I was very interested in reading all your reesponses to nail problems because I have what appears to be possibly a fungus under some of my toenails. My little toenail on one foot has been completely white and thick for so many years that I can't even remember how long it's been, but more recently the same condition has developed on the nail next to my big toe and less severely on the big toe. The condition appears only on the one foot and seems to be spreading to the remaining toes on that foot as well. I have heard that the process one has to go through to clear something like this up takes FOREVER and also involves frequent shots; is this true? Also, are there any home remedies for something like this? Thanks-
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Fungus (onychomycosis) or psoriasis is probably right. If fungus, then
the treatment depends on your wallet and tolerance or inclination toward
taking drugs. There are several new antifungal drugs that have shown
pretty good success rates in treating onychomycosis in recent studies.
These drugs are not yet FDA approved for this purpose, but that approval
should be relatively soon. Many dermatologists will be happy to discuss
this with you and most are aware of opportunities for "pulsed" therapy
using treatments for a week a month or once weekly depending upon the drug
to minimize cost and hopefully risks. Some folks want to avoid taking
systemic (oral) drugs, so there are topical preparations that can be tried
(over the counter and prescription) but they are not as successful overall
(that does not mean they won't work...I have seen them work great...it
just doesn't work as consistently). Some like a combination of surgical
and topical therapy (remove the nail and then use topical therapy) which
is probably better, overall, than topical therapy alone. Hope this helps.
Eliot
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Dermatology Online: Served by Eliot N. Mostow, MD, MPH
NOTICE: OFCN is not engaged in the rendering of professional medical services. The information contained on this system or any other OFCN system should not supplant individual professional consultation. It is offered exclusively as a community education service. Advice on individual problems must be obtained directly from a professional.
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