The main provoking factor of nail fungus is infection - the penetration of pathogens into the nail plate. Therefore, to defeat the disease, doctors are prescribed various remedies for foot fungus. In the pharmacy chain, at the moment, they are presented in a wide range: tablets, sprays, as well as varnishes and ointments. With a timely and complex impact, the disease can be treated in a short time.
Types of medications for nail fungus
In direct dependence on the clinical characteristics of the fungal infection, as well as the prevalence of the disease, the specialist will recommend the best therapeutic option.
With onychomycosis, medications are chosen from the following types:
- With fungicidal effect: effectively inhibits the activity of most subgroups of fungi.
- Media from the allylamines subgroup are effective against mold and yeast microorganisms.
- Morpholine-based preparations - suppress the viability of fungi due to a violation in the structure of their membrane.
- Other medicines: based on undecylenic acid, with essential oils, with plant ingredients.
When choosing a particular antifungal agent, the doctor should take into account its price, since therapeutic measures will have to be carried out for a long time, sometimes up to six months or more.
Topical preparations
To suppress the fungal flora directly in the nail tissues, experts are considering drugs with local antifungal action. The pharmaceutical industry produces them in several ways:
- ointments, creams;
- varnishes
- aerosol sprays
- serums, solutions;
- keratolytic patches.
As a rule, the listed funds will be effective at the initial stage of onychomycosis: in case of damage by fungal microorganisms, no more than 2/3 of the nail area in 1-2 fingers. In other cases, local therapy is carried out as an additional measure to combat the disease.
The use of antifungal varnishes and creams has its own characteristics: to accelerate the penetration of the active components of the drug from inside the fungus, preliminary preparation is required:
- steaming the affected part of the nail, for example, in a soda salt solution during a foot bath;
- removal of the diseased part of the nail, for example, with pedicure scissors or a file;
- applying a disinfectant solution;
- treatment with antifungal medication.
A healthy nail will gradually grow back. However, this will require patience.
Systemic drugs
In the case of a massive infection with fungal microorganisms (a large lesion area, infection not only of the nails, but also of other parts of the body with vivid clinical manifestations, the formation of complications), doctors turn to systemic drugs. Its objective is to suppress the growth as much as possible, as well as the reproduction of pathogens of the fungus.
Of course, these drugs have their own advantages:
- the ability to penetrate deeper into tissues, from which local funds are deprived;
- preservation of drug concentration at the application sites for a longer time, up to several weeks, even months;
- less laboriousness of use, especially with various foci of fungi - it is enough to take tablets 1-2 times a day;
- Profitability: as a rule, 1 bottle of the medicine from the fungus is enough for the course of treatment.
Of the shortcomings of antifungal drugs, doctors indicate:
- increased toxicity to the digestive system and the patient's body as a whole;
- the inability to use in certain subgroups of patients, for example, in children, pregnant women and the elderly;
- Some systemic antifungal medications are reduced to enter the body only under stationary conditions.
To reduce the risk of side effects from taking drugs, experts prescribe them in short courses, in complex therapies, along with local varnishes or sprays.
List of effective medications for toenail fungus
It is difficult for a person who is unaware of the characteristics and mechanisms of the antifungal effect of pharmaceutical drugs to find out which drugs will have the desired therapeutic effect faster. In the arsenal of a modern mycologist, there are many powerful and proven remedies for fungi:
- Antifungal varnishes.
- Fungicidal creams are recommended for superficial penetration of the fungus into the nail or to damage the adjacent soft tissues of the fingers.
- Keratolytic agents are an excellent alternative to hardware to get rid of foot fungus, they are recommended for extensive injuries.
- Systemic Antifungals - Needed for severe nail fungus.
Self-medication of a fungal disease is absolutely unacceptable. A physician must select the best drug regimens for fungal microorganisms. In this case, the treatment will be effective, fast and safe.
Advantages and disadvantages of drugs of the allylamine subgroup.
In the pharmacy network, the drugs of the allylamine subgroup are presented in different dosage forms:
- cream,
- tablets
- spray.
The drug is a prominent representative of the antifungal drugs of the allylamines subgroup. Therefore, it is inherent to have a potent antifungal effect against most fungal microorganisms.
When taken orally, the active component of the drug accumulates rapidly in the tissues. At the same time, the systemic effect can persist for a long time due to the high concentration of the fungicidal drug in the nail bed. Thanks to this feature, the treatment time for onychomycosis can be significantly reduced.
Contraindications are indicated in the attached detailed instructions from the manufacturer:
- individual human hyperreaction to the main and additional components of the drug;
- children of the infected: children up to 10 to 12 years old;
- decompensated disorders of the liver cells, as well as the kidney.
With extreme caution, a remedy for the fungus is prescribed for people prone to allergic diseases. Sometimes, against the background of therapy, undesirable effects are formed:
- Headaches
- dyspeptic disorders;
- joint and muscle pain;
- allergic rashes;
- sleep disorders;
- Hair loss.
The cost of the drug will depend on the form of release, the region and the volume of the bottle.
Features of the use of drugs based on terbinafine.
Mycologists begin antifungal treatment with terbinafine-based drugs, as the manufacturer produces the drug in various forms, from tablets and solutions to varnishes and sprays. This expands the chances of getting rid of nail fungus even in the advanced stage of the disease course.
With the correct selection of the antifungal therapy regimen, positive results are noticeable at the end of the second week from the moment these funds are used. Spraying the active ingredient in the form of a spray, as well as taking tablets, is considered a particularly successful combination.
However, the main advantage of the drug against the fungus is a wide range of local forms. So, on the pharmacy shelf there are varnishes, ointments and sprays. It is enough to apply them promptly, which avoids unwanted systemic complications. In this case, the concentration of the active substance remains high for a long time. This allows you to use the drug not only for therapeutic purposes, but also for prophylactic purposes, to prevent reinfection of the nails. It is extremely rare that a medicine for a fungus can cause:
- eruptions
- increased local burning;
- unpleasant itching after application.
The tablet form, when taken uncontrollably, can cause disorders of the functioning of the immune, nervous, as well as digestive and musculoskeletal systems.
Fluconazole-based fungal treatment
A modern and powerful agent, containing fluconazole, as a rule, is introduced into the antifungal therapy regimen, even in case of infection of the toenails, with massive lesions by fungal microorganisms. Available in two forms: tablets and capsules.
The manufacturer's instructions for use describe in detail the best scheme for influencing the fungus for different types of onychomycosis. Since the treatment will require prolonged use of tablets, the frequency of administration and duration of therapy are selected individually by the mycologist.
In combination with local forms of antifungal drugs - varnishes, sprays, drugs of this group in capsules will have the required therapeutic effect. This speeds up recovery time many times: nails are clean and beautiful.
Contraindications of the drug:
- children under 12 years of age;
- in women - the period of intrauterine loading of the fetus;
- lactation;
- severe functional disorders in the structure of the liver, as well as in the kidney tubules;
- individual hyperreaction.
The cost directly depends on whether the original active substance is used for the production of tablets. The drugs are quite affordable in terms of price. While their counterparts can cause significant financial damage.
Alternative remedies for nail fungus
In addition to the advertised antifungal drugs, alternative drugs will cope with the disease. They are popular with doctors and patients:
- Antiseptics - have a pronounced disinfectant and bactericidal effect, while such drugs are enough to apply once a day for two months;
- Oral air freshener with menthol - used in the form of foot baths, for example, in combination with apple cider vinegar, the duration of the procedure is about 15-20 minutes every day;
- Boric acid based products: to eliminate nail fungus when used correctly.
Success in fighting toenail fungus largely depends on the timeliness of the antifungal treatment started. Even a single small spot can indicate the penetration of fungal microorganisms into the thickness of the nail plate. It is necessary to treat them in a complex way, with the help of tablets, ointments, medicinal varnishes.