It’s estimated that as many as 10% of the population have toenail fungus. Most will simply live with it because they feel there is no effective treatment. They’re wrong.
There are a number of non-prescription toenail fungus treatments on the market today that offer varying degrees of relief.
In the list below we will highlight the many benefits of using over the counter toenail fungus treatments.
18 Benefits Of Toenail Fungus Treatment
In recent years enormous strides have been made in the treatment of toenail fungus. Here are some of the most notable benefits of today’s OTC toenail fungus treatments.
1: Toenail fungus treatments are effective.
Let’s start right off with the most important benefit of toenail fungus treatments: they work. Sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly, but they work. Granted, the sooner you catch the infection and begin treatment, the better and faster they work. But even for deep-seated fungal infections, they can generate remarkable improvement in fairly short order for fairly short money.
2: Toenail fungus treatments are simple.
Compared to something like laser treatment, the OTC toenail fungus treatments on our list are the definition of simple. Most take only a couple of minutes to apply once per day. They do not require any special equipment, there is no muss or fuss involved and no pain. Simply apply the medication, give it a minute to dry, put your socks and shoes on, and get on with your day.
3: Toenail fungus treatments are affordable.
The spiraling cost of healthcare is one of the biggest issues of our time (1). Even if a person has what they consider to be pretty good insurance coverage, the average deductible can be more than $4,000 per year (2). It is rare to find an effective treatment for a vexing problem that does not drain your bank account. Toenail fungus treatments are one of those rare healthcare deals.
4: Toenail fungus treatments remove a health threat.
Toenail fungus may seem innocuous, but if left untreated it can open the door to a slew of other problems. Untreated toenail fungus often leads to athlete’s foot. The infection can also migrate to other toes and become nearly impossible to eradicate. Or it may migrate to the crotch area and produce jock itch. In those with compromised immune systems, toenail fungi can lead to systemic infections and septic shock (3), which is often fatal.
5: Toenail fungus treatments let you dress with confidence.
Anyone with toenail fungus will tell you that it changes the way they approach dressing. Especially during the warm weather months when so many people head outdoors in sandals. In a word, toenail fungus is unattractive and can bring unwanted negative attention that can spoil outdoor activities. Toenail fungus treatments can restore your toenails and your confidence.
6: Toenail fungus treatments don’t interfere with your life.
Many medical treatments require that a person take time out from their busy day to visit the doctor’s office or hospital. Not toenail fungus treatments. They can be done in just a few minutes in the privacy of your home. No wrestling with traffic, paying for parking, or waiting in line in the doctor’s office to be called.
7: Toenail fungus treatments prevent you from spreading the fungus to others.
Toenail fungus is not highly contagious. That is, you cannot spread it to someone just by being near them. However, it is still contagious and is often spread within families (4) by sharing toenail clippers or towels, or walking barefoot in a bathroom used by other family members. Toenail fungus treatments help ensure you won’t spread the fungi to others.
8: Toenail fungus treatments are painless.
Many medical treatments call for people to simply ‘grin and bear it’. Toenail fungus treatments are an exception. It is likely that from the time you start until the time you finish, you will never experience an uncomfortable moment created by the toenail fungus treatment.
9: Toenail fungus treatments have few side effects.
It is rare that an important medical treatment does not produce noteworthy side effects (and make no mistake, it is important that you get treatment for onychomycosis). But for the vast majority of people, that is the case with toenail fungus treatments. There is no nausea, dizziness, constipation, headache, or any other side effects that are so common with many medications.
10: Toenail fungus treatments prevent a nail infection from spreading.
A bit of discoloration along the tip of the toenail might not seem important. But the longer onychomycosis is left untreated, the more it will spread, and the more difficult it will be to eradicate. If you catch the fungus when it first appears you stand a good chance of getting rid of it before it can become a permanent part of your life.
11: Toenail fungus treatments save you money.
When it comes to toenail fungus, people tend to take one of three approaches. Either they treat it as soon as they identify it, wait until it has burrowed in and spread before doing anything, or simply never treat it. The first approach is the cheapest and stands the best chance of success. The second will take time and may never fully succeed. And the third may wind up leading to expensive surgery, loss of the nail or nails, and expensive physical therapy.
12: Toenail fungus treatments should be in your medicine cabinet.
Toenail fungus is not some rare, exotic condition. As many as 14% of adults in North America have onychomycosis. As such, the odds that you or one of your loved ones may develop a fungal infection of the nails are high. It only makes sense to have a toenail fungus treatment in your medicine cabinet in case you ever need it.
13: Toenail fungus treatments prevent athlete’s foot.
When people leave toenail fungus untreated, they often wind up with athlete’s foot too. It happens because both conditions are caused by the same fungi called dermatophytes (5). Once the untreated toenail fungus spreads to the soft tissue and becomes athlete’s foot, it becomes even more difficult to eradicate. So, if you don’t want athlete’s foot, treat the toenail fungus as soon as it appears.
14: Toenail fungus treatments can be used by anyone.
Because they produce few side effects and contain no controlled substances of any kind OTC toenail fungus treatments like those profiled above can be used by any otherwise healthy adult to achieve relief from this vexing condition.
15: Toenail fungus treatments start working fast.
Okay, ‘fast’ is a relative term in this case. But in some cases, it is possible to experience noticeable improvement in the state of your infected nail or nails in as little as a week. Keep in mind, though, that the longer you wait to initiate treatment, the more dug in the fungus will be and the longer it will take to get rid of it. Still, most people should not have to wait long before seeing improvement.
16: Toenail fungus treatments do not require a prescription.
These days, if you want any type of medication that is truly effective, it seems you need a prescription. Fortunately, that is not the case with toenail fungus treatments. Any of the treatments on the above list can be obtained legally and quickly with just a few clicks of your mouse or taps on your smartphone screen.
17: Toenail fungus treatments are low impact.
Some medications can take the wind right out of your sails. Not OTC toenail fungus treatments. Simply apply them as directed and get on with your life. No warnings about driving. No blurry vision, fatigue, or headaches.
18: Toenail fungus treatments can improve your quality of life.
A fungal infection of the toenail may seem like no big deal to someone who has never dealt with one. But those afflicted know that they impact the quality of life in ways both subtle and overt. Being able to rid oneself of this problem will restore confidence, open up social possibilities, and remove the specter of the infection leading to other health issues.
Conclusion
There is no longer any need to resign yourself to a life with toenail fungus. Today’s best toenail fungus treatments can provide effective relief without the need of a prescription or dangerous laser therapies.