Clotrimazole and betamethasone dipropionate cream for toenail fungus

Anti fungal medication is the first option that comes to our minds when a health care provider detects a fungal infection and recommends a nail fungus treatment. Opportune diagnose may help to accelerate the cure after laboratory examination confirms the presence of fungi in toenails or fingernails.

In the United States, the most usually prescribed treatments contain terbinafine as an active ingredient. In fact, Lamisil cream, terbinafine and itraconazole are medications that have proven effectiveness in topical nail fungus treatment. Clotrimazole is another one of the anti fungal medication used to treat these kinds of infections.

Clotrimazole is considered a strong drug for nail fungus treatment, because it can be administered to both humans and animals, but it is also prescribed when other conditions have developed, such as athlete's foot, ringworm and vaginal yeast infections. Otherwise, scientifically unverified medications, natural and home remedies are used as cheap alternative to costly drugs, lotions and creams.

Home remedies claim to be as effective as prescribed medications for nail fungus treatment, such as applying 2 or 3 drops of distilled white vinegar onto the cuticle several times a day to help improve the condition. The same occurs with the application of tea tree oil, lavender essential oil or diluted grapefruit seed extract.

Over-the-counter drugs are another option when it comes to nail fungus treatment, including well-known products, but not elaborated to prevent or cure fungal infections. Two of the most popular products for this purpose are Listerine, the antiseptic mouthwash, and Vicks Vapor Rub, a cough reliever.

Nail fungal infections cause discoloration, chalkiness, thickening, and crumbling of the nails, so the application of creams, lotions and oils may help with improving the condition or relieving the pain and discomfort, but very few of them can cure and get rid of fungi. Something to say in the support of this is that home remedies and over-the-counter products do not cause side effects.

Nail fungus treatment with prescribed oral or topical medications rarely can cause severe side effects, however some of them are costly, particularly when it is necessary for their use or intake for long periods of time that may last over 12 months or up. In addition, some medications may include drugs combined with an antibiotic such as Marbofloxacin that over time may cause liver problems.

All fungal infections are usually slow to clear up, and continuous application of any nail fungus treatment, may cause a certain degree of burning and irritation of the skin ranging from mild to severe.

Do your toenails split, peel, and turn yellow? If so, you may be one of an estimated 40 million Americans who live with toenail fungus, also known as onychomycosis. The good news is, you don’t have to live like this. A number of remedies can help you walk with confidence. Here are 10 that you can buy at your local drugstore. You may even have some of them in your medicine cabinet.  Although these may not be as effective as medicines your doctor can prescribe, they might be worth a try:

Undecylenic Acid

This fungus fighter is the main ingredient in many over-the-counter (OTC) products. You can buy it at your local drugstore as a liquid or a polish you paint onto your nails. It eases the raw, irritated skin that can come with a fungus.

Tolnaftate

This is a staple in OTC products for athlete’s foot, ringworm, and jock itch. It comes in a cream, powder, spray, or liquid. You may feel relief after 2 to 3 days, but keep using it for at least 2 weeks after symptoms disappear.

Clotrimazole

You’ll find this in many OTC yeast infection creams. But it’s also used to treat toenail fungus. Scientists in the U.K. found it worked for most of the patients who used it in a 12-week trial.

You can buy it as a cream or lotion.

Terbinafine

You may know this by its brand name, Lamisil. You can buy it over the counter as a cream, gel, spray, or powder. Or you can ask your doctor to prescribe the drug in pill form. Take one tablet each day for 12 weeks. It’ll kill toenail fungus, but it may take a few months to see full results. Also, you will need to be tested periodically to make sure the drug has not affected your liver function.

Tea Tree Oil

This oil comes from a tree in Australia. It’s a popular treatment for many conditions, including foot fungus. Research shows it works as well as clotrimazole, which is found in many OTC treatments.

Mentholated Cream

You probably already use this to treat chest colds. But did you know vapor rub is also a popular home remedy for toenail fungus? There’s not a lot of proof that it works. But in one very small study -- just 18 people -- more than half said it did.

Snakeroot Extract

Don’t be afraid of the name. This fungus fighter comes from a plant, not snakes. People who tried this natural remedy found it worked almost as well as ciclopirox, a medicine used to treat skin infections caused by a fungus.

Baking Soda

In the lab, plain old sodium bicarbonate limited growth of the most common types of fungi that cause skin and nail infections. You probably have a box in your pantry already.

Ozonized Sunflower Oil

Who knew sunflower oil can also fight germs? One study found that this natural remedy worked against yeasts that cause foot fungus. There’s more work to do, but so far, researchers don’t see any side effects.

Eucalyptus Oil

People love this popular plant because of its fresh scent. But it does more than smell good. It also works on toenail fungus. Scientists say it may work just as well as treatments you get from your doctor.

Does clotrimazole cream treat toenail fungus?

Clotrimazole treats different types of fungal infections including: athlete's foot. ringworm. fungal nail infection.

Can I use antifungal cream on my toenail?

Your health care provider may prescribe an antifungal cream, such as efinaconazole (Jublia) and tavaborole (Kerydin). You rub this product into your infected nails after soaking. These creams may work better if you first thin the nails.

How do you apply antifungal cream to toenails?

For optimal results, apply the solution on the cuticles and skin surrounding the nail. This helps the product penetrate underneath the nail bed to address the fungus. Do not apply the solution like nail polish.

What topical cream kills toenail fungus?

Ciclopirox topical solution is used along with regular nail trimming to treat fungal infections of the fingernails and toenails (an infection that may cause nail discoloration, splitting and pain). Ciclopirox is in a class of medications called antifungals. It works by stopping the growth of nail fungus.