The new prescription drugs: Are they really the solution for toe and foot fungus? Or do they just come with a high price?
(BPT) – About 35 million Americans suffer from toe, finger, and athlete’s foot fungus, but some treatments aimed at curing the infection have failure rates as high as 93.5 percent. What’s the remedy?
People experiencing the discomfort and embarrassment of fungus want a cure — but unfortunately, that’s notoriously difficult to achieve. As the experts at the Mayo Clinic explain, fungal infections are typically caused by dermatophyte fungi that thrive in warm and moist conditions. The risk of reinfection can be reduced by occasionally wearing open-toe footwear and discarding old shoes, which can harbor fungi that cause reinfection. Infected areas can be thickened, brittle, ragged, distorted, and dull, combined with pain, itching and burning, and a foul odor. Toe, finger, and foot fungus can be potentially serious for diabetics or people with poor circulation, but every sufferer wants to be rid of it.
Why is fungus so hard to kill? One major reason is that the nail isn’t the source of the problem. It’s a common misconception that the ugly, even painful, nails are infected — but it’s the nail bed beneath, and the skin around the nail, where the fungi actually live. It takes time for an anti-fungal treatment to root out the infection, and reinfection rates are high.
Some fungus sufferers head to their kitchen and bathroom cabinets for a cure, trying out suggestions such as apple cider vinegar and mentholated ointment. Other people seek out a prescription drug treatment, including pills, paint-on medications, and even lasers. Prescription products only cure the problem at the site of the nail, and do nothing to prevent reinfection. These prescriptions may not be covered by insurance, and mean regular pharmacy visits, trips to the doctor, and co-payments, at the very least. Besides the cost, paint-on prescription drugs treat the nail — and only the nails at that!
Since the nail itself isn’t actually infected, fungus could remain hidden beneath the nail and on the skin, even after this treatment. The best way to treat the underlying condition is to connect with your pharmacist or doctor, who will tell you that the fungus must be removed from the skin around and beneath the nail, as well as on other areas of the toes, fingers, and feet.
One over the counter product that has been the #1 pharmacist-recommended brand for over 18 years is Fungi-Nail(R) Toe & Foot(R). It treats the underlying fungal infection, helping to eliminate it and reduce the chance of reinfection — and kills the fungus on contact, as well as working to soothe and heal irritated skin. At less than $20, one bottle if used as directed, might be enough to eliminate the infection and continued treatment can allow for the regrowth of healthy, new tissue, allowing sufferers to spend less time and money fighting fungus.
Overall, each fungus sufferer is different, and what may work for one person may not work for someone else. The best and first thing to do to win the battle against fungus? Talk to your pharmacist.
About Kramer Consumer Healthcare
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