Toe Fungus Treatment - 4 Options

So at least one of your toes has turned a funky color and is starting to look a little weird. Chances are you have a toe fungus. So how do you find a toe fungus treatment take care of this? Well, there are at least 4 different toe fungus treatment options. All have their pros and cons. The one for you will depend on how severe the infection is and what kind of medication you're comfortable taking.

Toe Fungus Treatment #1 - Over the Counter with Active Ingredients

If you've just noticed the discoloration in your toe nail, then an over the counter medication may be a good toe fungus treatment for you. You'll find several anti-fungal creams, gels and lacquers in your local pharmacy or on line. They all have different active ingredients, so you may need to experiment until you find the one that works for you. The main thing you need to do is treat the infection right away so it doesn't get worse and require a doctor.

Some of these medications can be harsh on the surrounding skin. They can leave it dry, flaky and itchy. You'll need to treat the rest of your feet in addition to the toenail fungus.

Toe Fungus Treatment #2 - All Natural Ingredients

Believe it or not, there are several natural ingredients and oils that are very good anti-fungals. Tea tree oil, for example, has been used for centuries as an anti-fungal. This is the most common natural toe fungus treatment ingredient you'll find. As with the other over the counter treatments, you need to start treating the infection as soon as you see it. The best natural treatment on the market is Zeta Clear.

The advantage to a natural toe fungus treatment is that many of these products contain other natural oils and ingredients making the treatment less harsh. Jojoba oil is a good example.

Toe Fungus Treatment #3 - Active and Natural Ingredients Combined

The only product I've seen that uses an active ingredient (Tolnaftate) in addition to tea tree oil to treat toenail fungus is Miracle Plus. Combining natural and active ingredients gives toe fungus a powerful punch. In addition, Miracle Plus contains other ingredients to take care of your skin while treating the infection.

Toe Fungus Treatment #4 - Prescription Medication

Last but not least are prescription medications such as Lamasil. This toe fungus treatment is the last ditch effort to kill the fungal infection. Prescription treatments should be used when the infection is severe and nothing else is working.

But first a warning - these medications and can have some very serious side effects. For one, they can be very hard on your liver. For this reason, you need to tell your doctor every medication you are taking including vitamins, herbal supplements, prescriptions and any other over the counter medicines you use regularly. Also, you cannot drink alcohol while taking these prescriptions since they are already hard on your liver. These medications are so strong you can only take them for 3 months at a time. Before you agree to take a prescription medication as a toe fungus treatment, make sure you understand everything about them.

In addition to a pill, you doctor may give you topical medications to complete the toe fungus treatment. If the fungus is really severe and has been unresponsive to treatment, your doctor may also remove your toenail so topical medications can be applied directly to the area affected. It sounds nasty but effective!

Summary

As you can see, the toe fungus treatment you use decide to use depends on how bad the infection is and what kind of medicine you are comfortable using. One thing you need to keep in mind with any toe fungus treatment is that it can take up to a year to completely cure the infection. Even when your toes start looking better, you need to keep treating them. If you're consistent with the treatment, you'll be back to clear, happy, healthy toes you can show off again in now time.