Fingernails are probably one of the most overlooked parts of the body. We all know that we need to cut them short and keep them clean. But do you know just how clean they really are? Your hands touch all sorts of things throughout the day and although you may wash your hands thoroughly, you might not wash away the dirt that is caught in the fingernails no matter how long or short they are. In the long run, your nails (on your toes and fingers) may eventually form fungus. So let's talk about the types of nail fungus treatment and how they work.

Oral Medication

The typical nail fungus treatment is usually one that is prescribed by a doctor. Oral medications stimulate nail growth to replace the infected part of your nail and clear infection. These medications include Terbinafine, Itraconazole, and Fluconazole. Because new nails need time to grow, it may take around 3 to 4 months until results appear. For optimal results while taking oral medications, it's a good idea to apply topical treatments at the same time.

Antifungal Nail Polish

Another treatment your doctor may prescribe is an antifungal nail polish. This is normally painted over infected nails as well as the skin surrounding the nails once a day. This treatment may have to be used for about one year as part of a daily regimen to completely clear nail fungal infections.

Topical Treatments

Many times, your doctor may also recommend topical treatments and over-the-counter creams. When applied together, these treatments can clear infection as well as help absorption. Topical treatments are often used with other medications to speed up overall treatment.

Home Remedies

Using home remedies are a great way to maintain healthy nails while on treatment. You may use tea tree oil as a powerful and natural antiseptic, antibiotic, and fungicide. Mix this with lavender oil to naturally prevent skin irritation. Also try dipping your toes in a mouthwash, which also has a potent antiseptic. Or, you can get some natural apple cider vinegar from your kitchen, mix with warm water, and dip your toenails in the mixture for a few minutes to let the natural antiseptic work on affected areas.

Furthermore, try using a mixture of oregano essential oil and olive oil over the infected areas, as oregano essential oil is a natural antiparasitical, antiviral, antibacterial, analgesic and antifungal. Finish off by applying AHA creams before going to sleep to eliminate rough skin. Remember, dryness can cause nail fungus infection.

All these home remedies may be applied everyday for up to 7 days at a time. Mixtures need to be a combination of equal amounts of ingredients. If you don't want all the trouble mixing up ingredients and using different kinds of home remedies all at once, there are products available that can provide you with the same effective results from just one bottle.

Look for products that contain tea tree oil as well as moisturizing ingredients like almond oil and jojoba oil to prevent dryness. They also contain soothing properties like lemongrass oil and the natural analgesic clove oil. Most importantly these natural products contain ingredients that work from the inside out, including undecylenic acid and vitamin E oil (antioxidant).

As you can see, the best nail fungus treatment is often a combination of treatments. Find a product that fights against infection, sooths, and promotes the inner health of your nails all at once. If you're already taking medication for nail fungus infection, speed up healing by using other natural treatments alongside your medication.