You have tried everything on your nail fungus: OTC antifungal ointments and creams, Penlac, Vicks Vaporub, Listerine, tea tree oil, vinegar. You have used them individually and in combinations as recommended by friends, all to no avail. You have other recourse but to try oral medication.

Nail fungus is scientifically known as onychomycosis. It is caused by a type of fungus known as dermatophyte which invades the nails through a break in the skin. The fungus feeds on keratin, the main component of the hard shell or the nail plate.

Nail Fungal infection is often tough to treat because the nail plate inadvertently harbors and protects the infecting agent. For this reason, it is sometimes recommended to treat the disease from within using oral prescription medication. As with most prescription drugs, doctors order lab tests on the diseased nail either through fungal culture, KOH preparation or nail biopsy in order to determine the type of infection. From there, the doctors will determine the appropriate course of treatment.

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