Nail Fungus Over the Counter Treatment

[racyrick]

Can anybody please recommend the best topical over the counter treatment for nail fungus on the toes. Thank you

Not athletes foot. I need nail fungus treatment.

[phetphet]

My doctor once prescribed me Lamisil, (Terbinafine is the active ingredient), which worked for me.  

I think you can buy it over the counter, but best to read up on any medicines before using them without a doctor's advice.

[bobbin]

2 minutes ago, racyrick said:

Can anybody please recommend the best topical over the counter treatment for nail fungus on the toes. Thank you

Not athletes foot. I need nail fungus treatment.

Topical treatment won't work... Don't waste your time..

 

Terbinafine does work but not available in Thailand. Make friends with an Indian..

 

Griseofulvin also works. Don't know if it's available here. Terbinafine is slightly better in my opinion. Both are tablets that take about 3 months.. It's worth it to solve the problem.

[John49]

I am using CANDIX liquid for toenail fungus.

It comes with a small plastic stick for application.

I transfer it into a small glass bottle with a dropper – for ease of application

I can see that there is slow improvement with less fungus apparent in the several nails affected.

I’m prepared for a long fight, I bought 3 bottles (each 100ml) last time, something like 39 or 60 baht a bottle.

 

 I heard about Lamisil after I had already started treatment with CANDIX.

It was available here (Boots?), but not in my preferred liquid form, and more like 300 baht a tube (?).

I like the dropper method, quicker and better than getter the cream on your fingers, etc.

 

I sprayed daily with vinegar for a long while – it did supress the fungus and little more.

Other recommendations like Vicks, tree tea oil and the very expensive weekly nail filing with drops (from France?) did nothing.

Got a feeling that there are different types of fungus, so some treatments can work depending on type of fungus.

 

I’ve been doing quick daily treatments for a long while, unable to cure – only supress, but CANDIX seems best treatment to date (for me) with a slow, minor improvement with time.

 

Hard to believe I'm treating daily for so long, but at least my affected nails now look ‘normal’ from a distance and not with that ugly, yellow going rotten look.

I’ve avoided tablets as they come with potential damage to liver (?).

[retarius]

Try fluconazole twice a week for 6 months. Available OTC in Thailand

[steevjee]

I tried lots of very expensive remedies with nil success, went to a Dr in Prachuap and got him to remove it, it did the job but I've never experienced so much pain as the 3 injections he put into my big toe to numb it

[connda]

Topical creams don't work.  If your doctor says they do - find a different doctor.

What does work is a mild bleach solution.  Look it up on the internet.

Also weekly doses of Itraconazole work but it's a slow process.  Look it up on the internet.
Oral Lamasil also works and it's a slow process too. Look it up on the internet.

Using both oral doses of Intraconazole and a mild bleach solution works for sure.  That's a testimonial.  Thanks to the US military over half my toenails were infected.  All but one in now completely fungus free.  I still need to work on that one.  It speeds the process up significantly.

You can also have the toenail removed and the nail bed chemically destroyed.  I've read horror stories about that approach. Look it up on the internet.

With everything said - go talk to a doctor (podiatrist).  Oral antifungals are hard on the liver and the kidneys and have numerous contraindications.  If using that approach you need to do periodic liver enzyme lab workups and possibly kidney function tests. 

You can get rid of nail fungus, but there is no quick fix - well other then surgery.  And even that is not a quick fix. 

[novacova]

Soak feet in a solution of hydrogen peroxide and sodium bicarbonate, scrub nails with the solution. Soak feet in epson salt. Maintain nail hygiene, clip nail tips, file down the top of the nails. Or frequent pedicures. No shoes and socks. Wear flip flops. 

[Lorry]

What @connda said is a good overview.

(I am not so sure about the bleach, though)

But OP asked for topical treatments.

It is actually possible (if you are lucky) to cure fungus with topical treatments, but not with creams.

You need a lacquer, Loceryl (Amorolfine) is the best.  Available in Thailand in hospitals (more than 2000B), hard to find outside hospitals (I once bought it for about 700B, but cannot remember where - I think it was Lazada).

Be prepared to use it for a year or so, and use more than the company tells you. 

 

No shoes and socks, wear open sandals.

Keep feet dry. 

 

[Regyai]

Vick vapour rub (or its facsimiles) works surprisingly well

coat the affected nails completely and consistently

 

 

[CM4Me]

Just like John49 posted, I have tried many many treatments over the years. Some retarded but none never cured, that is until a pharmacists recommended Clopirox solution, applied the same way John49 describes.

 

After several months of applying Clopirox I am seeing an improvement, my 2 big toes are now looking somewhat normal, but its a long slow process

[Sheryl]

1 hour ago, Lorry said:

What @connda said is a good overview.

(I am not so sure about the bleach, though)

But OP asked for topical treatments.

It is actually possible (if you are lucky) to cure fungus with topical treatments, but not with creams.

You need a lacquer, Loceryl (Amorolfine) is the best.  Available in Thailand in hospitals (more than 2000B), hard to find outside hospitals (I once bought it for about 700B, but cannot remember where - I think it was Lazada).

Be prepared to use it for a year or so, and use more than the company tells you. 

 

No shoes and socks, wear open sandals.

Keep feet dry. 

 

 

Loceryl and the like can clear it up faster than that (i.e. in a month or two) IF nail is mechanically filed down first prior to application , for which you need a podiatrist. Unfortaunetly they are rare in Thailand,. In Bangkok I can recommend  https://www.footcare.co.th/treatment

[mstevens]

16 hours ago, retarius said:

Try fluconazole twice a week for 6 months. Available OTC in Thailand

 

This will definitely work, but Fluconazole is strong and is not something that should be taken without some monitoring. Worthwhile keeping an eye on your liver enzymes if you take Fluconazole long-term.

[mstevens]

To get rid of toenail fungus once and for all, you need to address the root cause. It could be blood sugar management issues like pre-diabetes or diabetes. Or it could be fungal like Candida or mould growing in your gut. You need to address the root cause. If you don't, there are ways to kill it but it will come back.

 

For me, I had an OAT test (only available in the States) which showed Candida. I addressed that with antimicrobials and I also took tea tree oil topically for months. It was a long road but after a few months it was resolved.

[ravip]

7 hours ago, Regyai said:

Vick vapour rub (or its facsimiles) works surprisingly well

coat the affected nails completely and consistently

 

 

Yes, long time ago I tried it and it worked fine. Worth giving it a try.

[Dene16]

On 8/9/2024 at 6:33 AM, racyrick said:

Can anybody please recommend the best topical over the counter treatment for nail fungus on the toes. Thank you

Not athletes foot. I need nail fungus treatment.

Intraconazole without a doubt your best bet but works out very expensive. If you go online it will tell you another way to take it other  than told by the chemist,  If i remember rightly that is to take for 1 week in a month,  then repeat for up to 6 months. You need to take it until the whole nail is grown out or it can easily come back so can take up to six months. It will take about 2/3 weeks before you start to see the clean new nail growth. As with all nail fungal there is no guarantee (86% success rate) it will work, due to the so  many different types of fungal but is definitely the best out there at the moment according to google. Has worked on myself and a friend. Tablets came at 150bt for 8 or 10 tablets but if i remember correctly had to take 2 per day.

Onychomycosis of the toenails

200mg orally(capsules) each day for 12 weeks

 

[Lorry]

49 minutes ago, Dene16 said:

Intraconazole without a doubt your best bet but works out very expensive. If you go online it will tell you another way to take it other  than told by the chemist,  If i remember rightly that is to take for 1 week in a month,  then repeat for up to 6 months. You need to take it until the whole nail is grown out or it can easily come back so can take up to six months. It will take about 2/3 weeks before you start to see the clean new nail growth. As with all nail fungal there is no guarantee (86% success rate) it will work, due to the so  many different types of fungal but is definitely the best out there at the moment according to google. Has worked on myself and a friend. Tablets came at 150bt for 8 or 10 tablets but if i remember correctly had to take 2 per day.

Onychomycosis of the toenails

200mg orally(capsules) each day for 12 weeks

 

Don't forget what @conndasaid:

On 8/9/2024 at 2:47 PM, connda said:

With everything said - go talk to a doctor (podiatrist).  Oral antifungals are hard on the liver and the kidneys and have numerous contraindications.  If using that approach you need to do periodic liver enzyme lab workups and possibly kidney function tests. 

 

Young, healthy people have died from buying itraconazole OTC. This is not candy.

[Dene16]

13 hours ago, mstevens said:

This will definitely work, but Fluconazole is strong and is not something that should be taken without some monitoring. Worthwhile keeping an eye on your liver enzymes if you take Fluconazole long-term.

In many recent tests Fluconazole has been omitted because Itraconazole and one other type (cant remember which) proved much better in dealing with toe nail fungus. It is mainly used for other types of infection

[Dene16]

8 minutes ago, Lorry said:

Don't forget what @conndasaid:

On 8/9/2024 at 8:47 AM, connda said:

With everything said - go talk to a doctor (podiatrist).  Oral antifungals are hard on the liver and the kidneys and have numerous contraindications.  If using that approach you need to do periodic liver enzyme lab workups and possibly kidney function tests. 

 

Young, healthy people have died from buying itraconazole OTC. This is not candy.

Intraconazole is widely used all around the world without the need for tests. If you use colchicine for gout it can have a serious impact on your kidneys especially if you are also using gastric drugs like omeprazole(doctors don't tell you that when they prescribe it). There are thousands of drugs that are used, that need to be used sensibly as they will have serious effects on different parts of the body. 

Obviously there is a risk with all drugs, name one, that no one has died from. I think periodic liver enzyme tests should be carried out if using fluconazole for long periods. People with liver or kidney problems would be advised not to use them but it has been stated that Itraconazole has rarely caused serious liver damage that has been fatal.

Home remedies for the majority of people fail to work, a podiatrist can only tell you the possible risks and then say off you go.

With all that said I would not hesitate to say you are wrong, a professional can give you a clearer picture and another reason why they possibly use the pulse remedy using itraconazole one week in every month.

Bottom line, due diligence is required when contemplating using any drug, how they do that is up to the individual.

 

 

 

[Lorry]

1 hour ago, Dene16 said:

Intraconazole is widely used all around the world without the need for tests

Without tests...sure, in countries like Thailand,  India, Colombia.

Only with tests in countries like Taiwan, Austria, the US.

Can you spot the difference? 

1 hour ago, Dene16 said:

Itraconazole has rarely caused serious liver damage that has been fatal.

Of course, rarely. If it weren't rarely that people die from itraconazole it wouldn't be on the market.

But it has happened, apparently healthy, young people died from treatment of a toenail fungus.

1 hour ago, Dene16 said:

I would not hesitate to say you are wrong, a professional can give you a clearer picture

555

I don't think so 

 

 

Anyway, OP asked for a topical treatment. Even if this often doesn't work,  he can give it a try, why not? 

 

For OP: the diagnosis of toenail fungus is not that easy. 

Many doctors just look at it and say "it's  fungus", but they are sometimes wrong.  OTOH, the microscopic confirmation of fungus - which should be tried in any case - is not easy,  results may be false negative.

In a case where a dermatologist thinks it's fungus but fungus wasn't found,  I would not hesitate to try a topical antifungal treatment - but not an oral treatment. 

[mogandave]

I have a Podiatrist in Salaya. I go every three months and my feet feel 20 years younger. 

 

 

[In Full Agreement]

On 8/9/2024 at 12:41 PM, phetphet said:

My doctor once prescribed me Lamisil, (Terbinafine is the active ingredient), which worked for me.  

I think you can buy it over the counter, but best to read up on any medicines before using them without a doctor's advice.

 

 

Why wouldn't he get a doctor's advice?

[racyrick]

Thanks everyone for your replies.

I know that topical treatments are basically a waste, but I don't want to worry or deal with the side effects or oral medication.

I was hoping to find the best-case topical treatment.

I am still deciding what topical treatment to try but as we all know, it will take months to find out if it helps in any way and then maybe try something else. A never-ending story I'm afraid. Thanks again!!

[Katatonica]

On 8/10/2024 at 7:53 AM, ravip said:

Yes, long time ago I tried it and it worked fine. Worth giving it a try.

I’ll second that, had nail fungus all my life, a mate recommended Vick’s Vapour Rub and it has worked unbelievably well, tried all sorts over the years. Didn’t take very long either, just slather it on and get it under the nails, try to cut back as far as possible, or have the wife do that.. mine loves to do mani- and pedicures.