Q

Are oral anti fungal medications right for me?

The first step is to get a proper diagnosis to see if it is indeed a fungus that is affecting the way your toenails look or the reason why the skin on the bottom of your feet are itchy, red, and peeling.  In most cases, topical medications are used to treat fungus.  It is also important to control the environment of your shoes, which may also include using a shoe spray or Steri-shoe.  However if all of these fail to work, then an oral medication may be indicated.  Careful thought has to go into this decision due to the side effects of oral antifungal medication, the most serious being that it has side effects that may harm you liver.  However there are instances where our patients are taking these medications, and they have to be monitored closely with blood tests and maybe even working with your primary care doctor.  To find out more about how to treat a fungus in your nail or skin, make an appointment with one of our doctors.  The sooner you are treated, the sooner your feet with feel relief.