While we are discussing toenails....

[omni550]

Quote:

Originally Posted by big-papa Not sure, never been to either. I suppose one could either DIY or get a loved one to use a Dremel tool with a burr grinder. What could go wrong? (Joke flag: I'm not advocating this)

I bought an inexpensive electric nail file from Amazon (that is a lot like my Dremel).

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...0?ie=UTF8&th=1

omni

[big-papa]

Quote:

Originally Posted by omni550 I bought an inexpensive electric nail file from Amazon (that is a lot like my Dremel). https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...0?ie=UTF8&th=1 omni

Cool - I wonder if Jessica Alba gets toenail fungus.

[Walt34]

Quote:

Originally Posted by omni550 I bought an inexpensive electric nail file from Amazon (that is a lot like my Dremel). https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...0?ie=UTF8&th=1 omni

That's okay for the ladies. Real Men use an angle grinder.

[Ed B]

When I first noticed my toenail fungus I made an appointment with my doctor to seek professional medical treatment. I asked him how and why I got it. He said a better question is why doesn't every toe on everyone have it? He said the stuff is very common in our environments but our immune systems usually keep it in check.

Fastidious hygiene will help I am sure, and especially things like shower thongs/flip-flops in locker room settings and public showers. But it isnt as simple as basic hygiene.

Quote:

Originally Posted by W2R FOOT FUNGUS? May I nominate this thread for the #1 Most Disgusting Thread Topic Ever? No, I never had fungus on my feet (EWWW!) and if I did I'd immediately have it treated by a doctor. I wash and dry my feet every day when I shower. I keep my toenails trimmed. I wear sandals as often as I can so things don't get too swampy around my toes. You know, basic hygiene.

[tshaner]

I have had athletes foot for years and picked up toenail fungus a few years ago. Laser got rid of it for one big toe for $200 and the other big toe had the early fungus toenail parts removed as it was in the early stages of infection. Bought a shoe sterilizer, try to go shoeless as often as I can, change socks frequently.

Finally got rid of my recurring athletes foot by spraying my feet with sure antiperspirant every night after my shower. Podiatrist says it’s nearly impossible to get rid of all the fungus in the environment but we can greatly reduce the other big factor which is moisture. I’m a fan of spray antiperspirant. My feet are always dry. Nobody told me to do this but it is the ONLY thing that stopped my every 3 to 4 months breakouts.

[Senator]

There is no way a topical cream or ointment will work, despite all of the claims. The fungus is under the nail. If you want to kill the fungus, you need an oral drug/pill like TERBINAFINE.

If you have VA healthcare, they will get you some. If you do not, it's cheaper than any cream anyway, and will work. 6 weeks, one pill a day. You may need 12 weeks.

Quote:

Originally Posted by omni550 In college, my then-BF was tipping a car over with his buddies, using an open door for leverage. You guessed it, the door slammed shut on his hand when they got the car partway rotated. Huge swelling under several of his nails. ER doc took a paperclip, straightened it, heated it up with a match and poked a hole in the center of each nail that was bruised, relieving the pressure. Holey nails grew out and all was OK. So your Dad performed a similar procedure to the ER Doc!

I have done this same thing multiple times, on my own nails. The first time a doctor did mine, he used a small tool, like a scalpel that heated up. After that, I did my own. When you do 'real' work for a living, you get beat up once in a while.

[ReadySetGo]

I had success with oral lamisil on two separate occasions years apart. My insurance would not pay for the new stuff, which my doc said is quite effective. I did get a bad rash over my trunk into the 2nd month, so perhaps I can try that if I need it in the future [emoji6]. I did get rid of shoes and socks. I only wear my socks once before washing them, even if I just take a quick walk. I try to go barefoot as much as possible, and use open toed sandals outside. I recommend the oral lamisil. My toes feel so much better now and they look normal again, too! Good luck.

[eroscott]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoeWras More asides. True story: My dad and uncle were doing a project and one of them slammed the hammer on a thumb. The blood started welling up under the nail and causing pressure and pain. Dad and my uncle solved this by having a few drinks, and then using a power drill to put a hole in the nail. One needed the drinks for the pain, the other for the courage to perform the surgery. My mom and aunt were basketcases. But get this, the surgery actually worked!

General recommendation is tip of a needle heated up with a match and not a drill!

[goxley11]

I have had fungus on my big toes for 30 years. I have tried everything. Found this stuff doing online research. Started a couple of weeks ago. So far, so good. Although I think I am in a pizza parlor all day because of the oregano oil smell.

https://www.zanehellas.com/product/f...ungal-support/

[gooddog]

Can anyone here share their first hand experience with remedies that actually worked to get the toenail fungus gone?
1) stand in front of a mirror, and your right foot will be clear, but the left foot...
2) get "anti-fungal solution" from Rite Aid (the Rite Aid brand - red bottle). Get an order from your primary doc for terbinafine hcl 250mg. The effect nail, thin it with a dremel until it is paper thin. Apply the anti-fungal solution BID. Take the terbinafine hcl tab QD for 10 days, every month for one year. Keep applying the anti-fungal solution the entire year (seems like overkill I know). After the first month on this regimen, throw out all your old socks and shoes (the old shoes are reinfecting your nail) and buy new ones (ladies like this part). It takes an entire year, but it is your best chance of getting rid of the fungus. The Rite Aid solution I have found to be superior to those prescribed by a podiatrist.

3) if #2 doesn't work, amputate.


This is not to be considered medical advice.....

[HadEnuff]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoeWras More asides. True story: My dad and uncle were doing a project and one of them slammed the hammer on a thumb. The blood started welling up under the nail and causing pressure and pain. Dad and my uncle solved this by having a few drinks, and then using a power drill to put a hole in the nail. One needed the drinks for the pain, the other for the courage to perform the surgery. My mom and aunt were basketcases. But get this, the surgery actually worked!

I performed this procedure twice with my dental handpiece. Once on my partner's thumb, and once on my finger. In both cases, fingernails were slammed in screen doors. Actually doesn't hurt to drill through the nail, as long as you stop when you hit blood, rather than get into the nail bed.

[msefren]

I tried vaporub...no dice. Started using hydrogen peroxide 3% on all my toes as well as the big toenail that has the fungus. Doesn't go away but helps a lot. Also helps whiten
all the toenails.
Hydrogen peroxide also helps kill fungus, so brush under the nail bed and over the top of the nail (per Doctor Google)

[trumpeting_angel]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoeWras And thinning means going to the podiatrist? Or will the pedicurist do that? I don't so much care about a cure, I would just like it to look a little better, and especially thin it out a bit. I'll give the vape-o-rub a try too. Why not?

JoeWras!

DO NOT vape that Vicks. Repeat: don’t do it.

[Svensk Anga]

I cured fungus under the nail of one big toe with a low dollar, quick cure. I squirted a bit of ethylene glycol (otherwise known as automotive antifreeze/coolant) under the nail. I think I applied it only a couple times. I used a syringe with the needle removed to squirt the stuff up under the loose nail, then worked it around a bit by pressing on the nail. It does take a long time for the old ugly nail to grow out and be replaced by a healthier version.

The same procedure failed though on another, smaller nail. Haven't bothered to try again.

Don't leave a pan of the stuff lying around because it might kill Fido or other critters. (It supposedly tastes sweet.)

I've seen ethylene glycol suggested as a means to kill rot in wood as well. I have used it for that and think it works. But it will wash out and a more permanent fix is called for. See write-up here: Chemotherapy for Rot
He also discusses athlete's foot/toenail fungus halfway down the piece.

[Vincenzo Corleone]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoeWras Per a suggestion from my doc, I tried Lamisil every day, the topical OTC version. It is not indicated for this. Probably for good reason. It didn't work. Even after a few years application. There are some nuclear bomb type drugs that do work. But they may also kill you or give you organ failure. I think one is an internal pill form of Lamisil. There are others too. When you read The Internet, many people are very happy with the treatment, yet there is an undercurrent of worry about the side effects. For now, I guess I'll try a pedicure -- maybe even go for a nice application of color.

I'm in the process now of using Lamisil topical OTC. Prior to using it, the fungus had spread to cover two-thirds of my big toenail on my right foot. What may be different in my case is that I filed all of the visibly diseased portion of the toenail with an emory board to expose the nail bed, being careful not to injure myself. I've been applying Lamisil cream on the exposed nail bed at least twice a day since around April of this year and have noticed a dramatic improvement. I estimate over 95% of the fungus is not visibly detectable anymore and the pain associated with toenail fungus has mostly gone - although the pain on the remaining diseased nail bed does flare up if the toe is covered.

It helps that I'm retired and hardly ever have a need to completely cover my feet with socks as I usually try to wear sandals. When I do need to wear socks and shoes, I apply the Lamisil and wrap my toe in tissue paper and secure it with tape in hopes that the Lamisil won't completely rub off. As soon as I can, I remove my shoes and socks and reapply the Lamisil. I always keep my feet exposed while in bed, even when I cover the rest of my body in the bed sheets.

It takes obsessive persistence, dedication and patience. Will I be completely cured? Who knows. Ask me in a year or so when my toenail has completely grown out.

[Vincenzo Corleone]

As someone else mentioned, terbinafine seems to be the key - at least for some types of fungus. Lamisil cream contains terbinafine. Here's a link that will lead you to a paper in Medical Mycology, Volume 39, Issue 4, 2001, Pages 321–328 that discusses the efficacy of terbinafine.

https://academic.oup.com/mmy/article/39/4/321/1012473

[Lvus101]

So this is the closest I have come to cleaning the large toes up.

Went to the foot doctor and he took a Dremel and ground the top of the toenails down a bit. Doc gave me a prescription for Ketoconazole cream 2% RX only. I used this cream one month on and one off. I apply it in the morning after a shower.
New socks and shoes can help.

Keep feet exposed to the air as much as possible. My toenails clean up pretty good and occasionally I will get a pedicure. The problem will never go away unless you attack the problem from the inside with medication that can harm your liver. The same cream works for dry cracked feet.

[NW-Bound]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gooddog 3) if #2 doesn't work, amputate. ....

I do not suffer from this toe fungus disease, or know someone who does.

But just now made a mistake of looking on Youtube. OMG, some poor souls look like amputation is the only way to get rid of their infection.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ed B When I first noticed my toenail fungus I made an appointment with my doctor to seek professional medical treatment. I asked him how and why I got it. He said a better question is why doesn't every toe on everyone have it? He said the stuff is very common in our environments but our immune systems usually keep it in check...

Fungus is a scary thing. I know a person who died when fungus grew inside his brain, and another when it grew on his spinal cord after having a surgery.

There are a lot of things that modern medicine does not have an explanation for, nor a cure. And people keep thinking new drugs will help us live to be Methuselah. Heck, how about just cure people's toenail fungus?

[dawgster]

I've had toe fungus for a number of years on 2 toes, it never really bothered me until last year my 4th toe started swelling up while wearing shoes for a extended time. I stay mostly in sandals, flip flops.
Finally broke down and visited a Podiatrist for help, he prescribed Laser treatment. He didn't recommend oral drugs due to complications from them. I've had 2 sessions so far, the fungus is clearing out and the new nails are growing out clear. Might need another laser session, but so far so good!!
it was $200 a session, I also use a spray for my shoes and ointment daily.

https://www.mytucsonpodiatrist.com/p...reatments.html

[Smcmasters]

Tea tree oil helps, but you have to apply consistently. It is an annoying, pervasive problem. ☹️