There are several ways that doctors can take care of the nail fungus you experience. Among them:
Prescribe oral antifungal drugs
To eradicate the fungus that causes nail fungus, doctors will provide antifungal drugs. The process of healing nail fungus with this type of medication usually takes about four months. That time is needed to get the fungus-free nails and grow perfectly.
Give medicine in the form of cream
Other treatments that can be done are using antifungal creams or ointments. Its use is done by applying it to the infected nail. Make sure the nails are soaked and thinned before applying the cream. Nail thinning is needed so that the antifungal cream more easily penetrates the nail layer, so that nail fungus is more easily removed.
Give medicine in the form of nail polish
Another drug that doctors may prescribe is nail polish that has antifungal properties. This antifungal nail polish is called ciclopirox. Its use is to coat the nails and the skin around the infected nail. At the beginning of use, nail polish will be left for seven days before cleaning with alcohol. Furthermore, the use of antifungal nail polish must be done every day for a year, until the fungus-free nails are actually obtained.
Nail removal surgery
Revocation of nails infected with fungi will be recommended by a doctor if it has caused unbearable pain. With the removal of the infected nail, the new nail will then grow in the same place. The healing process with this method can take a year until new nails grow perfectly. And this process requires minor surgery (minor surgery).
Laser therapy
One modern method that can be done, namely using laser therapy. Some recent research shows that the use of laser therapy is effective for treating nail fungus. However, this type of treatment is quite expensive and not commonly used as a method of handling nail fungus in general.
Even though it is not a serious disease, it needs a long time to treat it. At least, it takes a minimum of two to four months for you to be free of nail fungus. In addition, even though you have taken care and treatment, nail fungus can come back if you do not maintain nail cleanliness properly.
Some preventive ways to minimize nail fungus infection include:
Make sure your feet and hands stay dry. Because dry skin and nails tend to be easily infected with nail fungus.
Do not cut nails too short, because it can cause injury to your nails. Maintain cleanliness of the nail cutting tool so that the fungus does not grow on the tool.
Use dry socks, and routinely replace them. Do not wait until it is damp or wet.
Choose footwear that is not narrow and can make your feet "breathe", for example flip-flops. For shoes, you can choose those made from leather or canvas.
Avoid walking without using footwear in public places.
Nail fungus cannot be considered trivial because it can be very painful. Of course, this infection can be prevented if you always maintain the cleanliness of the toenails and hands. If the nail fungus has already grown, consult with a dermatologist to get appropriate treatment.