Onychomycosis

Onychomycosis, also known as toenail fungus, is a common, stubborn infection of the nails, especially the toenails.

It becomes more and more likely to develop as we age, so that some estimate that as many as 50 percent of people over the age of 60 have some degree of onychomycosis. Onychomycosis causes damage to the nails. They become thickened, yellow or brown in color, and gradually separate from the underlying nail bed. As the nail separates, the area under the nail fills with a thick, “cheesy” material. As it worsens, onychomycosis can distort the nail enough so that wearing shoes is painful. In patients with a tendency towards infection such as a diabetic, the distorted nail can also lead to more serious bacterial infections of the toe itself. The infection is caused by a type of fungus called a dermatophyte. This is a type of fungus which also causes athlete's foot and ringworm. With onychomycosis, the fungus actually grows in the area underneath the nail. This is why it is so difficult to treat the condition.

Treatment of Onychomycosis

Topical medications are generally ineffective, as the medications cannot penetrate the nail to get at the fungus. To date, only potent oral medications such as Lamisil have high success rates. The search for easier, more effective, and safer treatments is ongoing, and MedaPhase continues to perform studies on these new treatments.