Background: The most frequent nail problem observed in clinical practice is onychomycosis, a fungal infection of the toenails or fingernails caused by dermatophytes (also known as tinea unguium), non-dermatophyte moulds, or yeast. Many patients with Onychomycosis are resistant to most therapeutic modalities, making it difficult to determine the appropriate course of treatment. This may contribute to the high rate of recurrence.
Objective: Review of the literature on treatment options of onychomycosis.
Methods: In an effort to learn more about onychomycosis, we looked through resources like PubMed, Google Scholar, and Science Direct. However, only the most recent or extensive study was taken into account between January 2012 and May 2022. Relevant literature references were also evaluated by the writers. There are not enough resources to translate documents into languages other than English, hence those documents have been ignored. It was generally agreed that documents such as unpublished manuscripts, oral presentations, conference abstracts, and dissertations did not qualify as legitimate scientific study.
Conclusion: Topical antifungals are ineffective if applied to the nail plate without first debriding the nail bed, whereas oral therapy for Onychomycosis is limited by medication interactions and possible hepatotoxicity. Combinations of systemic and topical treatments seem to be the most successful overall.