Toenail fungus is easy to get, but not nearly as easy to remove. It is a type of fungus that thrives in warm, moist conditions. The perfect places for it to grow are public places like saunas, gym showers, and swimming pools. You can have the fungus without knowing it before it starts to show any signs. When you have toenail fungus that won’t go away, there are things that you can do to help it heal.
There are different types of fungi, and the one that causes damage to your nail is often called onychomycosis, in medical terms. This can thrive in any moist warm condition, and when you add dark places to that combination, it gives it a perfect breeding ground. This means that when you wear shoes, especially when you work on your feet all day, the fungi can easily spread.
If you have been treating toenail fungus for a while, it may be because of this that it is just not staying gone. You treat it, and it starts to heal. Once you put your socks and shoes on and work through the day, you have just given it the perfect opportunity to grow back again. It is often a vicious cycle.
In this article, we will talk about some reasons why your fungus won’t go away on its own, and we will give you some tips on how to help the treatment that you are using to work better. We will also talk about things that you can do to make it stay away, once you finally have it gone.
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Can Toenail Fungus Go Away on its Own?
Without the proper treatment, it cannot go away on its own. There are many different options available, both via doctors or podiatrists and over the counter. Unless you can’t walk or stand on your foot because of the infection, health insurances won’t cover the cost. They consider it a cosmetic condition unless a doctor says otherwise.
If you have the money, doctors can help by treating the fungus with lasers, or by giving you an oral medication to help to get rid of the fungal infection. They don’t like to give oral medicines because they can cause very bad side effects.
There are many other treatments that you can use at home, and they work very well. There are foot soaks, creams, polishes, and complete systems that will not only kill the fungus but will also heal your nail and will enable you to keep your toe healthy.
When Your Toenail Fungus Is Not Going Away
Since the fungi have been living in your nail bed for a time before it started causing noticeable damage, it does take time for it to go away. When you start to treat it, make sure that you follow the directions for the product. It will take a while for the treatment to work, and longer for you to notice results. Don’t let this discourage you, though, because you can get rid of it.
Many times, when people use a treatment, they put socks and shoes on afterward. The longer you can keep things off of your feet, the better. Even if your foot is completely dry after treatment, the skin under the nail is still wet or damp. If you put your nail in socks and shoes, the fungus will be able to grow again.
By the time your toenail has started to change colors or thicken, the fungus has grown long enough to eat through your nail and cause damage. Whatever treatment that you choose has to work long enough to not only kill the fungal infection in your skin under and around your toenail, but it also has to penetrate your nail to kill the fungus that is living in it. If you do not completely kill all of the fungi, it will come back quickly, and the cycle will continue.
How Long Does It Take for Toenail Fungus to Go Away?
Depending on how long you have suffered with it, and to what degree it is, it may take 6 to 12 months to get rid of the fungus completely. If you have slightly discolored toenails, it might only take a couple of months to heal completely.
It also depends on how much you wear foot coverings, or if you spend time in the water. The more your toe is exposed to warm, moist, and dark conditions, the more the fungus will fight the treatment.
How to Heal Toenail Fungus Naturally
Different types of treatments also take different times to work. If you use a treatment that contains Tea tree oil, for example, the treatment will work faster. The reason for this is that tea tree oil is a very powerful essential oil, and can kill fungus fast.
There are some excellent natural foot soaks available, such as Rocky Mountain Tea Tree Oil. These are excellent if nail fungus is in the early to middle stages, or if you want to prevent the condition from returning.
How to Tell if Nail Fungus Is Going Away
This also depends on how bad your fungus has gotten. There are signs that the treatment is working, though. One is when the foul smell goes away if you have that smell. This means that the fungal infection is healing.
If you have swelling and an infection, that will go away also, along with the redness and tenderness, if you had any. The coloring may or may not change in the nail, but that nail will continue to grow out.
Another is the fact that you see new nail regrowth from your cuticle. This means that the fungus under your nail has gone away, and is no longer capable of damaging your nail.
To keep the fungus from coming back, you have to maintain a regular treatment. About once a month or so, use a treatment. Also, be sure to throw away your socks and shoes, because the fungus is still in them.
Many people have gotten rid of their nail fungus, and have been able to keep it away. The trick is to treat it often and correctly and to keep your nail or nails as dry as possible. When you have toenail fungus that won’t go away, you have to keep on top of it and take preventative measures from here on out.
