Oral medication for toenail fungus is a common treatment option. There are many different treatment options available on the market for toenail fungus. These treatments all come with their pros and cons, and most medically recommended treatments have some ability to cure fungus. However, some come with more danger than others. Specifically, oral medication for toenail fungus comes with more danger than other treatments on the market. These medications come in the form of pills that you take daily for a few months to try and kill the fungus from the inside of your body out.

What is Toenail fungus?

Toenail fungus is a fungal infection that affects the nail and sometimes the surrounding skin. This infection is very common, affecting about 70% of people over 60! Most of the time, the infections are mild and cosmetic. But some patients may experience discomfort and pain.

Common Symptoms

Most people will experience discoloration of the nails that might have started on one nail. Nail fungus is very infectious and, over time, will jump from one nail to the next until all nails are infected. Over time, nails may also become brittle with jagged edges. And deformities to the nails and complete detachment from the nail bed may also happen. More severe infections will also cause the nails to be very thick and hard. This makes it extremely hard for people to trim their nails. Also, simple things like wearing closed-toe shoes will become uncomfortable over time.

Dangers of Toenail Fungus Oral Medication

  • You have to be on pills for 3 months or more 
  • Risk of heart, liver, and kidney damage
  • It may not be suitable for those who are pregnant or breastfeeding

It would be best not to put yourself at risk. There are other options that have no side effects and have a better success rate. Our nail doctors recommend laser treatment for toenail fungus.

Contact us to schedule a free consultation. Furthermore, get more information on toenail fungus treatment options. These include oral medication, topical solutions, and laser treatment. 

Toenail Fungus Anti-fungal Oral Medication

Side Effects of Oral Medication

The main danger that these oral medications come with is their side effects. Side effects for these medications can be less severe, like itching and burning of the skin or headache. Side effects can also become more severe with these medications, and this is where the danger comes in. In rare cases, oral antifungal medication can have side effects, including heart damage and liver toxicity. These medications can even lead to liver failure in certain cases. Because of this, you will need to be tested regularly throughout the course of antifungal medication to ensure that you are staying healthy. This testing should also be done before you first start taking these medications to ensure that you aren’t at an increased risk to your heart or liver.

Other Treatment Options

Another treatment option is topical solutions. They have a very low success rate. This is because the solution does not penetrate under the nail bed. All the fungus has to die in order to be cured. Topical solutions are not strong enough to effectively kill all the fungus. It sometimes takes years to see any results.

Laser Treatment for Toenail Fungus

These oral medications are also somewhat ineffective and often don’t treat the fungus effectively. This means you may have to take multiple courses, increasing the risk of danger. The PinPointe Laser is more effective than these oral antifungal medications and only requires one treatment to kill all of the fungi under the nail.

If you have caught nail fungus, it can be easily treated using the FDA-approved PinPointe laser. It typically only takes one treatment. Other treatments, like oral medication, are not as effective. This is because it can lead to liver toxicity. You would need to have consistent blood tests throughout the course of taking the medication. 

Our nail doctor in Manhattan, NY, recommends this treatment for toenail fungus. The PinPointe Laser treatment has the highest cure rate in the market. It has no side effects and no recovery period. As a result, you can go about your daily activities right after the treatment. Also, there’s no pain.

If you have any signs of nail fungus, call us at (800) 672-0625 at our Manhattan, NY location or visit our website for more information.