Nail Fungus Infections

You are more likely to win the fight against a nail fungus infection if you mentally adjust to the following two factors. First you’re going to have to stick at the treatment regime over a long period of time and second it is vital that the nail fungus treatment you are using (and we are focusing on topical treatments in this article, rather than oral medications) comes into contact directly with the fungus on your nail.

The fungus causing nail infections resides deeply within the nail. So the only way you can get a topical treatment to reach the fungus and destroy it is by scraping away as much of the surface layers above the fungus as possible before treatment. Use a nail file to do this, filing over the nail face.

Don’t make the mistake of allowing the nail treatment to rub off the nail after application. Let it dry completely before doing anything. Then you can gently put on socks or other protective covering to ensure it stays in place. It’s often a good idea to apply the treatment just before bedtime.

When you begin your treatment, mentally prepare yourself to the fact that it may take many weeks before you start seeing any noticeable improvement. And recognize that for a complete cure you’ll have to wait for up to 12 months for toenail infections and 8 months for fingernail infections. Throughout this entire period you’ll need to keep consistently applying the treatment without interruption.

If you are finding it hard to stick with a treatment regime on a consistent basis, then a good idea is to set up a tracking system to monitor your progress. Seeing positive changes to your nail health should be a motivation to stick with your therapy. A basic tracking method is to draw a nail shape on a piece of paper (some people divide this into quadrants) and outline the area of the nail that is infected. Then do this again after a month, and then again after another month has passed. In time you should see some improvements.

Starting a routine for your therapy can help you form a habit that is more difficult to break. For example consistently applying the treatment before bed, or first thing in the morning. Whatever works best for you? The point is to choose a time and stick to it.

Tags: