How to treat nail stratification and timely treatment of onychomycosis

Many people experience nail stratification. The most common causes are a lack of trace elements and onychomycosis. Onychomycosis can cause great harm to the health of the nails and requires timely diagnosis and treatment. Local medication can be used, or systemic treatment can be carried out depending on the patient's condition.

1. Local treatment

Suitable for cases with fewer diseased nails. You can insist on applying 5% amorolfine nail polish, 8% ciclopirox (cyclohexylamine ethanol) nail polish, 30% acetic acid, lactic acid iodine solution (10% iodine and 50% lactic acid mixed evenly) or compound salicylic acid ointment. Soak your feet in warm water before applying the medicine, and gently scrape off the diseased nail with a knife or small file. It usually takes 6 to 12 months. You can also use 40% urea ointment to soften the nail, then scrape off the diseased nail and use antifungal drugs. You can also use surgical methods to remove the diseased nail and then apply antifungal drugs.

2. Systemic treatment is suitable for patients with multiple nail diseases or those who are ineffective with local treatment. During the treatment process, the course of treatment is adjusted according to factors such as the patient's age, nail condition and nail growth rate.

(1) Terbinafine: Effective against dermatophyte and fungal infections. The efficacy for yeast nail infection is relatively low. It can be taken orally at a dose of 250 mg/day for 6 weeks for nail fungus and 12 weeks for toenail fungus. Or use alternate-day therapy, 250 mg/d in the first week, and start taking the medicine every other day from the second week, 250 mg each time. It takes 3 months for nail fungus and 6 months for toenail fungus.

(2) Itraconazole: It is effective against dermatophyte, yeast and fungal infections. Currently, short-term intermittent shock therapy is mostly used, with 200 mg taken orally, twice a day, for 7 consecutive days, as a course of treatment. Nail fungus can be treated with 2 to 3 courses, and toenail fungus can be treated with 3 to 4 courses.

(3) Fluconazole: It is effective against dermatophyte, yeast and fungal infections. Take orally once a week, 150 mg each time. Nail fungus requires 3 to 4 months, and toenail fungus requires more than 6 months.

3. Traditional Chinese Medicine for Nail Removal

You can use a purple ointment stick to heat and soften it, then apply it to the affected nail. Keep it on for 7 to 10 days and then remove it. Use a blunt knife to scrape the softened cuticle, then continue to apply it. Repeat this process until a new nail grows out. Or soak the diseased nail in Chinese medicinal vinegar for about 20 to 30 minutes (do not wash off the vinegar after soaking). This method is simpler than nail removal.