Dealing with a fungal infection in your toenail? Find out how to treat it.

While toenail fungus isn’t really a cause for concern if you are in good health, this doesn’t mean that you should ignore this problem if it happens. In fact, it’s important that you treat the problem as soon as you catch it to prevent it from spreading. Wondering how to treat this fungal infection? Our Sterling and Alexandria, VA podiatrists Dr. Richard Lee and Steven Lin have the answers you want.

There are several ways to treat a toenail fungus. How you treat it will really depend on the severity of the infection and the type of fungus present. Because of this, it’s a good idea to turn to our Sterling and Alexandria foot doctors to determine the best course of action. Here are some of the most common treatment options:

• Over-the-counter topical antifungal medications
• A prescription-strength oral antifungal medication
• Laser fungal treatment

Some people may find over-the-counter topical remedies effective but by and large they aren’t always the most effective. This is because the cream or gel isn’t able to penetrate through the hard enamel layers, which means that it won’t always be able to destroy all of the fungus present. While it might work for some people it’s won’t work well for everyone.

One of the first treatment options that many podiatrists offer is oral antifungal medication because it’s a great way to quickly kill the infection and it definitely offers a better success rate than antifungal creams. While you won’t notice an immediate difference you will notice that as the nail grows out that it grows in clear. Over time the nail will completely grow out healthy and without a trace of infection.

Sometimes a medicated nail polish is also recommended to help kill the infection around certain parts of the nail and skin. This may be prescribed in conjunction with oral medication. This nail polish will be applied and left on the nail for up to a week or more before being removed and reapplied. You may need to apply this medicated polish on the affected toenail for up to one year.

If you are dealing with a more stubborn or severe case of toenail fungus that doesn’t respond to other treatment options then we may advise you to consider laser therapy. During this treatment, the laser will safely and painlessly penetrate the nail to heat up and destroy the fungus living underneath. Again, you won’t notice a clear nail right away but after this treatment, you will see the nail growing out clear over the course of several months.

If you find yourself dealing with persistent or severe fungal infections then it’s time to turn to the experts who can give you the treatment you need. Call Alexandria Family Podiatry in Sterling and Alexandria, VA, today to schedule an appointment with us.