If there is one condition you don’t want to have, nail fungus is – a common medical condition that can happen to anyone and affects both hands and feet. Often the spot starts small and brown underneath a nail and slowly increases to make the nails thickened and brittle. For many people, the question arises: If they decide to use home remedies for nail fungus vs medical treatment, then?
Many natural solutions promise relief, but in the case of extreme cases professional treatments will be faster and more likely to be effective. So, choosing the right treatment is important to stop the infection from getting worse and help keep your nails healthy.
In this article, we’re going to go over the home remedies and medical treatments for nail fungus, talking about how well they work and what they can and can’t do for you. Here we explain whether you should use a natural treatment for nail fungus at home or whether you should visit a professional and get expert treatment for the problem.
What is Nail Fungus?
Nail fungus or onychomycosis is a fungal infection that starts as a small discoloration on the tip of your nail. It can spread and, if untreated, will cause the nail to get thick, brittle, and deformed. Nails are infected — usually toenails but sometimes fingernails, too.
Fungal infections cause nail fungus; these fungi love humid environments. Dermatophytes are fungi that attack the nail and outer layers of the skin. Less common, nail infections can also be caused by yeast and mold. These fungi can slip through small cuts or even cracks in the nail bed, or prolonged exposure to moist spots, like public showers or the deep end of the pool.
The infection usually starts with a small white or yellow spot under the nail. While the fungus spreads the nail may:
- Change color.
- Become thick and crumbly.
- When severe, it can also cause pain when it inflames, making it hard to wear shoes or walk comfortably.
- Nail fungus can be contagious, so be careful about spreading it from one nail to another or yourself or someone else.
Because nail fungus looks like other nail conditions, such as psoriasis, it’s important to know the difference. Nail fungus mostly affects the color and texture of the nail, whereas psoriasis commonly leads to pitting and uneven nail growth.
Before you can decide whether home remedies for nail fungus vs medical treatments are the right choice for you, it helps to understand nail fungus. The Key is proper diagnosis and treatment if you are to resolve the infection and return to your optimal nail health.
The Importance of Treating Nail Fungus Early: Why Waiting Isn’t an Option
Even if it’s only a small spot or slight discoloration, it can be tempting to ignore nail fungus. Yet, if you don’t treat it, it can become a much bigger problem later on. While this may appear cosmetic at first, ignoring nail fungus even for a while can develop into a chronic, painful problem with your nails, activities of daily living, and overall health.
The earlier you treat it, the less likely it is to spread. It starts with one nail, but it can easily be transferred to other nails, skin, shoes, and socks if left untreated. It is highly contagious and can get worse and spread to other parts of the body, such as your feet, causing athlete’s foot or other fungal skin infections if not treated. And it’s especially concerning for people who use public showers or swimming pools.
Furthermore, the more time that passes before you handle nail fungus, the more problematic it is to resolve. It gets steadily worse, and nails become thicker, discolored, and brittle. As the infection continues, the nail may start to separate from the bed, which causes pain, and the person may also experience discomfort when they walk or put on shoes. It can make a big difference to the quality of your life.
If you have a weakened immune system due to diabetes or circulatory problems, untreated nail fungus is particularly dangerous. If left untreated, the infection can move further into the body and cause even worse health problems. In such cases, early treatment is needed to avoid such complications, which might be dangerous.
In the end, if you are going to try home remedies for nail fungus vs medical treatment you will need to do it now. Treating nail fungus as soon as you can, as opposed to later, is to avoid unnecessary pain and discomfort and reduce the risk of the infection spreading. Don’t wait for it to get worse, take control of your nail health today!
Nail Fungus Home Remedies vs. Medical Treatment
Several people will not be able to make up their minds as to whether they treat nail fungus at home or go for professional medical treatments to get rid of the condition. Of course, the pros and cons exist on both options, and we must understand what will work in our case.
Home Remedies for Nail Fungus: Natural Solutions
In recent years, home remedies for nail fungus have become very popular because they are accessible, inexpensive, and are perceived as a safer and more natural alternative to medical treatments. Some of these remedies may or may not work, depending on how severe the infection is, and can help with mild cases, but they may not work for more severe ones. Commonly used home remedies are let us take a closer look at a few:
1. Tea Tree Oil
One of the most well-known natural treatments for nail fungus is tea tree oil. The antifungal and antiseptic properties of this oil are thought to be able to kill the fungus on your toes as well as prevent it from spreading. A small number of drops of tea tree oil: rub a few onto the nail and surrounding skin twice a day. There’s some evidence to show the benefits for some people, but it is mixed. Mild cases of fungal nail infections may be treatable with the use of tea tree oil but it may not be potent enough to get rid of persistent nail fungus.
2. Vinegar Soaks
Apple cider vinegar is another home remedy for nail fungus due to its acidic properties, which help balance the pH of the nail bed and make it less suitable for fungal growth. The best way is to soak your feet in a tub of warm water and vinegar for about 15 to 20 minutes per day. Vinegar soaks, although, and while they may show some improvement in weeks or months are unlikely to work on more severe cases.
3. Garlic
Allicin, a compound in garlic, is antifungal. Some people swear by eating crushed garlic cloves and then applying the paste to their affected nails or using garlic oil. While garlic has some antifungal properties, it usually isn’t enough to clear a nail fungus problem, even in mild cases. It is like other home remedies that need to be applied regularly and may need considerable time to produce results.
4. Coconut Oil
It’s been said that coconut oil is great for moisturizing as well as antifungal purposes. Some apply it as a topical treatment to ease the nail bed and slow the spread of the fungus. Coconut oil is still being debated whether it can treat fungal infections, but it can help with dry and cracked nails. While it can help with symptoms, it probably won’t completely get rid of the infection.
Medical Treatments for Nail Fungus: Professional Solutions
There are more targeted and better-proven medical treatments for nail fungus available that will work faster and seriously knock out the fungus. If home remedies do not work or the infection is quite serious, medical treatments are often recommended.
1. Prescription Antifungals Topical
For moderate nail fungus infections, medicine applied directly to the infected area, such as ciclopirox (Penlac) or efinaconazole, may be prescribed by your doctor. These are applied directly to your infected nail and attack the infection over time. However, they will require consistent application over several months for them to work effectively; some may not penetrate the nail deeply enough to cure the infection. Although topical treatments are often a good place to start and often sufficient for mild infections, they may not be sufficient when infections are severe.
2. Oral Antifungal Medications
Most cases of nail fungus are difficult to treat, and oral antifungal medications are generally more effective than nail polish or creams. Doctors often prescribe medications such as terbinafine (Lamisil) or itraconazole (Sporanox). These drugs destroy the fungus, which you can’t see on the inside, targeting the source of the infection. The infection can be cleared up in 6 to 12 weeks, but usually faster, with oral medications rather than topical medications. However, they are linked with possible side effects, including liver harm, and require administration under control by a well-being professional amid treatment.
3. Nail Fungus, Laser Treatment
Nail fungus treatment with lasers is a new, but common form of treatment. Targeting and destroying the fungus underneath the nail using a laser without harming surrounding tissue is just one of these methods. People who have not responded to topical or oral treatment can benefit from laser treatment. Often requiring multiple sessions, it’s a painless, non-medical process that involves absolutely no downtime. A disadvantage of laser treatment is that it can be pricey, and may not be covered by insurance.
4. Surgical Treatment
In milder cases, the infection rarely causes damage to the nail, but there are severe cases where the infection has seriously damaged the nail and doctors may recommend that the nail be surgically removed. This is normally a last-ditch effort unless other treatments don’t work or there is persistent pain from the infection. Following removal of the nail, a new nail will often grow back in its place, although usually not for a few months. This procedure does help to clear the infection, but only after recovery time and some risk.
Home remedies for nail fungus may work as a first step for a mild infection, but they can’t match the science or effectiveness that medical treatments offer. Home remedies may get many people into thinking they’ve safely gotten rid of the fungus, but they don’t kill it permanently, and, especially in severe cases, they don’t work that well. They need to be used consistently over weeks or months and the success rate for them can vary greatly between people.
However, for more moderate to severe cases of nail fungus, oral antifungals, topical prescriptions or laser therapy will deliver more reliable and stronger results much faster. Nail fungus medical treatments are studied in clinical settings, conducted under a healthcare professional’s care, offering a safer, more controlled way to isolate and treat the fungus from your nails. Of course, these treatments can have side effects, and can also be more expensive, particularly for oral medications and laser therapy.
In the end, it will be a matter of how severe your infection is, your proclivity, and how fast you want the results. While you may wish to give some home remedies a try for mild cases, if you have an ongoing or serious infection, getting it treated professionally is your best bet for getting well.
Home Remedies For Nail Fungus Vs Medical Treatments: Making The Right Choice
When we cannot decide between home remedies and medical treatments for nail fungus, we should consider certain factors.
Many different factors go into the choosing of home remedies for nail fungus vs medical treatments, such as the severity of infection, your lifestyle, and personal preferences. Here are key considerations to guide your decision:
1. Severity of the Infection
In milder cases, home remedies such as tea tree oil or soaks with vinegar can even help, provided you stick to them regularly. The primary issue with laser and prescription drug treatments for the first two is that they are both slow and unreliable, but moderate to severe infections require professional intervention with prescription drugs or laser therapy for faster and better results.
2. Time and Patience
Most home remedies take weeks or even months of daily application before they show any visually recognizable improvements. If you’re in search of faster results, you could try medical treatments such as oral antifungal medications or laser therapy.
3. Safety and Side Effects
Often, natural remedies are safe, but that doesn’t mean they’re always effective when curing stubborn infections. However effective medical treatments do have side effects. For example, oral medications may affect liver function, and you may have to be monitored. Make the decision considering your overall health.
4. Cost and Accessibility
Luckily, home remedies are inexpensive and easily accessible and are good for mild cases. Laser therapy and prescription drugs can be costly and even require multiple visits to a clinic.
5. Underlying Health Conditions
Medical treatments should be prioritized by people with diabetes, weak immune systems, or circulation problems. In more serious cases, nail fungus can become a real nightmare and professional treatment is a must.
6. Long-Term Results
Home remedies can suppress symptoms temporarily but can’t eliminate the fungus. More successful and longer-lasting are medical treatments such as laser or oral therapies.
By balancing all these, you can select the most appropriate way to cure the nail fungus.
Why Choose Revitalize London?
If you are suffering from toenail fungus, you need to select an experienced professional with whom you feel trusted. Revitalize London specializes in providing advanced treatments that treat toenail fungus at its foundation. Here’s why Revitalize London is the best choice for your toenail fungus treatment:
Advanced Laser Therapy: Our laser treatment fights the fungus from affecting your skin without destroying it. With our laser technology, you get a speedy, effective solution that needs little downtime.
Personalized Care: In fact, every patient’s needs are different, and at Revitalize London, that’s exactly what we have learned. We tailor treatments for your specific condition so they produce the most effective results.
Proven Success: We have years of experience treating toenail fungus and can typically achieve an excellent success rate with our patients consistently being satisfied with the results.
Comprehensive Support: At every step of the treatment process, we lead you through and care for your comfort and well-being as we enable you to recover.
Turn to your recognized provider Trust Revitalize London as a safe, effective, and professional solution to toenail fungus.
Conclusion
Although toenail fungus can be a frustrating, persistent condition, you don’t have to let it affect your life. If possible, take action as soon as you suspect a fungus in your nail. Home remedies for nail fungus, or even some professional medical treatments, work best if you attempt to prevent the infection from getting any worse. You’ll find Revitalize London to be offering the best solutions when you are looking for a safe, effective, tailored treatment with proven results. Don’t let toenail fungus take you out — but get started with healthier, fungus-free nails today. Consult with Revitalize London and allow us to provide you with your confidence!