Onychomycosis, or nail fungus, affects a surprisingly large number of people – around 6% of the world’s population. If you’ve ever dealt with it, you know it can be unsightly, uncomfortable, and even painful. The nail can thicken, become discolored (often turning yellow), and even separate from the nail bed. It’s not just a cosmetic issue; it can really impact your quality of life.
Unfortunately, getting rid of nail fungus isn’t always easy. Current treatments have their drawbacks. Topical azoles and oral antifungals are available, but they don’t always work, and they can come with side effects. For example, the oral medication terbinafine has a reasonable cure rate of 38%, but it can potentially damage your liver. Topical treatments like efinaconazole and tavaborole have even lower cure rates, topping out at around 18% and 9%, respectively.
So, what else can we do? Well, one important factor in fungal survival is temperature. Like all living things, fungi have a “thermal death point” – a temperature at which they can no longer survive. The question then becomes: at what temperature does nail fungus die?
This article will explore the temperatures that kill common nail fungi and discuss the potential of temperature-based treatments. We’ll even take a look at some promising research into Non-thermal Atmospheric Plasma (NTAP) therapy, a newer approach that’s showing some real potential.
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