Nail fungus is a very common condition that nearly anyone can develop. With repeated use it turns your nails discolored, thick, and brittle — and it can be uncomfortable and embarrassing. You are among thousands of others who desperately want a quick treatment for nail fungus treatment time.
The truth is you have to wait while the treatment works for your nail fungus. There’s no exact timeline, but it might take as little as a couple weeks or as long as a year depending on how severe your infection is, what kind of treatment you opt for, and how quickly your nails regrow. Some mild cases can improve in a few weeks, while more advanced infection may not improve for several months. But more treatments, such as topical solutions, oral meds and laser therapy, all work at different speeds and therefore complicate the process even more.
You should know that nail fungus doesn’t just go away overnight. Often successful treatment means waiting for the infected nail to grow out and the nail to be replaced by a healthy one. The key to getting a result with your chosen treatment plan is consistency.
Next, we’ll look at the average time it takes for nail fungus treatments, and we’ll discuss what variables can lengthen the timeline for your treatment and how to keep yourself on track.
Factors That Affect Nail Fungus Treatment Time
Knowing what affects nail fungus treatment duration helps you have a reasonable expectation as to how long it may take to recover. Several factors contribute to how quickly the infection will clear up:
1. Severity of the Infection
How long to treat nail fungus depends on the stage you catch it in. In general, early stage infections tend to involve early, mild discoloration and relatively mild thickening of the nail and should be easier to treat and resolve in less time. However, a greater number of nails involved, much thickening, or a painful or infected nail may require a longer treatment.
2. Type of Treatment Used
Nail fungus treatment time depends on the type of treatment you choose, whether it is over the counter (OTC), prescription or even laser therapy. Some treatments are better than others, and some may even take a little longer to work.
3. Nail Location: Toenail vs. Fingernail Fungus
Fungal infections of toenails are more common than they are on fingernails, since toenails are in a dark closed area and more exposed to moisture, which leads to soggy toenails. For this reason, toenail infections take a longer time to be treated in comparison to fingernail infections in the treatment of nail fungus. They’re thicker and harder to penetrate, so they’re harder to treat.
4. Underlying Health Conditions
If you have a condition such as diabetes, a weakened immune system or poor circulation, the time it takes to clear nail fungus may be longer. In some people, if your immune system is not working properly, your body could take longer to fight off the infection. Also, the treatments will reach the affected areas less efficiently, which may make it harder for those with lower circulation to heal.
5. Consistency of Treatment
In fact, also sticking to the prescribed treatment regimen affects nail fungus treatment time. If you don’t use your treatment plan or miss doses, the infection may not heal as quickly. Achieving faster results is very simple, pay attention to the instructions and be consistent.
Different Treatments And How Long They Take to Work
Signs of nail fungus can be easily figured out without any confusion, and OTC treatments are widely available. The first line of treatment is often OTC treatments for anyone who begins noticing any kind of problem with their nails. Antifungal creams, ointments, and medicated nail lacquers are used in treatments for these, and they often involve other antifungal medicines taken by mouth or IV.
Treatment Time for OTC Options
OTC nail fungus treatments generally take a lot longer than prescription ones. Many OTC products take weeks or even months to produce any appreciable effects. Typically, it can take between 6 and 12 weeks of consistent application to successfully treat the fungus, the more severe the infection. Further, OTC treatments may not provide enough relief for more advanced cases, which means a longer complete treatment.
OTC options are easy and cheap, but not as powerful as their prescription counterparts, and due to that, the OTC options are slower. Mild cases or early signs of infection may make them a good option, but if you don’t get better after a few weeks, you may want to consider prescription treatments.
Prescription Treatments and Approximate Treatment Time.
OTC medicine tends to be weaker than prescription treatments and are usually only used for milder or less permanent fungal infections. Treatments could consist of oral antifungal medication such as terbinafine or itraconazole, or stronger topical prescriptions written by a health care provider.
Nail fungus treatment time is usually shorter if prescription treatments are used rather than OTC products. For example, oral antifungal medications usually take 6 to 12 weeks to get rid of an infection. The medication works from the inside out and attacks the fungus directly at its source, resulting in faster and more effective relief.
Topical prescriptions—medicated nails that you stick on your infected nail for 1 to 2 weeks a day—take 3 to 6 months to work. Topical prescriptions are faster than OTC products, but unfortunately there is still a longer treatment time as the nail is naturally resistant to penetrating topical products.
When prescribed medications, you have to finish the entire course of treatment. Stopping the treatment even if the symptoms improve may prolong the treatment and may also give rise to the infection.
Treatment Time for Laser Treatment of Nail Fungus
The newer treatment option, laser therapy for nail fungus is very popular because of its effectiveness and speed. The laser targets the fungus beneath the nail without harming nearby tissue. It kills off the fungal cells and helps heal your skin.
Laser Therapy Treatment Time
The quick treatment time of laser treatment is one of the advantages of the treatment. A typical treatment using laser therapy just has a few sessions, typically 1 to 3 sessions and it is a complete treatment. The procedure works so that each session may last between 10 and 30 minutes and you can notice improvements in as little as a few weeks. Laser treatment is extremely successful for fungal infections that are more difficult or intense, which allows us to treat you faster than over-the counter or prescription remedies.
The results can be impressive but some cases of nail fungus do require additional treatments. Following post treatment care instructions is essential to prevent reinfection and post treatment recovery.
Learn How to Speed Up Nail Fungus Treatment Time.
While you can’t necessarily control how quickly a treatment will work, there are a few steps you can take to optimize the healing process:
- Consistency is the most important whether you’re using OTC, prescription or laser treatment. Do what your doctor says, follow the instructions carefully, and don’t miss doses. It will speed up results, and this will destroy the fungus completely.
- Warm and moist areas are the favorite ones for fungus. During the healing process, keep your nails dry and clean, and your treatment time apart speeds up. After showers, make sure to dry your feet well, and wear shoes and socks that let your feet breathe.
- Trimming your nails keeps the fungal infection less likely to damage your nail bed and allows it to cut through your nail more readily. But trim aggressively only, avoiding cuts too closely which could injure and increase the infection.
- You also want to try to avoid those environments that expose your nails to moisture for prolonged periods. That’s why the included measures are avoiding public showers or pools and wearing damp socks for hours. Dry as possible will do wonders for speeding up the healing of your nails.
Effect of Lifestyle Factors on Duration of Nail Fungus Treatment
Several lifestyle factors can influence the speed or slowness with which nails will recover from a fungal infection. Some understanding of these factors can speed up healing and guarantee the best results from your nail fungus treatment.
1. Have A Proper Foot Care Routine
It’s important to keep your feet clean and dry. Fungi like a moist environment, so it’s not a good idea to spend a lot of time in damp conditions. If you have sweaty feet, the use of foot powders or antifungal sprays will help to dry sweat and ward off the infection. Also be sure to change up the socks regularly and wear breathable, allowing for a bit of airflow.
But some cases of nail fungus will need further treatments and the results can be impressive. To avoid reinfection you must follow post treatment instructions and recover from it.
While you can’t necessarily control how quickly a treatment will work, there are a few steps you can take to optimize the healing process:
1. Don’t Stop The Treatment
No matter if you are doing OTC, prescription or laser treatment consistency is the most important. Follow doctor orders, don’t miss doses, and do what your doctor says. This will accelerate results, and it will kill the fungus completely.
2. Get Timely Nail Treatments
Fungus live in warm and moist habitats. During the healing process, your nails should be kept dry and clean and your treatment time apart is sped up. If the weather is nice, take showers and ensure your feet feel dry, wearing clean socks and shoes that do not close around your feet to ensure your feet breathe.
3. Regular Trimming
Trimming your nails prevents the fungal infection from damaging your nail bed and making it easier to cut your nail. Trim as properly as well however, cutting too close could injure and increase the infection.
4. Avoid Moisture and Humidity
But you also want to try to avoid those environments where your nails are exposed to moisture for a prolonged period of time. For this reason they avoid public showers or public pools and they prefer wearing socks wet for hours. Keeping your nails dry as possible will do wonders to speed up the healing.
5. Stick to a Healthy Lifestyle
Your body may respond better to nail fungus treatment with a healthy lifestyle. A well balanced diet full of vitamins and minerals will help your body to grow nails and your immune system is better able to fight the infection. Include foods rich in biotin, zinc, and proteins to grow your nails and make them healthier quicker. Water also helps foster healthy nails and skin, so of course, you’re going to want to stay hydrated.
6. Avoid Sharing Personal Items
Fungal infections are easily spread by sharing items. Don’t share nail clippers, socks, or shoes with other people, because all of these can spread the fungus to them. Wash towels after use and always sanitize your grooming tools. Good hygiene isn’t just good for recovery, it also reduces the risk of reinfection.
7. Patience is Key
Treatment of nail fungus takes time, sometimes weeks and sometimes even months before you start to see real progress. Making sure you’re being consistent with the posttreatment instructions will increase your chances of success.
Why Choose Revitalize London for treating nail fungus?
Nail fungus treatments are our speciality – we offer you the best and fastest treatment achievable. Our qualified experts know exactly how to diagnose and treat all kinds of nail fungal infection, so you get a personal approach, and you get the best results in the shortest nail fungus treatment time.
We have made the state-of-the-art treatments of advanced prescription medications, topical treatments and modern laser therapy easily accessible for everyone. The treatments are specific and advanced to the needs of each individual as well as personalized. Our team is dedicated to working with you for a nail fungus treatment that gets it right, as quickly as possible – from minor cases to a more severe infection.
Why Choose Us?
Expertise: Fungal infections, we are a team of specialist dermatologists and medical professionals. We’ve got years of experience on our hands when it comes to treating different stages, so we’re able to create a targeted plan of action.
Customized Solutions: at Revitalize London, we focus entirely on not having a one size fits all ideology. As we take the time to get to know your issues, desires, health concerns and preferences, we will recommend the most appropriate treatment for you.
Advanced Technology: Laser treatment for nail fungus is one of the most effective and fast options from among different available therapies. Laser therapy is specifically targeted to the infection, therefore is quicker, and reduces the risk of recurrence.
Comprehensive Care: We support you and give advice not only from the moment of your first consultation till the end of your treatment, but afterward as well. We are always here to answer the questions you have and so that you feel comfortable the whole process.
Proven Results: We are successful at treating nail fungus and returning the nails of our clients to good health and appearance. Our treatments aim to shorten the time we need to treat nail fungus and provide lasting results.
That means when you choose Revitalize London as your option for treatment for nail fungus, you will be making an investment in your health and you will be choosing a treatment plan that is going to work for you and give you the most effective treatment you possibly can. We genuinely understand the frustration and discomfort you feel living with fungal nail infections and we’re here to help you regain clear, healthy nails as quickly as possible.
Conclusion: Both Patience and Consistency Are Key.
Treating nail fungus certainly is a long process, but if you know the right way to go about and treat it, you can be sure that the results are going to be worth it. Laser therapy is a method to cure nail fungus that takes a longer time than OTC and over the counter medications for treating nail fungus at home. Beginning treatment early, sticking to treatment, and getting treatment that’s right for you are the keys to a successful recovery.
If you’ve got nail fungus, don’t let it get worse. Treat yourself as soon as you can and if need be, find a professional’s help. If you pick the right treatment and stick to your care plan, you can expect to see results within a few weeks and complete healing will take from six months to a year. Revitalize London is here to help you with a guide through the process of nail fungus treatment so that your treatment time is as short and effective as possible. Reach out to us any time for personal advice and hands on care that is just right for you.