How Should Your Doctor Really Be Treating Nail Fungus
SKIN-The Journal of Cutaneous Medicine® Article: How to Manage Onychomycosis
Patients with onychomycosis desire to be treated, often because of embarrassment and disfigurement... Nails also provide a function that if lost can make simple tasks such as scratching...challenging.”
NEW YORK, NY, UNITED STATES, January 10, 2019 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Nail fungus, also known as onychomycosis in the medical community, is a common skin condition. It is seen in 50% of people who suffer from a nail dystrophy. However, it can be difficult to treat due to the stubbornness of the fungus and the slow growing nature of the nail bed. — Abigail Smith
An article published today in SKIN: The Journal of Cutaneous Medicine discusses the most effective ways to treat nail fungus, including a discussion of both oral and topical medications. Abigail Smith and colleagues stress that “Patients with onychomycosis desire to be treated, often because of embarrassment and disfigurement associated with their disease. Nails also provide a function that if lost can make simple tasks such as scratching or buttoning a shirt challenging.” Indeed this condition can affect a patient’s quality of life.
The authors thoroughly answer several key questions most patients and doctors have when deciding how to treat nail fungus: 1) How do you diagnose onychomycosis? 2) What is the role of oral and topical antifungals? 3) When are oral medications really necessary? and 4) How should physicians discuss onychomycosis with patients?
After a careful review of the evidence, the authors conclude that both oral and topical antifungals have their place in the treatment algorithm. Smith et al. end by writing “Topical agents are also effective and may be used as adjunct treatment to systemic medications or as monotherapy. They are more expensive than the oral medications but offer an excellent safety profile and are generally preferred by patients.”
SKIN: The Journal of Cutaneous Medicine® is a peer-reviewed online medical journal that is the official journal of The National Society for Cutaneous Medicine. The mission of SKIN is to provide an enhanced and accelerated route to disseminate new dermatologic knowledge for all aspects of cutaneous disease.
For more details please visit www.jofskin.org or contact jofskin@gmail.com.
Link to article
(DOI: 10.25251/skin.3.1.1)
Abigail Smith
University of Alabama at Birmingham
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