Fungal Nail Treatment Options

1 Do nothing

Fungal nail infection if left untreated can be managed by podiatrists who can professionally cut and file the nails using specialist equipment - for example, electric nail files to reduce any thickness. Extra care must be taken to avoid spreading the infection to any healthy nails. Any secondary athlete’s foot needs to be managed, too.

2 Topical treatments

A variety of topical medicaments are available on prescription, over the counter at the pharmacist or visit our online shop for a range of products or telephone us for advise. Generally these are indicated for mild infections affecting the tips of the nail and ideally limited to one or two nails. Treatment is prolonged – often taking more than a year of use, with daily or weekly filing and application to the nails. Overall cure rates are not particularly high, often 20-40 per cent. Common examples are Penlac, Loceryl, Curanail, Trocyl, ClearZal, Tea Tree Oil and Marigold/Tagetes Tincture, to name a few. These are sold to help patients combat athletes foot and nail fungus after Nail Laser Treatment, to reduce the chance of re-infecting the nails.

3 Oral medication

Terbinafine (Lamasil) and Itraconazole (Sporanox) are the two common tablets used in treating fungal nail infection. They are taken for three to six months. Average effectiveness is in the region of 60 per cent. There are reported side effects from taste disturbance, rash, migraine and liver damage. This medication must be prescribed by a doctor and some will check liver function via a blood test prior to commencing. Some NHS Trusts prohibit their doctors prescribing the medication and others would only prescribe it for more severe cases.

4 Surgical removal

The nails can be removed surgically. This is a minor procedure which can be performed by podiatrists and is useful if, for example, a large nail is traumatically damaged and grows upwards. Fungal infection would normally remain in the nail bed, so the fungus would usually return unless the entire nail was killed permanently. The nail should not grow back and the nail bed will heal and turn into normal skin.

5 Laser treatment

The PinPointe FootLaser treatment takes a direct approach, using a laser infra red light to pass through into the nail and nail bed. This light is absorbed by the fungal cells, specifically causing them to vaporise. With over four years' experience and cleared by the FDA (the medical device regulator in USA) this treatment pioneered in Europe in 2009 by The London Nail Laser Clinic has proven itself as the new way forward in treating this condition.