Understand Your Nail Fungus Infection

Learn about nail fungus and find the best treatment.

Welcome to Nail Fungus Research. This website should be used as a resource for people who want to learn everything about nail fungus infections and the best nail fungus treatment options. Nail fungus infections are difficult to eliminate primarily because of the lack of information available.  Our goal is to create a source of information for anyone looking for comprehensive nail fungus information.  By using our website, you should be able to answer all the questions you had before visiting and now be able to choose the proper treatment option to eliminate your nail fungus infection forever!

How Do I Find The Best Toenail Fungus Treatment?

This is the most important question for people suffering from a nail fungus infection. Since not all infections are best treated in the same way, we encourage you to read through our website and learn some facts about nail fungus before attempting to find the right solution. However, what we’ve also done is break down and test the best 10 nail fungus treatments available and compare them against one another in the following six categories:

  • OVERALL RATING
  • INGREDIENTS
  • CUSTOMER SERVICE
  • RETURN POLICY
  • EFFICACY
  • PRICE

Important Information About Nail Fungus

What exactly is nail fungus?

Nail fungus, or Onychomycosis, is a condition caused by the presence of a fungus underneath the nail bed of a finger or toe. The fungus (a dermatophyte) lives under the protected nail bed making it difficult to reach and therefore very difficult to kill. The cool and protected area underneath a nail provides a perfect growing condition for dermatophytes. The fungus begins to spread by attacking the nail and causing the infected nail plate to turn yellow, cloudy or dark-colored. If the fungus is not treated quickly, it multiplies as the condition worsens and then causes the heavily affected nails to either thicken or become brittle and crumble apart.

How do I catch a toenail fungus infection?

There are a variety of reasons why people catch toenail fungus infections. The areas of highest risk are pools, gyms, showers, bathroom and locker room floors and other public places where people walk in bare feet. You can also lessen your chances of getting nail fungus by keeping your hands and feet clean and well cared for. Any damage to a nail such as a crack or split is an open door for the fungal agents that cause nail fungus. Poor blood circulation, regularly perspiring heavily or a weak immune system can also make it easier for a person to contract a nail fungus infection.

Where is nail fungus most commonly found?

The majority of infections occur with the toenails since our feet are exposed to less air and are often kept inside warm and dark shoes all day. Warm and dark places are the perfect breeding ground for fungus so toenails are generally at higher risk. In addition, often people do not take very good care of their feet and that too increases the risk of nail fungus. However, people whose hands are in water for long periods of time or whose hands stay damp throughout the day increase the risk to their fingernails.

Nail salons are known to be a place where nail fungus infections are spread. If the tools are not properly sterilized and cleaned with regularity, they will pass the fungal agents from one client to the next. It is very important to be certain that the salon you go to is very regular and diligent about cleaning their equipment.

What is the best toenail fungus treatment?

This is the million-dollar question and the answer is a complex one. The truth is that no single toenail fungus treatment is the best to fight every case of nail fungus. There are treatments that are more appropriate for certain kinds of infections so it’s important to understand how severe your nail fungus infection is.

Topical Solutions

Topical solutions are the safest, cheapest and easiest way to combat mild to medium-level nail fungus infections.  However, it has been said that topical treatments are not as effective on severe infections. Look for an active ingredient that is part of a group of FDA-approved anti-fungal elements. When using topical treatments you also must get the solution underneath the nail bed and deep into the cuticle in order to fight the fungus where it lives.

Oral Medications

Oral medications are available and are often an effective way to combat severe fungal infections.  However, they are also often expensive and extremely strong medications that are taken for long periods of time in order to be effective.  These medications may have potential side effects to other body organs. Some individuals are not eligible for oral treatments because of the potentially dangerous effects these products can have.  However, provided you are working in close communication with a medical professional who is conscious of such potential side effects, the risks are somewhat minimized.

Laser Treatment

There is very little conclusive evidence about how effective laser treatments are for nail fungus. Some say it’s the most effective treatment and others say it’s a complete waster of time and money. Laser therapy can cost up to $1,000 and most medical insurances do not cover these costs.  However, there are some known positives.  Laser nail treatment is completely pain free and the procedure only takes about 20 minutes. Patients generally need between one to eight treatments in a multiple week period to significantly improve the infection.

Nail Surgery

Having an infected nail removed through surgery is only recommended for the most severe infections. If the nail is heavily damaged beyond repair or if there is pain from the infection itself, removing the nail may be the best method. However, podiatrists don’t agree that this necessarily ensures that the fungus won’t come back. You should definitely speak with a podiatrist before considering this option.