Synthetic Nail Fungus Treatments
There are two main types of commonly prescribed drugs used to treat nail fungus infections: topical and systemic. Topical treatments will take the form of paint, similar to a nail polish, which the user applied directly to the affected nails several times a day or week. Systemic cures are anti-fungal pills which the patient takes at regular intervals.
Both have their benefits and drawbacks. Topical treatments allow the patient to apply the anti-fungal formula directly to the infected nails. This limits the amount of synthetic chemicals which the user is actually putting into their systems.
However, as discussed above, topical synthetics are generally far less effective at treating onychomycosis infection, which some clinical trials showing success rates of only 1 in 5.
Systemic treatments, as the name would suggest, are anti-fungal drugs which affect all the bodily systems. Although these are very effective at killing the fungal infection, sometimes as high as 80 or 90%, they are generally very hard on the body with many unpleased side-effects. Because both treatments have their plusses and minuses, sometimes doctors will proscribe both to ensure a treatment is successful.
Topical Treatments: There are 3 main “brands” of topical anti-fungals commonly prescribed by doctors for treating nail fungus infections.
1. Amorolfine:
Amorolfine is a morpholine anti-fungal nail lacquer. In clinical trials, amorolfine has shown to be only about 50% effective in curing nail fungus infections. This product works by attacking the cell walls of the fungus, destroying them and thereby, hopefully, killing the fungus. However, because amorolfine is a synthetic chemical it does have potential side effects. When using this product the patient should be careful to only apply the anti-fungal lacquer to the nail surface as amorolfine can cause transient burning or reddening of the skin.
2. Tioconazole:
Tioconazole is a product similar to amorolfine; however, it has a far wider range of potential success. Certain clinical trials have shown tioconazole can be as effective as 70% while others have shown it to be completely ineffective. Because of this the British Dermatological Society discourages its use for combating nail fungus infections.
This drug is really only used when combating yeast-based nail infections. However, like amorolfine, tioconazole can cause burning and reddening if applied directly to exposed skin.
3. Ciclopirox olamine:
Ciclopirox is one of the most common prescribed topical anti-fungals used to combat onychomycosis. However, it is also one of the least effective.
Additionally, ciclopirox is also not very well understood by medical science, with the actual mechanism of action used to kill the fungus completely unknown.
Scientists have speculated that certain enzymes in the ciclopirox solution attack the fungi metabolism but the exact means of attack remain unknown. Ciclopirox also has very poor rates of completely curing onychomycosis infections with two clinical studies showing complete cure rates of only 5.5 and 8.5% respectively.
Additionally, patients who are diabetic are discourages from using ciclopirox because of potential insulin-related complications.
Additionally, ciclopirox is also not very well understood by medical science, with the actual mechanism of action used to kill the fungus completely unknown.
Scientists have speculated that certain enzymes in the ciclopirox solution attack the fungi metabolism but the exact means of attack remain unknown. Ciclopirox also has very poor rates of completely curing onychomycosis infections with two clinical studies showing complete cure rates of only 5.5 and 8.5% respectively.
Additionally, patients who are diabetic are discourages from using ciclopirox because of potential insulin-related complications.
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