Toenail fungus can be very embarrassing to the affected people.
The good news is, there are various treatments for nail fungus, including Lamisil as the brand name for Terbinafine – which is a prescribed medicine to treat nail fungal infection.
While Lamisil is available in the forms of topical cream and oral tablets, one common question is:
“Does Lamisil cream work for toenail fungus? What’s the success rate?”
Here you will be able to understand how these different forms of Lamisil work, which is the more effective one, and their associated side effects.
Lamisil Cream for Toenail Fungus
Containing terbinafine hydrochloride as its active ingredient, Lamisil cream works by stopping the growth of fungi by altering the fungus cell membranes, which are vital for the survival of fungi thus when they are altered, fungus cannot grow.
Topical terbinafine alters the cell membranes by making holes which leads to leakage of essential constituents of the fungal cells.
While this topical ointment is not specifically formulated for nail fungus treatment, and there is NO medical study that shows Lamisil cream is effective for nail fungus removal —
some people have tried to use Lamisil cream for toenail fungus treatment at home, since the same fungi (eg. dermatophyte) that causes athlete’s foot and jock itch may cause nail infections.
Though unproven, there are people who shared their success stories that Lamisil cream seems helpful to get rid of nail fungus, as you can check out these reviews to learn more.
How People Use Lamisil Cream for Nail Fungal Infection
Step 1: Lamisil cream is for external use only, and this topical cream should be applied on the clean infected toenail, therefore the procedure starts by cleaning the infected area.
Step 2: After cleaning, dry the affected and then apply the cream and rub it gently on the skin. This procedure should be done once or twice every day for a period of 1-2 weeks. You can continue using the cream until all the signs of the toenail fungal infection has disappeared.
Step 3: When using terbinafine cream for toenail fungus, it is always wise to apply some cream between the toes. After application you should wear well-fitting and ventilated shoes to allow free of air in the feet. Also, change your pair of socks every day to avoid accumulation of dirt that can only stimulate the infection.
Step 4: Thoroughly wash your hands after applying the cream.
Precautions and Side Effects of Terbinafine Topical Cream
Lamisil cream for toenail fungus is often not associated with side effects, and if they happen they are usually very common. In case of any symptoms of side effects, you should seek medical help from your doctor in order to avoid any complications that can be serious.
According to WebMD and the package leaflet of Lamisil 1% cream (terbinafine hydrochloride), some of its possible side effects include skin rash, itching, swelling of the mouth, tightness in the chest, and burning around the nail.
These side effects may not happen to everyone who is using the topical Lamisil. Due to the fewer side effects, most people prefer using the Lamisil cream to Lamisil oral pills for toenail fungus (in which we’ll cover later).
Lamisil cream should never be used by the pregnant women as well as the breastfeeding mothers. You will want to discuss the possible risks of Lamisil cream with your doctor before start using it.
Alternative Over The Counter Toenail Fungus Treatment Solution
You may look for OTC product that contains a natural fatty acid extracted from castor oil, called Undecylenic acid. This is an antifungal active ingredient approved by the US FDA.
Undecylenic acid has long been applied in traditional medicine field for its antifungal and antiviral properties, while the efficacy of using Undecylenic acid for nail fungal infection treatment is supported by various medical research –
including studies by American Academy of Family Physicians and University of New Mexico.
One leading topical nail fungus treatment solution in the market is EmoniNail, which contains Undecylenic Acid as its key ingredient.
The other natural ingredients in EmoniNail with clinically-proven antifungal properties include essential oils like Tea tree oil, sunflower seed oil, etc.
>> Visit EmoniNail official website here to learn more.
How about Lamisil Oral Pills for Nail Fungus? Dosage?
Lamisil oral for toenail fungus is deemed to be the most common toenail fungus treatment recommended by doctors. As the fungus may live beneath the nail, most doctors and dermatologists reckon the treatment should be the one that is able to work from within.
Lamisil tablet is a prescription antifungal drug:
- 250 mg tablet is the recommended dose that should be taken once daily by an adult.
- The doctor can also recommend 125 mg which should be taken twice daily.
This should be taken for 12 weeks or as instructed by doctors, in order to ensure that the medication has worked effectively and successfully in fighting toenail fungus.
Sometimes the desired results can be seen before the 12 weeks period are over, however this should never mean that you should stop taking the recommended dose. It is important to complete the prescribed dose to ensure that each and every fungus cell has been killed and eliminated.
The medical practitioners state that if the recommended period of Lamisil dose is not completed, there is a high likelihood that the nail fungus can return. If this happens, the patient would have to start the dose again.
It should be understood that the toenail fungus can be hard to treat, thus the recommended period of taking the tablets should always be adhered to for effectiveness and desired results.
In the video below, Dr. James E. Kent elaborates more on treating toenail fungus with Lamisil pills, and he prescribed 250 mg Lamisil tablet to be taken every other day.
Lamisil Pills Toenail Fungus Success Rate
Terbinafine in the form of oral medication is considered to be effective for nail fungal infection, when the period for the dose is adhered to.
The oral Terbinafine Lamisil toenail fungus success rate is around 70%, according to the following medical studies:
- British Medical Journal (BMJ) published a report that showed patients were given 250 mg Terbinafine daily for 6 weeks for fingernails and for 12 to 16 weeks for toenails with nail fungal infection, with results show mycological cure of 70.9% (continuous) compared with 58.7% (pulsed) at 18 months.
- US National Library of Medicine revealed another research conducted on 496 patients across 35 centers in 6 European countries, with the results show mycological cure rates were 75.7% for patients who received terbinafine 250 mg daily for 12 weeks, and 80.8% success rate after taking terbinafine 250 mg daily for 16 weeks.
While the toenail fungus success rates of Lamisil oral pills are actually higher compared to the topically applied Lamisil cream, the period of treatment should always be adhered to ensure higher chances of getting rid of the toenail fungus infections completely.
Dr. Scott Kilberg shares more about the success rate of (Terbinafine) oral pills for toenail fungus in the video below, alongside the associated side effects:
Biggest Drawback: Side Effects of Terbinafine Pills
Terbinafine tablets, although effective in the treatment of toenail fungus, is associated with various side effects that can be very serious if an individual does not seek medical help form a doctor.
Precaution is always necessary to identify if terbinafine is suitable for you, and taking Lamisil oral pills as prescription antifungal drug for toenail fungus treatment requires medical advice.
Before using the drugs, you should always consult your doctor in order to identify various ways the drugs are likely going to react with your body.
For examples, people who have reduced function of the liver and the kidney should always seek advice from the doctor first. Terbinafine can interact negatively with your liver and this can cause serious problems in an individual, and sometimes even death, although there is often a less likelihood of developing liver problems just because of taking Terbinafine pills.
Additionally, people who are often very allergic to any active and inactive ingredients should not start taking terbinafine tablets without a go ahead signal from the doctor.
Also if you are taking other medicines, you should always make this known to your doctor during your consultation. This is the best way to identify how terbinafine tablets will react or relate with the other medicines that you are taking. This important because terbinafine can cause very serious complications is taken together with other drugs.
Based on medical consultation alongside your blood test and/or liver function test results, the doctor may recommend the drug for you, or the drug may not be recommended at all.
Marc Baer answered the question “are pills for nail fungus dangerous?” in the brief video below:
Beside the key concern of liver injury, the other possible side effects that can be present when using Lamisil oral therapy for toenail fungus include stomach ache, diarrhea, skin rash and itching, loss of taste, vomiting, dark colored urine, Nausea, yellowing of the skin, and more.
In case of the above symptoms when using Lamisil, you should notify your doctor in order to avoid serious complications.
Does Lamisil Work for Toenail Fungus? The Verdict
It can be difficult to treat toenail fungus, and this condition can affect anyone.
Lamisil generally works by inhibiting the growth of fungi, which makes it a effective treatment that is recommend by doctors for nail fungal infection.
While the topical form of Lamisil has been approved by FDA and termed as a safe medication for the toenail fungus, medical research show Terbinafine tablets are more effective than Lamisil cream in the treatment of toenail fungus.
Terbinafine oral pills for toenail fungus has been tested to work in patients who completed their dose for a period of 12 weeks or as instructed by doctors.
Lamisil for toenail fungus has always been believed to be a very strong antifungal agent that can treat toenail fungus. The recommend period of treatment should always be adhered to for high rates of effectiveness.
There are various side effects that are associated with Lamisil, thus you should always notify your doctor if you happen to experience any.
