Hi @NippyCrab no I didn't. I was advised by a podiatrist that I was probably a suitable candidate for the tablets, so I consulted an online pharmacy, including lots of pictures. They then sent me the tablets.

Previously though, I had provided toenail samples to my GP who sent them off to a lab who couldn't find anything wrong! Goodness knows what they were testing for then, because it was blooming obvious what the issue was.

I bought all the things and when that didn't work I used a tea tree concentrated ointment. A fraction of the cost and actually worked!

I would be very cautious about taking the tablets. They can cause horrendous liver side effects. I spoke to a gp about them last year and he said he would never take them personally.
What worked for me was seeing a podiatry service who removed the gunk under the semi loose toe nail, treated with tea tree and then kept trimming and cleaning it every few weeks until it cleared. Nail came off and nice new one has grown.

Thanks for all the replies, I've never even heard about using Vicks! How often do you need to apply it?

I would rather only use the tablets as a last resort, as the infection is mild. Also, I'm taking some new medication and getting used to the side effects.

@WayDownThere do you have a link to the tea tree ointment please?

@Cathbrownlow So pleased the tablets have worked for you! 20 years is a long time to have had it for, so enjoy your clear, healthy nails! I have avoided using nail polish, as I wondered if that's how it had spread to my other nails.

I'm curious, what are the tablets? I'm struggling with this too.

Terbinafine tablets - https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/terbinafine/

I'm going to get some more cream today. Last night I had tea tree cream on them, clotrimazole because it was open anyway and some vicks 😂
I have trolls trotters and I want nice clear toenails, not even to paint them, just to be nice and healthy.
There's a thread about gel toes vs nail polish and I'm so envious of the ladies being able to go for a nice pedicure.

I use vicks every few days. If I stop, the rot returns - although it's v-e-r-y slowly getting better. I just wipe a bit over each one.

I've heard that any of these work: Vicks VapoRub, tea-tree oil, castor oil, IPL hair removers (e.g Philips Lumea).

Which one was it?

I am currently using Swiftalyn, which is a paint on solution with the ingredient in Daktarin. It’s easy to use and seems to be working OK so far.

I recently saw a podiatrist about this.
She has trimmed the infected nails right down, didn't hurt too much.

Her instructions:
Strict hygiene - use a hairdryer on a low setting to ensure feet are dry
Use Lamisil cream over the soles of the feet, between the toes and over the infected nails for a week.
Apply Gehwol nail and skin oil daily to all your toenails [got this via Amazon] It's much less drying than tea tree, which made my nails and skin very dry and sore. Seems to be working.
Importantly, avoid reinfection by using Scholl anti-fungal shoe spray in all the footwear in the house [again, I got this via Amazon].