An infection of nail fungus occurs when fungi infect one or more of your nails. A nail fungal infection may begin as a white or yellow spot under the tip of your toenail. As the nail fungus spreads deeper into your nail, it may cause your nail to discolor, thicken and develop crumbling edges - an unsightly and potentially painful problem.
These infections usually develop on nails continually exposed to warm, moist environments, such as sweaty shoes or shower floors. Nail fungus isn't the same as athlete's foot, which primarily affects the skin of the feet, but at times the two may coexist and can be caused by the same type of fungus.
Oral medications used to treat nail fungus (onychomycosis) can be difficult for many people to take because they require long courses of treatment, and carry the risk of several unwanted side effects; some of which can be quite serious (i.e. hepatoxicitiy). Topical monotherapy medications have also been used for several years, and although they are safe and easy to use, they typically are seldom effective.
The pharmacists at Bayview Pharmacy have the ability to compound several unique topical solutions that may help you. These solutions would be easy to use (applied with a nail polish brush), painless, and custom made to meet your individual needs. They might contain a combination of the following medications:
Itraconazole - which is a triazole antifungal, has been widely used for onychomycosis with high cure rates.
Ketoconazole - which is an imidazole derivative, has been shown to work effectively as both an oral and topical agent in the treatment of onychomycosis.
Terbinafine - which is an established drug for the treatment of toenail onychomycosis.
Clotrimazole - which is an antifungal medication commonly used in the treatment of fungal infections such as vaginal yeast infections and ringworm. It is also used to treat athlete's foot and jock itch.
Undecylenic Acid - which is a natural fungicide and is used against fungal skin infections such as athlete's foot, ringworm, and Candida albicans.
Tea Tree Oil - which is an essential oil that has antiseptic and antifungal properties.