Fastest Way to Cure Toenail Fungus

The fastest way to cure toenail fungus for most people is a combination of medication and systematic removal of the top layers of the nail. The antifungal medication terbinafine is the most effective treatment and can be taken in two different ways that are equally effective. The systematic removal of layers of the nail is accomplished with a procedure called debridement. Debriding the nail in conjunction with terbinafine has been shown to increase the efficacy of terbinafine treatment, making the process faster in most cases.

Terbinafine Dosage

• The two ways terbinafine is prescribed are normal continuous dosing and pulse dosing. Normal dosing is a dose of 250 mg per day for 16 weeks. Pulse dosing is a dose of 500 mg per day for seven days every four weeks for 16 weeks. Pulse dosing is the most cost-effective and safe way to accomplish resolution of a toenail fungus infection and is becoming more popular every year. Your doctor should decide which regimen is best for you. Treatment may be dependant on the results of a liver function test.

Nail Debridement

• Debridement of the nail requires an experienced doctor, special equipment and time. The process can take up to a year or more because a new, uninfected nail must regrow. When debriding the nail, a doctor removes most of the thickness of the nail from the top down. This significantly reduces the amount of infected material in the nail and also can help restore the shape of the nail.

Effectiveness of Terbinafine With Debridement

• Combined methods of treatment always have a higher success rate, but, despite the inconvenience of having to see a doctor frequently during treatment, debridement is the best treatment to combine with terbinafine. Other combined treatments often require multiple regimens of terbinafine, which can delay resolution by months. Multiple regimens of terbinafine may require uncomfortable liver function tests as well.