I need to clear up a fungal infection in fingernails caused from

[Cathy_H]

Anyone ever have fungus in your fingernails & did you clear it up without prescribed drugs?............. History--- Two thumbs & one finger affected. Off & on redness, puffiness & tenderness in the skin around these three fingernails for about 10 months now. The nails are rough & bumpy but growing out. Doctors treatment did not work so I was referred to a dermatologist. Dermatologist said it was caused from moisture & wetness ( new mothers get it often also). Even though I wear gloves when bathing horses or doing dishes nails still get moist....................................... Anyway I have been prescribed Ketoconazole for seven days = Ketoconazole is used to treat fungal infections. Ketoconazole is most often used to treat fungal infections that can spread to different parts of the body through the bloodstream such as yeast infections of the mouth, skin, urinary tract, and blood, and certain fungal infections that begin on the skin or in the lungs and can spread through the body. Ketoconazole is also used to treat fungal infections of the skin or nails that cannot be treated with other medications. Ketoconazole is in a class of antifungals called imidazoles. It works by slowing the growth of fungi that cause infection. ................................................ I have always been healthy & am not taking any other drugs. I do NOT like the warnings that come with this drug especially possibility of liver damage...... Doctor said short term use is not a worry but those warnings make you wonder...... Anyone here ever take this & have negative side effects?........... From what I've read it needs to be treated internally at this point.................................................................................. The warning- This medicine has caused severe, even fatal liver problems .

 

[Kathy2m]

I don't know if this will help but I've been told to soak fingers in Bleach?

 

[justanothercowgirl]

I have gotten fungus under acrylic nails and my hubby has been to the doctor for a fungus with one toe and we have never gotten anything that worked from there. Cheapest and easiest, is Tea Tree Oil, put it on twice a day, top of nail along, along cuticle and along the sides. Keep doing this until it disappears!

 

[mininik]

Ick. Good luck finding a cure. At least you went to the Dr. to determine what it actually is as many don't, then self-diagnose and are in for more problems. My mother has been a nail tech. for as long as I've been breathing and her stories have turned me off of getting my nails done anywhere but AT HOME. I do have here a product called RxECLAIM AF -medical strength- Antimicrobial Nail Solution "Broad spectrum for toenails & fingernails infected with fungus or other microbes." You might want to try finding it Online. I've never had to use it but it's a product my mother highly recommended should I ever need to...

 

[Minimor]

I've had that same fungal condition in one fingernail, a long time ago. I've also had it in a couple toenails, and my mom has the same problem with her toenails (too much time wearing damp rubber boots around the barnyard!).

For toenails we just use iodine--applied a couple times a day it usually clears it up pretty good; if you catch it early it takes only a few days of iodine to clear it up....until the next time. As long as we spend so much time in barn boots it keeps coming back. Absorbine Jr. will also work--I actually find it works better than iodine, though of course the 5% iodine works better than the 2.5% which this last while is all we can buy around here.

On my fingernail, though, I didn't want to use iodine--yucky, red-stained toes are one thing, no one sees them, but I cannot go to work with a disgusting looking finger. So, the time I got it under my fingernail I did go and ask the doctor for something to clear it up. He gave me griseofulvin pills. They too come with all sorts of warnings--I was thinking they're very hard on kidneys, but it could be liver....but since I was only to take them for 5 or 6 days I wasn't real concerned. As I recall, they caused me a bit of stomach upset, but nothing much. The griseofulvin cleared up my finger very, very quickly.

My cousin had a severe case of ringworm one time, caught when she was working with some infected calves at the vet clinic where she was a vet tech...she started out treating that with topical preparations, but it didn't clear up--rather, it got worse, so she had to take griseofulvin. She had to have quite a long course of it too, and there was concern about how it would affect her kidneys (liver?). She had little choice, though, as she had to get rid of the ringworm. As it turned out the drug caused her no ill effects, and her ringworm finally went away.

In your place, as long as I didn't have any pre-existing liver/kidney problems, I wouldn't have any qualms about taking the drug that's been prescribed for you, especially as it's a short term usage. I don't know about there, but here every time we get a new prescription we get a big long printout about the drug, its uses & possible side effects. In most cases the list of possible side effects is very long--they list every possible side effect, no matter how remote the possibility is that the drug will cause that reaction. It makes just about every drug sound pretty scary!

 

[JO~*]

What about white iodine??

 

[tuffsmom]

I'm going to say something that may sound crazy....but what about toothpaste??

 

[whitney]

I had nail fungus when I thought I could have nail extensions AND horses a long time ago. I just dipped that finger in good old BLEACH. By By Fungus.

 

[SuziB]

In recent years, it has been proved over and over that plain old Vicks Vaporub Salve applied daily to the clean nail bed and rubbed in well beneath the end of the nail has helped clear up toenail fungus. In fact, the doctor who writes a syndicated column for the newspapers has accepted the fact as well and now advocates it, too. He was apparently convinced from the input of satisfied patients.

I personally know of several people who have had success clearing up the TOENAIL fungus variety by using the Vicks salve. It stands to reason that it might work as well on the fingernails.

Use a Q-tip if you dislike getting the rather stinky stuff smeared all over the fingers with which you apply it.

It might also be a good idea to wear a cotton glove after the application, especially during the sleeping hours.

At least it is inexpensive and not as apt to harm one's liver.

 

[RMH]

It's true about the Vicks. I went in for toenail fungus and the doctor told me the same thing. May also want to try once a week vinegar soaks for 20 mins.

 

[Miniv]

I would think the bleach would be awfully hard on your skin. But perhaps Nolvasan? It is a fungicide, according to the bottle.

I'll have to remember about the Vicks too! I have had a fungus on my toenail from wearing those barn boots too.

MA

 

[hobbyhorse23]

Yep, Vicks and Tea Tree Oil, both applied with a q-tip. I don't know where my mom picks up these things but she's tried both on her toenail fungus and they work.

Leia

 

[Just Us N Texas]

Cathy, just a little hint, when washing the horses, add a little (just a tiny bit) of clorox to the wash water. It will help clear up funguses on the horses, and keep you from getting them. Be careful though how much you add as you don't want to bleach out the horse's color!

Several years ago when CEM in horses started and got so bad, everyone had to disinfect boots before going from one barn or the other. Different vets said that you could either buy the expensive $25-50 disinfectants, or a cheap bottle of Clorox with the same results!

Carolyn

 

[Sunseri Farms]

To kill the lil nail digger!

Good old Dr. Tichenors Mouth wash. I use it for everything. Soak a cotton ball in Dr. Tichenors apply to nail and tape it on leave it on for as long as possible. You will soon start to see the difference. This is good for ant bites, mosquito bites.in grown nails. etc.

Digger will pack up and move.

To kill the lil nail digger!

Good old Dr. Tichenors Mouth wash. I use it for everything. Soak a cotton ball in Dr. Tichenors apply to nail and tape it on leave it on for as long as possible. You will soon start to see the difference. This is good for ant bites, mosquito bites.in grown nails. etc.

Digger will pack up and move.