Nonyx Nail Gel: Part 3

This is a followup to my first and second posts: Nonyx Nail Gel and Nonyx Nail Gel: Part 2. It’s gotten so many comments that it’s hard to sort through these older posts.

Please make followup comments here.

And don’t forget to read the original post and other related posts including Fungal Nail Infection Treatment and Zetaclear.

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There are many discussions about nail fungus going on on my blog. Search my blog for the word “fungus” for more.

80 Comments

  1. Linda says:

    I have tried numerous methods to attempt to cure my nail fungus. This has been a losing battle for over 20 years. About 6 months ago I came across NonyX Nail Gel. It is the only over the counter medicine I had not tried. Always wishing for pretty feet, I gave it a try. I am happy to say that my big toe now looks like a normal nail. My two middle toes still have a ways to go, but I have faith that by summer my feet will be pretty as any other healthy feet. Thank you NonyX!!

  2. Feety says:

    Thats great news for you Linda!
    I don’t know why but I don’t seem to have had much success with nonyx, I think it is starting to help but then it seems not to have changed any!
    Did you fild your nails regularly? How often did you apply etc?

  3. Feety says:

    Any updates on peoples use with nonyx?

  4. Angela says:

    Excellent blog! ((Thank-you)).

    Has anyone else tried Buddy Eldorado’s mixture and method with the grapefruit seed extract? It sounds like the simplest solution and he says it works. (Too simple perhaps?) Definitely looking for simple though since I’m searching for a cure for my hubby – and can’t imagine him persisting with the twice a day, every day self pedicures for the next year with no ‘guarantees’ of total success ;-). Shame the laser treatment doesn’t seem to live up to expectations from reports. We’d pay for convenience that works for sure.

  5. lee says:

    Angela, I used grapefruit seed extract for a while, and like all the other topicals I’ve tried, it kept the infection at bay but didn’t get at the nail bed. So I still have the infection. It might work for your hubby. If you’re starting out, I’d recommend the following treatments:

    * Read up on all the stories and tips on my site and elsewhere. Especially my treatment log.

    * Try a topical for a few months. Maybe Lamisil, grapefruit seed extract, vinegar, Desenex or all the other topicals in the pharmacy. They’re all maybe a 20% success rate. Maybe it’ll cure you, maybe help for some toes, or not. It depends on if the medicine can reach the darn bugs, the kind of bugs they are, and how bad the infection is. Keep a log of the topicals you use, it’ll help your doctor determine the right oral treatment if needed.

    * Go to a podiatrist and see about getting an oral medication, maybe Lamisil, Fulvicin, or Sporonex. It’s more expensive, also takes 2-6 months and still only has a 20-50% success rate.

    * Wanna get crazy (as in expensive and iffy)? Try that laser fungal treatment. It seems to be maybe 10-30% effective, though it’s really easy with just 1 or 2 doctor visits.

    * Give up? Have a podiatrist rip your nail bed out and kill it forever with a matrixectomy. Of course, then you have no nail :-(

    Know that I am not a success story. I’ve still got (and hate) the fungal infection on my right big toe. I use Lamisil spray (the “Continuous Spray” can gives good coverage), and/or grapefruit seed extract, and/or vinegar occasionally to keep the infection from spreading. Though for a while I had it on multiple fingers and multiple toes. If you do better, please please come back to this blog and tell us how.

  6. Angela says:

    Thanks Lee. I’ve read absolutely every post :)) We shall indeed report back if we find a successful treatment. Kindest Regards xx

  7. hillary says:

    You guys are whiners. Your feet seriously?! you can wear socks…I have had it in my fingernails for years now. I got it from a random paperclip in a classroom when I was bored. It eventually spread to all of my nails and is now starting on my toes. When I got mono and my immune system was compromised it spread like wildfire. I have taken Lamasil twice now and used most topical solutions. However they don’t get UNDER the nail bed. I just bought some NonyX for the first time. It is painful when I put it under my nails as the nerve endings for your arms end in your fingertips. The other day I fell at school at my nail snapped off because they are raised and they catch on everything. Guess that me the whiner now… :( I hate that the only way to treat it is to leave your nails exposed for topical solutions, but if I do that everyone will see it and I will be embarrassed. So instead I usually put nail polish over it and hope nobody will notice. So yeah I am envious that it is just in y’alls toes…

  8. lee says:

    Hillary, that completely sucks. Check out other posts on my blog for some treatment options. I had it on some fingers and that was awful.

    Short form: some treatments work for some infections, some not. They all take months to never. :-(
    Good luck and please come back here to tell me how treatment went, whether it worked or not!

  9. Mandy says:

    Hi, is the one from amazon the NonyX u guys were talking about?
    Thanks!

  10. Feety says:

    Mandy, Yes you can buy this on amazon or there are other places to buy it. It is made by xenna. Good luck if you try it!

  11. Mandy says:

    Thanks! Im still waiting for it to arrive. Im trying out the vinegar method but is it supposed to make my nails go white? As the colour changed from grey to white… Thanks!.

  12. lee says:

    Mandy, yes when using vinegar, the nail changed color from gray to a more translucent white. When that happens, I find the nail is temporarily softer and it’s easier to trim away the yucky stuff.

  13. Feety says:

    Mandy, yes my nails go white when i have used vinegar alone, it might be the yucky stuff coming to the surface so yes like lee says it is easier to trim away.
    I am starting on nonyx again, I am stupid because I am always changing my remedies but I have to say nonyx is by far the best product I have used! My nails were about half way grown clear and I changed again but now they have gone back to being all infected, I will be more patient with nonyx now.
    I am going to stop spending so much time online looking for a cure and just post back here once a month with updates otherwise it becomes an obsession. Please keep us updated with how you get on Mandy, how infected are your nail/nails?
    I have 8 nails infected all 100%.

  14. Mandy says:

    Do you cover it with cotton ball vinegar twice a day?

    I have 5 toe nails infected and its been a year and not healing :( I trim them once/ twice a week and used the vinegar method for 5 times so far, it think it actually makes it less yellow?? and my big toe I can see new nails coming out clearer too (but still grey ish)

    Ive ordered nonyx but it takes 28days to deliver??? And i cant find it anywhere else apart from amazon…so im just using the vinegar method for now.

  15. lee says:

    Mandy, of late I have mostly given up. My right big toe has been infected for years and I haven’t been able to clear it. I use Lamisil spray on my feet once every few weeks when they start to itch. Last week I noticed that my nail was growing so thick that it was causing a dull ache, pressing into the nail bed. To help trim the nail, I used vinegar for an hour before trimming to soften the nail. It worked very well. Specifically, I put vinegar on a cotton ball, held it down with a piece of scotch tape directly on the nail I wanted to trim. After an hour, the nail was soft and had changed to be more white and translucent. I then went at it with toenail clippers, pulling as much keratin out from under the nail as possible without it being painful. That worked very well to trim my (still yucky) nail.

  16. Feety says:

    Mandy, when I used vinegar alone I didnt cover it but I think it can aid in products penetrating the nail. If you can see new clear nails coming through that sounds good, such a shame it can take up to a year for a whole nail to grow but with patientce it can get there!
    I personally think nonyx is probably better than vinegar, it is a stronger percentage of vinegar and I think the added ingredients help the vinegar stay on the nail and penetrate the nail. I am sticking with nonyx this time.
    You can also buy nonyx on ebay or if you google other drug stores sell it.

  17. Didde says:

    Hi all

    I have spent my afternoon reading this blog. I’m pretty new in this world since I only just caught it in February after doing a mud-run! Anyway, I only have it my big-toe nails, but it spread quickly. I have now used a topical called Fungistop for a month, and absolutely no improvement. If you think $25 is a lot for Nonyx, I’m not even gonna tell how much I paid for Fungistop! After reading the blog it seems like a lot of people have had great success with Nonyx, so I think I’ll give it a go as well…

  18. lee says:

    Didde, you write

    it seems like a lot of people have had great success with Nonyx

    That is not true. The comments show that people have had “some” success with Nonyx. Feel free to re-read the comments. So don’t get your hopes too high.

    >how much I paid for Fungistop
    I hadn’t heard the name before. A little googling gives me confusing results. Are you talking about a topical or oral? What is the active ingredient? Does that active ingredient mainly treat candidas or dermatophytes?

    Good luck with the Nonyx and please come back to tell us if it works.

  19. Feety says:

    I think actually some people have had great success with nonyx! Lena, Jon, Joe are some of the names that come to mind from this blog that have had good results and also if you look on amazon some of the reveiws are great! I think you need to be very persistant with it to see the results! I know I was seeing good results with nonyx then I stupidly switched to another product and it set me back again so I am going to stick with nonyx again.

  20. Marie says:

    I have thick, ugly toenails on each of my big toes and the one next to them. I haven’t worn sandals in years. This past winter, my right two toe nails started curving up. The pain in my big toe was so bad that I couldn’t even let the blankets touch it when I went to bed. I found NonyX at Walmart and decided to give it a try. I’ve been using it for two weeks — RELIGOUSLY!!! I no longer have any pain and the only keratin that I can scrape my toes is on the top under the nail. No more gobs of keratin on the around the nail beds anymore. And, last night, for the first time in months, I was able to cut my big toe nail without extreme pain.

    Before I started my NonyX regimine, I soaked my toes in Listerine for about 20 minutes. I have applied NonyX at least twice a day for two weeks since. I have never missed a day. I apply it after I get up in the morning, before I go to bed, and after I shower. I don’t use bandaids, cotton balls, or cover my feet with socks after applying. I simply put my foot up on a chair and let it dry.

    Guess where I keep my bottle of NonyX? Right next to my laptop! It stares at me every day. I usually get on the computer first thing in the morning and last thing before I go to bed, and my NonyX bottle is right there. So, before reading my email in the morning, I put my foot up on the chair and apply the NonyX. I do the same thing every night.

    Last, but not least, I have started boiling, scrubbing, and soaking my nail clippers after using on each toe. I bought several of them. I never use an unsanitized nail clipper on any other fingers or toes.

    I don’t know if this is going to work in the long run, but it sure feels great to not have pain any more and to be able to walk with shoes on and not limp!

  21. Didde says:

    I took me hours to read through, so no thanks, I’m not gonna re-read all the comments, and some success is better than none. And from pov, if people have been struggling for years and then see a noticeable improvement within a month, I’d say thats great success, and there was several who stated good results rather quickly.

    Fungistop (I am based in Australia, they tend to change names on pretty much everything and claim it as their own, so it might be called something else elsewhere) is a topical based on natural oils, don’t have the bottle here with me so I can’t tell you what the active ingredient is as I can’t remember from the top of my head. I’ve just started using Nonyx, I’ll let you know how I go.

  22. sam says:

    great info! i have spent 2 days reading over all the postings. bought the nonyx last night at walgreens after reading really good reviews on it elsewhere. i will gladly part with $25 to get rid of this nastiness. plus i am sending off for the $5 rebate offer that xenna is offering. check it out on their website.

    background: horrible big toe nail on left foot. i have no recollection of how it came to be but i have had it for 15-20 years! i remember my nail becoming so infected/ingrown that i went to the doctor and had it removed. that mean man wrapped my toe in gauze (no non-stick pad) and sent me on my way. now imagine the results of removing that gauze placed on an open wound. it was brutal to remove that gauze wrapping. i still curse that doctor to this day for that.

    anyway, my nail has been thick and yellow and pretty much detached from the nailbed approx half way down. this of course fills with that keratin gunk and the way my nail is, it is difficult and painful to remove it. but last week i was determined and did get it out (no treatments. just guts and a bite block.) and also was able to cut the nail down to the point where it actually is attached to the nailbed. i am hoping that using the gel will help keep the keratin away and possibly get rid of the bugs.

    for years and years i refused to wear open toed shoes because of this toe. i then went the nail polish route to try and hide the problem but really, the nail is deformed so i was not fooling anyone, just making the color more attractive. to give you an idea of how my nail looks on my toe, my sister once told me that it looked like one of those little round sugar cookies people make with a hersheys kiss pressed in the center. ha! the nail does not grow to the edge of my toe but rather it becomes sort of dome shaped and tends to grow down rather than up. within the past few years i came to peace with my big toenail and just let its freak flag fly, as they say. too many cute shoes and sandals out there to let that stop me.

    but i really would like the appearance to be better and to control the keratin build-up, which does make the toe painful.

    i may try the vinegar or listerine soaks too, but what a pain in the behind. that is another reason i had no problem paying the money for the nonyx. simple and easy. no cotton balls taped to my toes. i just don’t have the time or patience to do that. plus vinegar is hardly an attractive scent. i’m not big fan of the scent of the nonyx but the difference between it and straight up vinegar is not even in the same planet.

    gonna try and be really faithful to using it, as this seems to be THE key to success.

    will be back to update in a few months.

    ~sam

  23. Didde says:

    I have been using nonyx for just over 2 weeks now, and last night when I decided it was time to see if I would have any success in trying to remove some keratin. My left big toe nail came off completely, very smoothly, only attached on the left side a little bit. Underneath it a new nail is growing (I’ve used another topical before I started using nonyx, it might have done it’s share of work as well). I can’t determine yet if this new nail is healthy, but I’m keeping my fingers crossed and my hopes up. From the looks of it, my right big toe nail will come off to and has a new one growing underneath, just takes a bit longer for that one… When I started using nonyx I could feel it working (might sound a bit weird) and I never felt anything with the previous topical.

    Did anyone try something similar?

    Thats my update for now…

  24. Feety says:

    Sounds great Didde! I have been using nonyx again for a month now, I havent had any change really apart from a tiny bit of pink appearing at the base near cuticle. Nonyx was helping before but I stupidly changed treatments and ruined what progress I had made, this shows how patience is needed. So anyway I am sticking with nonyx as it helped me before and with patience I think it will help again.
    I know exactly what you mean Didde when you say you can feel it working! I havent so much this time but when I first started using it well it was the only treatment I used that I could feel working!
    I have never had a nail come off so smoothly but always wanted to, I have to dig at the nails to remove any yucky stuff.
    I will update again soon…

    Clinical research from nonyx site – http://www.xenna.com/nonyx/clinicalResearch.html
    Really great results!!

  25. lee says:

    Diddie, I haven’t experienced a nail falling off like that. I hope the nail below it grows in well, tell us how it is 6 months. I’ve sometimes felt the tingling of various medicines working too, though Lamisil topical works great (well, works great at treating the external infection) and I never feel it working.

    Feety, those clinical results are interesting. Archived here:

    Though read it carefully. It says that after 3-9 months of continuous use, people’s nails went from “severe or marked” discoloration to “moderate or mild” discoloration. They did not report any total clearing of nails. And sadly, the results say nothing about curing the underlying infection, so there is a good chance the yucky toes will return :-(

    I really want to find hope for my yucky nails, but I don’t see it in this report.

  26. Feety says:

    Thanks Lee, yes I did notice the results were about the discoloration but the 100% is a good sign and the before and after pictures on the xenna site always encourage me. My nails are severe and they only tested on mild to moderate which is not great for me but from all the testimonies online about nonyx is a good thing. If you look on amazon there are alot of encouraging reviews.
    I know that it is very unlikely my nails will appear normal again but if I could just get them less yellow and thick that would be so good for me.

    Before and after nonyx pics :

    http://www.xenna.com/nonyx/nonyx_beforeAfter.html

  27. lee says:

    I just wrote a little post about Fungavir. It’s crap.

  28. Feety says:

    Yes Fungavir does look like another scam, it has undecylenic acid in it though which is in a prescribed medicine from your doctor. Undecylenic acid may work but probably only for some and probably only on mild infections.
    The battle with the yucky fungus continues…

  29. Feety says:

    Any updates?

  30. robert says:

    Hello, found this blog with google. I also have nail-fungus(2 big toes),
    it’s very hard to get rid off like you all know. I believe no current available topical treatments really work and i tried a lot.

    I also used terbinafine-tablets(Mylan) for one week, but the side-effects were really irritating sore throat every day and also a light-headed feeling, like i could faint at any time, so i stopped the tablets, no oral anti-fungals for me again.

    Now i came upon something at the wikipedia about terbinafine, its called TDT-067, its a topical treatment and currently undergoing clinical trials(its in phase III), have any of you heard off it? Can we get our hopes up again?

    greetz robert

  31. lee says:

    Robert, I don’t know anything about TDT-067 except what I just found online… an ongoing clinical study and the promise of a topical delivery mechanism that penetrates the skin. Let’s hope the trials go well!

  32. Feety says:

    I have been using nonyx again now for a couple of months and my nails are looking better again but nowhere near cured. The main problem I have is my nails just grow so slowly and I mean really slowly! They look a bit clearer, the gunk is still there but they look a bit clearer. I am sticking with nonyx again and will update again soon.
    Anymore nonyx updates?

    robert- good find on the tdt-067, I will keep an eye on this one, I hope not too much longer to wait…..

  33. Fungfree says:

    I just wanted to thank everyone for posting the tips on fighting fungus! I had put acrylics on at a very high end Beverly Hills nail salon and they almost never do fake nails anymore. I should have taken that as a sign to leave. The tips were badly applied and I’m sure the space between the tips and my real nails created a perfect environment for fungus to grow. As soon as I saw a dark spot forming under the nails, I had them taken off at my local salon. The nail technician didn’t use good measures around my nails and used the same equipment on my other nails. I don’t know why I let that happen, the experiences have kept me from ever returning to nail salons.

    I believe I caught the fungus at a very early stage and followed all instructions on here, I disinfected all my tools, clipped as low as possible without drawing blood, I immediately got nonyx, applied several times a day, dried my hands very well. I kept this up for a couple of weeks and the one nail with the darker spot is practically grown out.

    I’m so thankful for all the information and I wanted to add some info here. I love painting my nails but have switched over to Dr. Remedy and DaniPro, they’re antifungal and nontoxic nailpolishes that are available in cute colors and developed by podiatrists.

    Sending good wishes to everyone battling fungi.

  34. lee says:

    I hadn’t heard of Dr. Remedy or DaniPro, but then I don’t use nail polish. It is a little suspicious that it looks like the two products you recommend have websites that were built by the same designer. I’m thinking they are made by the same company with different labeling, which is a common underhanded technique. That aside, they don’t look like terrible products. They might not cure nail fungus on their own but could be part of a larger strategy to keep it at bay.

    Fungfree, I’m glad your fungus is growing out. Glad you caught it quickly and got rid of it!

  35. Mike says:

    Hello, here’s an update. I stopped using Nonyx Nail Gel about 6 months ago. While there was significant improvement over when I started – at least enough to allow me to wear flip-flops and be only *somewhat* self conscious – the improvement did not progress. And frankly, I just got fed up with having to do the treatment twice a day, every day.

    Three weeks ago I heard on the local radio station an advertisement for volunteers to participate in a Stage 3 Clinical Trial of a new topical treatment for Onychomycosis – toe nail fungus. I decided, “what the heck!” and applied. As the nearest study clinic was 45 miles away I did plenty of research before I went to ensure it wasn’t a con or a waste of my time. Result: it’s the real deal. You can see details of the study registered with the FDA here:
    http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01302119?term=an2690&rank=3

    The study is being conducted by the originating drug company Anacor Pharmaceuticals.
    You can find a local participating study clinic/Podtriast, as well as qualifying parameters for the study, here:
    http://www.toenailstudy.com/index.htm

    Here are some tips and information that you might need to qualify that they don’t disclose on the web site:
    1. At least one of your infected toenails must be no more than 60 percent infected. In other words, there must be 40% of clear nail on at least one of your infected toenails.
    2. You must not have used a topical treatment or internal treatment (e.g., Lamasil) for a period of 6 months prior to applying for the study.
    3. The study website will try to screen you out based on your proximity to a study center. The website doesn’t disclose the locations of study centers so if, like me, you live far away from one, but you still want to participate, you need to choose an alternate zip code that is likely to have a study center. I chose San Francisco, even though it is 45 miles away from where I live, and used that zip code. Once I had passed the web site screening and the phone screening – neither of which asked me for personal identifying information like my actual mailing address – there were no further screening checks for geographic proximity.
    4. If accepted into the study, you are set up with appointments to track progress. The appointments are once a month.
    5. At the initial screening appointment, and at every followup (monthly) appointment thereafter, they do the following: mark your toenail with measurement lines for measuring the progress, take lots of pictures with a special camera, take an EKG and small blood sample, take toenail fungus sample. The EKG and blood are required by the FDA to ensure there are no harmful side effects to blood chemistry or neurological system.
    5. If accepted into the study, all affected toenails are treated.
    6. You are paid $40 per visit, plus a $10 gas card, to help defray incidental expenses.
    7. It is a double-blind study, with 3 test groups. Two of the test groups receive the topical medication, the remaining group receives what they call “the carrier substance only” – i.e., all the inactive ingredients but no drug. Neither the study participant nor the doctor know which group you are in. The assignment to a group is by a computer program that assures randomness.

    In summary:
    Pro’s: The drug is topical, and through Stage 1 and 2, has an efficacy rate greater than 52%, ranking the same as Lamisil tablets, you get a whole bunch of free consultations with a respected podiatrist and they pay you, you get to ask questions about the study as it progresses like “how are the other test groups doing?”, even if you don’t get the drug you’ll know at the end whether it’s likely to work for you, you’ll know immediately when the drug is available, you’ll have a feeling that you’re doing something positive toward your/others cure.

    Con’s: Monthly office visits with EKG and blood draw, you may end up in a control group and not receive the actual drug (you can drop out of the study anytime you want, tho), there may not be a study center within a comfortable driving distance from your home, you can’t use any topical applications on your toenails – not Nonyx, not nail polish, nada, nothing – during the study period, you must apply the test medication daily (although they are careful to show you how and make certain you’re doing it correctly)

    I’ll report progress over the next 12 months.

  36. lee says:

    Mike, that is very exciting news! Thanks for relaying it!

    I tried to get in but I don’t pass the pre-screen. Too much of my big toe is affected :-(

    Please check in with us in 12 months to say how it’s going!!

  37. Feety says:

    Mike-Sounds good about the study, something I would go for if I was in the right part of the world. But my nails would be too infected like Lee :(
    I am interested in your use with nonyx though, you say you had some improvement, how often did you apply and how much? Also was it just nonyx or did you combine with anything else. How long were you using it to see the results you had?

    It is nearly 3 months since I started using nonyx again, nails are not really looking any different to when I last posted my 2 month update but will update again soon.

  38. Mike says:

    Hi – Answer to Feety’s question, I posted up earlier in this blog to describe what I was doing. Essentially, Nonyx, twice a day, religiously, combined with filing the nail down very thin so the Nonyx can easily penetrate.

    As for the study, I went to the US Govt Clinical Trials web site and was able to find the list of study locations that are still recruiting patients. Here is is:
    United States, Arizona
    Anacor Investigational Site Recruiting
    Phoenix, Arizona, United States, 85050

    United States, California
    Anacor Investigational Site Recruiting
    Novato, California, United States, 94945
    Anacor Investigational Site Recruiting
    Oceanside, California, United States, 92056
    Anacor Investigational Site Recruiting
    San Diego, California, United States, 92123
    Anacor Investigational Site Recruiting
    San Francisco, California, United States, 94115
    Anacor Investigational Site Recruiting
    Santa Rosa, California, United States, 95405

    United States, Florida
    Anacor Investigational Site Recruiting
    Miami, Florida, United States, 33144
    Anacor Investigational Site Recruiting
    Miami, Florida, United States, 33175

    United States, Idaho
    Anacor Investigational Site Recruiting
    Nampa, Idaho, United States, 83642

    United States, Indiana
    Anacor Investigational Site Recruiting
    Evansville, Indiana, United States, 47714

    United States, Michigan
    Anacor Investigational Site Recruiting
    Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States, 48103

    United States, Missouri
    Anacor Investigational Site Recruiting
    St. Louis, Missouri, United States, 63117

    United States, New Jersey
    Anacor Investigational Site Recruiting
    Verona, New Jersey, United States, 07044

    United States, New Mexico
    Anacor Investigational Site Recruiting
    Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States, 87106

    United States, North Carolina
    Anacor Investigational Site Recruiting
    High Point, North Carolina, United States, 27262
    Anacor Investigational Site Recruiting
    Raleigh, North Carolina, United States, 27612

    United States, Ohio
    Anacor Investigational Site Recruiting
    Columbus, Ohio, United States, 43212

    United States, Oregon
    Anacor Investigational Site Recruiting
    Portland, Oregon, United States, 97223

    United States, Pennsylvania
    Anacor Investigational Site Recruiting
    Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, 19103

    United States, South Carolina
    Anacor Investigational Site Recruiting
    Greer, South Carolina, United States, 29651

    United States, Tennessee
    Anacor Investigational Site Recruiting
    Knoxville, Tennessee, United States, 37922

    United States, Texas
    Anacor Investigational Site Recruiting
    Dallas, Texas, United States, 75243
    Anacor Investigational Site Recruiting
    San Antonio, Texas, United States, 78209

    United States, Utah
    Anacor Investigational Site Recruiting
    Salt Lake City, Utah, United States, 84124

    United States, Virginia
    Anacor Investigational Site Recruiting
    Harrisonburg, Virginia, United States, 22801
    Anacor Investigational Site Recruiting
    Norfolk, Virginia, United States, 23507

    Canada, Ontario
    Anacor Investigational Site Recruiting
    Barrie, Ontario, Canada, L4M6L2
    Anacor Investigational Site Recruiting
    Markham, Ontario, Canada, L3P1A8
    Anacor Investigational Site Recruiting
    North Bay, Ontario, Canada, P1B3Z7

    Canada, Quebec
    Anacor Investigational Site Recruiting
    Boucherville, Quebec, Canada, J4B5E4
    Anacor Investigational Site Recruiting
    Montreal, Quebec, Canada, H2K4L5
    Canada
    Anacor Investigational Site Recruiting
    Quebec, Canada, G1V4X7

  39. Paul says:

    hey Lee. have you tried or heard anything about Zerofungus?

    here is a thread that looks promising:http://nailcarehub.com/forums/showthread.php/8-has-anyone-had-experience-with-using-Zerofungus-as-Toenail-Fungus-Treatment

  40. Paul says:

    also here is another interesting group of possible cures. i read through all of them i think. the one that stands out is decolorized iodine. check this out and let me know what u think: http://www.myhomeremedies.com/remedy.cgi?remedyid=11138

  41. lee says:

    Their website screams “scam” as loud as is possible without me putting my headphones on and plugging directly into a 220 volt scam amplifier. But besides that, I have no idea.

    Wow, they pile it on thick. It is such a scam, it’s not even funny. No wait, it is funny!

    From their “How it works” page

    Our experts refused to believe that the already jaw-dropping power of the initial ZeroFungus formula couldn’t be improved. So they researched a few more secret ingredients and tapped into their natural properties…unlocking a natural formula that made even our most skeptical scientists shake their heads in disbelief

    Of course, they never actually mention what any of the “secret” ingredients are.

    Zerofungus = scam

  42. lee says:

    >decolorized iodine

    Interesting. I’m guessing it will work as well as the other topicals, which is “might work, depending…”. The author claims that clear iodine has magical powers that let it burrow under your nail. Maybe… maybe not.

    The People’s Pharmacy has a forum post about clear iodine. There is a bit of talk but no one said “Hey! It cured my fungus!”

  43. Paul says:

    well i suppose it all depends on how bad the systemic infection is. i have fungus on two nails. left big toe and left tiny toe. after having it for the last 2 or 3 years, my toe nail started to lift last month. a couple weeks later I started clipping it down, and eventually clipped it all the way off, but on the right side only. i have about 30% of my nail still remaining on the left side.

  44. Gabby says:

    I have been dealing with fungus on my toes. It started with only one, but during my pregnancy it got out of control, that was seven years ago. I started using nonyx a few days ago, cant wait to see results. What I wanted to know is if I would have to stop using it during pregnancy since I an trying to conceive again. I want to get rid of this fungus once and for all!! Thank you!!

  45. lee says:

    Gabby, I would imagine that almost all topicals are safe to use while you are pregnant. Since Nonyx’s active ingredient is vinegar (see my original post), I think you’ll be fine. But remember, Nonyx has only a moderate-to-poor success rate at curing nail fungus. Good luck.

  46. Gabby says:

    Thank you for responding so quickly and the advise. I just hope that this works because I have tried other topical treatments and nothing seems to work, and this is very uncool, I cant even wear sandals. I will post in a few weeks to see how its going. Thanks again Lee, very helpful blog.

  47. Mike says:

    Here’s a progress report after 2 weeks in the study. I think I was lucky enough to be in the group that is getting actual medication, and not the control group. I’ve applied the medication to the nail surface every day for 14 days, and already I can see the previously yellow-colored fungus under the nail is turning black. The medication is clear, and smells strong – as strong as nail polish remover – but not that awful smell. It is more like a grain alcohol smell, but stronger, and not unpleasant. After I apply it, it stings a little bit, but not bad, just enough to cause sensation. Previous study groups have reported clear nails in 6-8 months, about how long it takes to grow a completely new toenail. So far, so good!

  48. Mike says:

    As part of the foot study that I am participating in, I see the podiatrist who is administering the study once a month. This gives me an excellent opportunity to ask questions, and I’ve thus learned a lot about toenail fungus. I’ll try to pass on this information here as I have time.

    For those of you who only have one or two toes infected and want to prevent the others from getting infected, here is some useful information.

    Me: “How does toenail fungus get started?”
    Doctor: “Usually in one of two ways, but it always starts with untreated athletes foot, especially between the toes. If you have this condition and exercise a lot, or have naturally sweaty feet, and do not use food powder on the feet, in the socks and shoes, these are conditions ripe to spread the fungus. The other way is if you have a toe physiology we call “hitchhikers toe” [a toe that naturally follows a shape as if you were holding out your thumb to hitchhike], where the toe naturally curves up and back toward the ankle, as opposed to laying flat. This can make the toenail prone to mild trauma where the toenail lifts and separates from the nail bed, allowing the fungus to invade the trauma area. This can be caused by wearing shoes with a length too short to properly accommodate the feet causing your toe to hit the top of the shoe or the front edge, or that do not have enough room in the toe box of the shoe. In this case, the normal motions of walking or running can catch the nail and lift it, again allowing fungus to invade.”

    Me: “I clearly have hitchhikers toe, so aside from properly fitting shoes, what else can I do?”
    Doctor: “Keep the toenails cut as close to the nail bed as you can, cut them straight across, and file the edges smooth after you cut them. A smooth edge on the nail is less likely to catch on the sock or shoe. You can also try removing your shoes when you don’t need them, like around the house. Sandals with open toes are also very good to prevent this from happening.”

    If any of you have additional questions you’d ask a podiatrist, you can post them here and I will be happy to ask and pass on the answers.

  49. Feety says:

    Mike, Thanks for the update! It sounds really good for you so far! Hitchhikers toe might be what I have, my toe is normal level but my nails curve and my podiatrist that I last saw said my nails are permanently damaged and would never be normal again :(
    I refuse to believe this as I have seen before and after photos similar to mine that have had total nail dystrophy and they have been cured by the laser. I also think that a topical treatment will be available one day to cure this, it is just a matter of time (hopefully the treatment that you are using is the one!!!)

    Thanks so much Mike, I will probably come back with questions for your podiatrist!

    Ok my nonyx just over 3 month update – things aren’t really looking much different, the nails look clearer near the base but they just don’t seem to grow so looking much the same, I realize nails grow slowly and especially when infected but they really don’t seem to grow and what I don’t understand is how the nail looks clearer near the base as this cant be growth as my nails haven’t grown any longer!!!??? I am not able to clip them as the nails stop just over halfway up the nail bed so it is impossible. I haven’t filed lately either so need to file again.

    I can say though that one of my littlest nails has definitely been helped by nonyx! I dont pay much attention to the little nails because I am more affected by the big obvious nails I just wish that it would have the same effect on all nails!!!!!!!!!!!

  50. Michael Gacsaly says:

    > There is a bit of talk but no one said “Hey! It cured my fungus!”

    Hey! (regular) iodine cured my nail fungus many years ago…

    (I just took your fire effects class. You sent an email the other day and I wanted to snag a photo of you for my outlook contact and I somehow stumbled on this thread.)

    I am not recommending any of the below – it was certainly not a quick fix and removing your own toe nail is likely not advisable – but this all worked for me.

    I picked up a VERY bad case of athlete’s foot at a gym in central Florida in the 1980’s. Although I treated the athlete’s foot, it kept coming back. Within a year my toe nails were yellow and were growing in with wavy irregularities and lifted from the skin. For years nothing worked – most ointments barely did anything for the athlete’s foot – let alone the nails. Various nail drops and gels did nothing at all. Once I was travelling and had a very bad outbreak of athlete’s foot (including red swelling and cracking on the top and bottom of the foot more than an inch from the toes). I had run out of anti-fungal cream (and was in Tokyo and don’t know Japanese so did not run out to get more) but I had a first aid kit. I used a cotton ball and covered the area with iodine (the only thing I had) and put on black socks (so as not to leave stains everywhere)…by morning there was more improvement than I had ever seen in the athlete’s foot using any other treatment. So I kept up treating with iodine. This was messy and my toes (and parts of the hotel room) were now stained red, but it worked. Over months my little toenails began to clear, then the next toenails. Eventually all but the big toe tails cleared up completely. I continued treating over a year but the big toenails never showed any improvement.

    I then (over a week or two) cut away almost all of my big toenail on one foot – letting the skin under the toe dry a few days before going a little farther down – while treating with iodine. This was really gross and involved some pain, but going very slowly with a day or two between trims was not so bad. That big toe started growing in clean. After a while I did the other big toe. Both then grew in clean. Eventually my feet were completely fine – so I stopped treating with iodine and the iodine stains quickly faded. I would still get athlete’s foot flare ups every month or two – and I would treat with iodine. After some years of this I unrelatedly tried a new dandruff shampoo (Nizoral (Ketoconazole 1%)). It was the first dandruff shampoo that ever really worked for me (I had tried everything, including prescription dandruff shampoos, with very limited success). I noticed that the start of an athlete’s foot outbreak got better without treating with iodine. I thought this was odd – since I had been told dandruff was caused by bacteria not fungus. I looked into Nizoral and it does have anti-fungal properties. So I tried directly washing my feet with Nizoral. This has continued to work and I have not needed to treat with iodine for years. Now I don’t have dandruff and don’t have any bad athlete’s foot outbreaks. I have not been able to get Nizoral for many weeks now – as I hear they changed manufacturing plants and there has been a major disruption of supply. I have been going through my stockpile and I am now on my last bottle. I called the company and they indicated the shortage is temporary and a double strength (2%) prescription version is still available – which I may try to get if the supply does not come back soon. Anyway my nail fungus has now been gone for years and I don’t get bad athlete’s foot outbreaks.

    I had never heard of de-colored iodine. That sure would have been nice as the red stuff was quite problematic. For it to work on the big toe, the nail had to go. BTW – when the toe nail is growing back in, the edges must be carefully clipped to avoid ingrown toenails. I have since wondered about (very very carefully) drilling tiny holes in the nail instead of clipping it off to allow penetration.

  51. Al Tison says:

    Hi,all. I got nail fungus from using my fathers old golf shoes. That was 15 years ago. I had the oral treatment and it help but came back probably form my own old shoes. I tried everything on the shelves at every store I was in. I used them for a year at a time to give them a chance to work. I looked at the packages and they show ugly and then clear nails. Then I read the instructions and they say it won’
    t cure nail fungus. My sister in law said try the green tea but too time consuming and messy. I found Nonyx ( how do you pronounce it?) on the shelve of a new store and said “another one to try”. I’m glad I did because I’m now fungus free free free. I did use a dremel with a samder to remove the old nails as they grew out. I had a Dr.’s assistant use the dremel to clean them one time and fiqured I could do it myself for the money they charged. It has taken about 8 months but it sure has been worth it. I have never seen an ad for nonyx and wonder why, when it seems to be the only thing that has worked.

  52. Vit D says:

    Hello Lee and others that have posted and await a better path ahead for treating this very persistent reoccurring problem for so many folks.

    I to also suffer from this fungus and got it from injury to nail and visit to public gym over a decade ago. What I notice over this progression is that I might have been able to treat it successfully with something like Nonyx or just vinegar if caught at the very beginning but once it got very established it seems more then one type of treatment might be needed along with a lot of cleaning and thinking about how to avoid reinfections once you can get it healing correctly. What I have found that has worked well to help keep things in check is using a few different treatments in rotation and not forgetting to do something to keep the nails in a healthy state. My best prevention is Hydrogen Peroxide at 1.5-2% in a spray bottle or soak. I also use standard anti-fungal creams when I travel to stay clean. I am also using Nonyx as easy treatment when I am in hurry with life. Something new I am trying is Epsom Salt soak for at least 10 minutes before I apply Nonyx at night and just do simple shower in morning. I am reading a lot of folks get relief with Epsom salt’s and I think it could be the suplur in the mix, it is great anti-fungal.

    Has anyone had their Vitamin D level’s checked? I would be interested to know if anyone has been diagnosed for this deficiency of Vitamin D? It seems that some doctors recommend getting sun on the nails that infected. Would like to hear posters results if they have been tested for Vitamin D, i was around 14 when first tested now in the range of 40-50, the scale they track is from 30-100. This being the Vitamin D levels I think we all have very low levels of that could have put us at risk for first infections. I would be interested to know if anyone on this blog has a Vitamin D level higher then 80 and still has nail fungus??

  53. Lisa says:

    Hi everyone.

    Two days ago I started to treat all my toes & finger nails with Fungistop (I live in Australia). I only seem to have a very mild case but it is under each nail so I am hoping that I have caught it early enough. It seems to have spread to my finger nails just over the past month as I have been busy with DIY & gardening & was using rubber gloves a lot that made my hands sweat. Obviously, the fungus liked that humidity. I had noticed my little toes had become thick & discoloured about a year ago & that one of my big toes had started to come away from the edge but had no idea what was causing it. I did not worry about it until I noticed it spread to my fingers.

    I will keep you posted as to how it is going, if it any good maybe you will be able to buy it here & get it posted over.

  54. Feety says:

    Any updates on the foot study Mike? Hope it’s going well for you :)

  55. Mike says:

    Update on the foot study: It is going extremely well! I can say for certainty now that I am among the fortunate 2-out-of-3 who are receiving the actual medication and not just a placebo. On my last visit to the foot clinic two weeks ago, the doctor said that lab tests have confirmed that all the fungus has been killed on my two big toenails. We are 3 months into the treatment. As the fungus dies, the doctor trims away the dead skin and nail, which is now about half my toenail. That is the amount they originally estimated was infected. The treatment protocol calls for continued daily application of the medication to the nail for the next 6 months – to ensure there is no re-infection – until a complete, new toenail has grown back on each toe. Needless to say I am very pleased with my decision to take part in the study. At first, it was annoying to have to go into the foot clinic once a month, get an EKG, have blood drawn, etc., when there was no guarantee I was actually going to be cured. But now that I know my nails will be cured, it is all worth it and I look forward to each visit. They give me $40 plus gas money on each visit and so I promptly take my wife out to a nice lunch in San Francisco with the money, which, of course, further makes me look forward to each visit! I’ll keep posting here on progress. As soon as I have some idea when the treatment will be available to the public I’ll be sure to post here.

  56. Mike says:

    p.s.- In answer to the above question about Vitamin D level, I asked the podiatrist about the link to toenail fungus. His answer was “yes, if you’re deficient in key vitamins, you are more prone to infection. But there is a whole range of essential vitamins and minerals that affect the immune system – vitamin C, E, B12, zinc – to name a few. If you suspect your immune system is not functioning at peak performance certainly get a blood test. They are cheap and easy these days, needing only a finger prick to fill two capillary tubes. Blood chemistry readouts are ready in 15 minutes, essentially while-you-wait. Your primary care physician will be happy to help you.
    For the record, my vitamin D levels have been normal throughout the study and I do not take any kind of supplements. I do, however, eat three servings of dairy product daily, the recommended amount. All my other blood chemistry has likewise been normal, which, of course, is what the study wants to see.

  57. Feety says:

    Mike that is great news! :)
    Thanks so much for the update and I will wait patiently for this as it sounds great! Thanks again :)

  58. shane says:

    I, too, tried to get into the study that Mike’s in. Unfortunately, I was rejected because my big toenail is 100% infected. I’m not sure whether that’s because they already have enough people in that class or because they already assume it won’t work.

    I’m currently getting laser treatment but my podiatrist does not have much hope that it’ll work considering that I have four toes with 100% infection. We’ll see. I’m two treatments into a 4-treatment regimen (every two weeks), and also using nail lacquer and occasional topical lamisil.

  59. Mike says:

    Only my big toes are infected, and one of them is 50 percent while the other is 100 percent. The treatment has thus far killed the fungus in both and now it is a matter of keeping it away until new toenails grow back. For some reason the manufacturer wanted subjects for the trial with at least one toe no more than 50 percent infected. They did not give a reason why but I will ask next time I go. Maybe it is not as high probability of success with more infection, but it worked fine for me.

  60. Linda says:

    Great Job Everyone! Info here is terrific! Have had three toes on right foot (including the big toe) for as long as I care to remember (I’m 55 y/o) infected, big toe is much warmer and much redder than the other big toe. Started with a severe case of athlete’s foot – from trying on shoes…or maybe the ex-husband’s fireman’s toes – dunno, but have tried MANY regimes to fight/cure both…bleach baths back 25 yrs ago, to beer baths with active ingredients added also tried the pill treatment twice (didn’t phase it)…to trying Vicks, OTC cremes, sprays (on and on)… You get the picture … Since June I have been soaking in Listerine (full strength) all toes of right foot a minimum of 20 minutes almost EVERY night (I’ve missed 3X). It’s a pain in the neck to say the least, but I am now able to put the pressure of my leg down on the nail when sleeping and not wince with pain! However, it does look like it has come to a standstill, so after 6 hours of reading all your posts, I am mixing 50/50 Listerine with white vinegar as of last night…if this doesn’t start the clean growth moving out towards the end of the nail bed, I will be progressing to the NonyX. FYI … my feet sweat badly, but the spray Tinactin RUBBED/WORKED INTO the infected area seems to work MUCH better than ANY of the cremes. I’m a big woman and have had it told to me that the sugar in my diet is what this critter is feeding on. Ah, my husband and I both did the Candida spit test (yuckyuckyuck)and his was bad and couldn’t even tell mine…don’t figure… Been wearing open toed shoes since the soaking started this round, and try to get these shoes dried out when not wearing…also, going from one soak at night to trying to get two in a day. From another site – was reading that most people believe you should dry your feet thoroughly after getting them wet, and another site did
    say that sunlight is good for killing the critters too (but I haven’t had much success with finding time for that one). I’m so sorry for the length of this post – I felt you needed to know another version of someone who’s been fighting them for a long time. I don’t notice the athlete’s foot unless I’m seriously working on extermination of the critters. Oh almost forgot, Dr Oz show mentioned lavender oil for those of us who have tender skin (I break out from just about anything-extreme sensitivity – so the burning of the tree tea oil was way to hot for me), it’s a proven antiseptic – I use after soaking and drying my foot. One app (or drop) on the infected area – smells nice too! I use this oil again in the AM when I first get up – a little insurance… I chose to soak at night to start because of the increased circulation at night when we sleep. Hope this helps someone in their own fight! I will update when something new is noticed! Merry CHRISTmas everyone – God Bless You!

  61. lee says:

    Linda, and everyone, thanks for sharing your experiences!

    I’ve been using Fungavir topical (20% undecylenic acid and other antifungals) for the last 5 weeks or so. So far, it works exactly as well as every other topical, which is to say, “It keeps the infection at bay but isn’t curing it.” In the first week, things looked very promising. Apparently the undecylenic acid makes your nails look clear and “healthy”.

    Fungavir is not a cure for toenail fungus. :-(

  62. Emma says:

    Hi Everyone, I’m 23 and I’ve been dealing with an odd yellow tinge that has been spreading on my right big toe. I first noticed some spotting about a 1.5 years ago and it seems like fungus under my nail bed is taking over. I used Sally Henson’s No More Fungus religiously for 3 months with no clearing.

    I’ve recently purchased Nonyx (even though it really is just a bunch of vinegar) and I’m going to follow through with that for the next couple of months. I also purchased a battery powered nail sanding drill and have sanded down my big toe nail in hopes that the Nonyx will be more effective at penetrating the nail bed.

    I believe there was a previous user named Lena that followed up monthly with progress. I hope to do the same thing here for all of you and maybe open a blog to post photos of the progress. I just don’t want to be 40 and still dealing with the same issue. :( I used to love wearing peep toe high heels!!!!

  63. Sandy says:

    I have had toenail fungus on my two big toes for several years. I have used fungal creams in the past, but have had no success. My big toenails stopped growing out about a year ago. Since one of my big toenails was separating from the nail bed, I had the Dr. remove both of them today. She recommended Nonyx to treat the area where the nails will grow back. I hope this works so my nails grow back fungal free. I plan to use the product two times a day as instructed.

    I like the blog posts and have read through most of them. Thanks for keeping this going.

  64. JOE says:

    I Cleared up my left great toe nail using Nonyx and about 2/3 of the right great toe nail. That was 3 or 4 years ago I have not treated my toe nails since.
    the right came back and that nail is %100 infected the left just started to get yellow at the tip. Back to Nonyx its worth every penny and I will also try some of the things I have seen here.

  65. l. says:

    Hi! I used the Nonyx last year and it completely cleared up my bog toenail (took about 3 months as the nail grew out) — then, for nearly a year I had pretty, pink, normal-looking toenails and everything was good — until one day, out of the blue and all-of-a-sudden, that same big toenail got a big nasty “instant” infection again.

    This time around I have been treating with Nonyx for more than 4 months now and I have been chargined to find that it’s not clearing up as beautifully and miraculously as it did last year. The nail (all my nails) are also not growing very much. I’ve only had to trim them twice in about 4 1/2 months! So i stepped up the regime. I scrape the top with an emery board, then soak the nail in the shower with hot water, then I put more than the recommended two drops of Nonyx on — I want this crap off!!

    Today I was watching tv and looked at my nail out of the corner of my eye – part of the weirdly discolored (creamy white-brown swirly toenail 1/2) looked like it was pink! What?!?! I jumped up, moved closer to the light and saw that the nail had not miraculously healed as I had hopefully thought … part of the nail had actually fallen off. The pink area is my bulging skin from underneath!! What?!?! What?!?!

    It does not hurt – but, I wonder: is this even ok?!

    I pray this does not grow now as an ingrown toenail!! the area around the little part that fell off is still the old crappy nail.

    I wish my nails were growing faster!!!

    Has anyone else had this happen to them …. and lived to tell about it? :-)….

  66. Feety says:

    Sandy that is what I want done to my nails, have them removed so there is more of a chance they can grow and grow back fungus free!
    I will have it done when I can afford.

    I have cured one nail with nonyx and been still using nonyx and lamisil cream and nonyx on other toes but without the success like I had on the 1 nail nonyx helped with.

    Mike – How is the trial going?

    Nonyx is the best treatment I have used so far and I have tried many over the years but still waiting for that treatment that will clear ALL types of fungus and all nails that have been so damaged by fungus like mine! So I recommend nonyx for nails that are not heavily heavily damaged as it will help with consistency!

  67. Mike says:

    The trial is going very well. As I reported earlier, the new treatment protocol has killed the fungus in both my big toenails. Now it is just a matter to grow out the old damaged toenail to replace it with clear new nail and protect the new nail from reinfection. It is a very slow process to grow new toenails.

    This is a Stage 3 Clinical Trial, so as soon as it is complete then the drug should be put on the market. The company is Anacor Pharmaceuticals. The FDA drug designation is “AN2690”. I like very much that it is a topical drug that has no internal side effects. My particular treatment ends in September. I do not know when the overall trial concludes, I will ask at my next appointment in May.

  68. l. says:

    Hi again! …. but I still wonder what I can do to make sure I don’t get an ingrown toenail in the area where the part of my toenail fell off (after using the Nonyx)! I certainly don’t want to get an ingrown! The area where the nail is still attached is quite tender. I don’t even like to touch it lightly. It is not infected – yet … I hope to keep it that way!! Any suggestions? Has anyone else experienced this?

    Thanks!!!…. :-)

  69. Feety says:

    Thanks Mike… Sounding great and not a millennium to wait! Great – Thanks!!! :) & look forward to hearing when the stage 3 actually ends!!!

    Hi I, I think you will be ok, as far as I know ingrown nails are only along the sides (???) so as long as when you do clip them you clip them straight I’d have thought you would be ok!
    Vinegar can remove a bad nail so that is probably what happened (probably a good thing so now your new healthy nail has a chance to grow :) )

    I have cut a lot of my nail away as it was all bad and i want a new nail to have a chance and it is very tender as nail beds are so tender!

    I reckon you will be fine I as the nonyx worked for you before and it is probably the same type of fungi so you probably have a good chance! :)

    Also how badly infected were your nails to begin with? (when you first used nonyx) Mine are very bad, nonyx has helped but my 2 big nails are pretty much destroyed :(

  70. blue says:

    I was thinking of doing the anacor study but applied too late so I missed out!

    Anyone try compounded lacquer with 2% lamisil, dmso and ibuprofen???? Just curious if it worked for anyone. I am trying it now; I have only been on it a couple of weeks. I did amorolfine for 6 months and it didn’t work for me so I went with the compounded me; I will update if it works.

  71. blue says:

    Lee, have you seen this? http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10357864 I wonder why we can’t get 2% butenafine? btw, I am sorry about your car; I like the pictures you posted!

  72. blue says:

    Oh and the study was done in SF so if you are close to the Dermatology group maybe they can give you some info?? If you do find out anything Lee, please let us know :)

  73. lee says:

    Blue, that study looks really interesting! I haven’t heard anything about it. That abstract mentions it came out in 1999. Why haven’t we seen this hit the market yet? Here’s a copy of the abstract (via your link):

    Trop Med Int Health. 1999 Apr;4(4):284-7.
    Treatment of toenail onychomycosis with 2% butenafine and 5% Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) oil in cream.
    Syed TA, Qureshi ZA, Ali SM, Ahmad S, Ahmad SA.
    Source
    Department of Dermatology, University of California, San Francisco, USA. tasyed@itsa.ucsf.edu
    Abstract
    The prevalence of onychomycosis, a superficial fungal infection that destroys the entire nail unit, is rising, with no satisfactory cure. The objective of this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was to examine the clinical efficacy and tolerability of 2% butenafine hydrochloride and 5% Melaleuca alternifolia oil incorporated in a cream to manage toenail onychomycosis in a cohort. Sixty outpatients (39 M, 21 F) aged 18-80 years (mean 29.6) with 6-36 months duration of disease were randomized to two groups (40 and 20), active and placebo. After 16 weeks, 80% of patients using medicated cream were cured, as opposed to none in the placebo group. Four patients in the active treatment group experienced subjective mild inflammation without discontinuing treatment. During follow-up, no relapse occurred in cured patients and no improvement was seen in medication-resistant and placebo participants.
    Comment in
    Trop Med Int Health. 1999 Sep;4(9):630.

    The two ingredients, butenafine (Lotrimin Ultra) and tea tree oil are readily available. Hmm, I can’t think of why this topical combination would do better than the individual ingredients, but it’s possible… It’s easy enough to try, but I’m not holding my breath.

    Hmmm, here’s a possible answer. Mentax, the trade name for butenafine hydrochloride was patented in 1996. If I were marketing Mentax, I would want a whole bunch of universities to come out with studies saying “Mentax works great!” right as I was putting it to market. And guess what happened?. If my suspicion is true, I’d call the Mentax people, in the local parlance, a bunch of evil manipulative snake oil grifting fucks.

    If I’m wrong, my apologies to the Mentax marketeers. But I don’t think I’m wrong. Comments?

  74. lee says:

    And Blue, thanks for the good wishes about my car.

  75. blue says:

    Well, I tried to email the person in charge of the study but he is no longer there. I didn’t try to get in contact with the Dermatology group. I did talk to my foot doctor and she told me she would write a prescription but the problem was that Butenafine 2% is not available, not sure why though? I tried googling but maybe it isn’t manufactured? Yes, you can get Lotrimin but it is 1 %. I tried to do that but it didn’t do anything. When I did talk to the pharmacy they said that it somehow needs to be stable so it would be interesting to see if the Dermatology group gives out the recipe for their butenafine and tea tree oil? The compounding pharmacies say they need a recipe. I found a few compound pharms that link to that study but when I chatted with one on the phone the Pharmacist said he had something much better which was what I had compounded, 2% lamisil, dmso and ibuprofen. DMSO is really hard on the surrounding skin. Anyway, I am curious to what is up with that study and why nothing happened like you said???

  76. blue says:

    oh and when they compound meds like Lamisil or Butenafine; I am pretty sure they use the granules which dissolve in the DMSO or tea tree oil so maybe that is why the 1% butenafine didn’t work for me and it seems like they used a plastic covering for the medicine so it would be helpful if they DID give more details on the study, like what cream did they also use in the make up of the cream? :( I too wonder why the study wasn’t repeated with such promising results??

  77. blue says:

    yes, sorry about the car! I did notice the good bread you are baking, YUM!

  78. blue says:

    @ Mike, I was curious if your clinic where you are doing the nail fungus study has any idea when AN2690 might come out. How are your toenails looking? That is exciting if this stuff works!!! How bad was your infection? Thanks!

  79. Mike says:

    The study concludes in December, 2012. However long it usually takes after the stage 3 trial to get FDA approval is when it will come out.
    It does indeed work. One of my big toenails was 3/4 infected, and the other was half. I had battled it for 3 years trying everything. Now, about1/3 of each toenail at the base is clear, and the clear part increases as the nail grows out.

    At the clinic where I go, they also treat regular patients with the Pinpointe Laser. The marketing says “…no side-effects, often with one treatment”, and strongly implies that you go in, get the treatment, pay them $1,200, go out and your nails are magically clear. This couldn’t be further from the truth of what I see in the clinic. It often takes multiple treatments, it takes 1 year for the nail to grow out completely, and only then will you know whether 1 of three things happened: a. You’re cured, and no followup is necessary, b. You’re not cured, and you need more treatments, c. You’re cured, but your nailbed has been destroyed by the laser and you’ll never grow another nail again.

    Myself, I would not trust the Laser treatment at this early stage of its history. I still have too many years ahead of me where having healthy toenails is important to me.

  80. lee says:

    It’s amazing how many great comments people have written here! I have closed comments here and opened another post so you can follow the discussion.

    Please follow this link to Nonyx Nail Gel: Part 4 to see more comments and add more yourself!