Resources to help get rid of nail fungus

Yes, toenail fungus is a treatable condition.  Trouble is, the treatment times are long - 6 months or more,  depending on severity - and require consistent application without interruption.

Topical treatments for nail fungus infections contain anti-fungal agents that interfere with the development of the fungus and eventually destroy it.  They work when in direct contact with the fungus causing the infection so care must be taken when applying the treatments to ensure the medications penetrate to the fungus itself.

If you’re finding it hard to stick with your treatment regime, or you’re just about to embark on a treatment program, check out our guidelines for treating toenail fungus. The guidelines suggest keeping track of your treatment progress by using treatment templates.

Believe me, this isn’t busywork. The templates will give you a sense of being in control of your treatment program from day one. They provide a useful reference point from which to measure the extent of your toenail fungus infection over time. Seeing your infection reduce is a great motivator to stick to your treatment and cure the nail fungus completely.

The nail fungus treatment tracking templates

There are two templates to choose from, which you can download using the links below. Print out at least 6 of the templates so that you can track your toenail fungus over time. You may need more than 6, especially if you want to follow the growing out period of your healthy nail - which takes approximately 12-18 months for toenails.

1. Simple nail fungus treatment tracker – this tracks the extent to which the nail has been infected
2. Detailed nail fungus treatment tracker – in addition to tracking the extent to which the nail has been infected, there is space for additional information on the health of the nail such as it’s color and texture.

If you’re in the market for a nail fungus treatment, navigating your way through the maze of different options can be confusing. That’s why we’ve created a comparison table to help you in your decision-making.

Current therapies fall into two main categories: topical treatments in the form of lacquers or nail paints, washes, oils and creams (these generally fall into the category of over the counter nail fungus treatment) and oral prescription medications.  Homeopathic and home remedies are also available.

The effectiveness of different nail fungus treatments will depend a great deal on the severity of your fungal infection, the part of the nail that is affected, the number of nails affected and the rate of growth of the infection.  The disease is progressive so whatever the severity, it is important to take action as early as possible.

How to use the nail fungus treatment comparison chart

First, work out how severe your nail infection is and review the different signs and symptoms of a fungus toenail infection. If the fungus covers the entire nail, including all of the crescent shaped lighter area at the base of the nail, causing considerable brittleness, flakiness and discoloration, then you probably have a moderate or severe infection. If the nail is becoming detached from the nail bed, your infection is most probably a severe one. But if you’ve only got a few light spots on the nail, or the infection is only on part of the nail, then the infection can be considered mild or moderate.

Remember to always seek the advice of a doctor once you suspect that you have fingernail fungus or toe nail fungus. Before undertaking any treatment for nail fungus, it makes sense to have a definite diagnosis, as fungal infections can look similar to other abnormalities that affect the nails.

The chart set out below shows the different options split according to the severity of the infection and by treatment type.  Once you’ve narrowed down your options click through to our treatment reviews for more information.

Nail fungus treatment comparison chart