Question:
Hi, my
wife had her toe nail removed after it was about to fall off because
of a fungus infection.
She now
had a stub which is ugly and continues to have pain.
My question
is what are her options, surgery, replant, medications etc.
Can you
advice as to what options she has? Thank you
AJ
Answer:
Dear
AJ,
Treatment
of Toenail infections may include topical creams or oral medications
(antifungal drugs), but topical antifungal agents may only help treat
very mild cases.
Rarely,
surgery may be required. Removal of the infected nail can be performed
to permit direct application of a topical antifungal.
Often,
people rush into surgery hoping to eliminate pain only to find out
that it may not produce the results expected.
If she
has fungus that is causing the problem lamisil is a very good option.
It is very effective with a proper work up.
Itraconazole
(Sporanox) , Fluconazole (Diflucan) and Terbinafine (Lamisil) are
very effective for fungus toe nails.
These
medications help a new nail grow free of infection, slowly replacing
the infected portion of the nail.
Your
wife should take these medications for six to 12 weeks but won't see
the end result of treatment until the nail grows back completely.
It may take four months or longer to eliminate an infection.
Toenail
infections are more difficult to treat than fingernail infections
because the toenail grows more slowly. In addition, a damp, warm environment
of a shoe or boot can encourage fungal growth.
You can
see more related information at:
Nails
questions
