# Why hasn't someone developed an anti-fungal nail polish? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 7, 2013, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-someone-developed-an-anti-fungal-nail-polish/657737 "2013-05-07T20:12:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2013, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-someone-developed-an-anti-fungal-nail-polish/657737/1 "2013-05-07T20:12:38Z")
Nail polish aggravates toenail fungus, but some of us feel naked with unpolished toes. It seems to me (who never took one minute of chemistry) that it would be a fairly simple process to introduce some anti-fungal ingredient into nail polish. No? Any Doper who decides to develop this can count on my business. ---
**Author:** ![gwendee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/35a633/32.png) [@gwendee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gwendee)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2013, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-someone-developed-an-anti-fungal-nail-polish/657737/2 "2013-05-07T21:29:55Z")
I’ve never used it so can’t vouch for it (it’s different foot issues that take me to such sites), but it’s out there. [Dr.'s Remedy Enriched, Antifungal, Non-Toxic Nail Polish](http://www.healthyfeetstore.com/dr-remedy-non-toxic-nail-polish.html?gclid=CI2xmZ_3hLcCFcIv4Aod-B0ACQ) I think the next question would be “When will someone develop an anti-fungal nail polish that’s affordable?” I’d have a hard time forking out that much for a nail color I couldn’t see in person. ---
**Author:** ![Cub\_Mistress](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea666f/32.png) [@Cub\_Mistress](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cub_Mistress)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2013, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-someone-developed-an-anti-fungal-nail-polish/657737/3 "2013-05-07T22:53:49Z")
[penlac](http://www.drugs.com/penlac.html) a clear prescription antifugal nail polish. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2013, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-someone-developed-an-anti-fungal-nail-polish/657737/4 "2013-05-08T00:39:21Z")
Adding an anti fungal agent would transform it from just paint to a drug subject to all sorts of regulation and testing by the FDA, which would severely drive up the cost. ---
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2013, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-someone-developed-an-anti-fungal-nail-polish/657737/5 "2013-05-08T00:44:58Z")
Not only that but its my understanding that it won’t do any good. To truly cure nail fungi you have to take an oral medication… long enough for the healthy nail to completely grow out. I was told that by a podiatrist. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2013, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-someone-developed-an-anti-fungal-nail-polish/657737/6 "2013-05-08T01:23:00Z")
Toenail fungi are inappropriately named–they are a whole-body, systemic infection and the reason we call them toenail fungi is because that’s the only place you can see them. Putting antifungal medication on your toenails is about as effective as putting cold medication there. The only effective medication is an ingested toxin used to fight other whole-body, systemic infections (commonly known as cancer): chemotherapy. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2013, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-someone-developed-an-anti-fungal-nail-polish/657737/7 "2013-05-08T01:40:34Z")
I guess I opened a can of worms here… ---
**Author:** ![yorick73](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/b5a626/32.png) [@yorick73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yorick73)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2013, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-someone-developed-an-anti-fungal-nail-polish/657737/8 "2013-05-08T01:46:54Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > Toenail fungi are inappropriately named–they are a whole-body, systemic infection and the reason we call them toenail fungi is because that’s the only place you can see them. Putting antifungal medication on your toenails is about as effective as putting cold medication there. The only effective medication is an ingested toxin used to fight other whole-body, systemic infections (commonly known as cancer): chemotherapy. Do you have cites for any of this? ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2013, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-someone-developed-an-anti-fungal-nail-polish/657737/9 "2013-05-08T02:06:18Z")
Just my doctor’s opinion, and the information that came out in [this thread.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=672103) So, in a sense, since we’re in IMHO, my post is my cite. ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2013, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-someone-developed-an-anti-fungal-nail-polish/657737/10 "2013-05-08T04:59:24Z")
> [@yorick73](#): > > Do you have cites for any of this? 1. FWIW, I had a case that didn’t respond to OTC directly applied liquids. The physician told me they didn’t work and gave me antibiotics which did work. 2. Mayo Clinic: [https://www.mayoclinic.com/health/nail-fungus/DS00084/DSECTION=treatments-and-drugs](https://www.mayoclinic.com/health/nail-fungus/DS00084/DSECTION=treatments-and-drugs) Over-the-counter antifungal nail creams and ointments are available, but they aren’t very effective. …To treat nail fungus, your doctor may prescribe an oral antifungal medication. Studies have shown the most effective treatments to be terbinafine (Lamisil) and itraconazole (Sporanox). …Antifungal lacquer. If you have a mild to moderate infection of nail fungus, your doctor may prefer to prescribe an antifungal nail polish called ciclopirox (Penlac). "I guess I opened a can of worms here… " Nah. Just another opportunity to fight ignorance… 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![yorick73](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/b5a626/32.png) [@yorick73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yorick73)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2013, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-someone-developed-an-anti-fungal-nail-polish/657737/11 "2013-05-08T13:27:31Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > Just my doctor’s opinion, and the information that came out in [this thread.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=672103) So, in a sense, since we’re in IMHO, my post is my cite. I know it’s not GD but this just doesn’t sound right. Systemic fungal infection that only presents on nails? Chemotherapy? I’m not claiming you are wrong…I’d just like to see some kind of proof before I actually believe this. > [@Measure\_for\_Measure](#): > > 1. FWIW, I had a case that didn’t respond to OTC directly applied liquids. The physician told me they didn’t work and gave me antibiotics which did work. > > 2. Mayo Clinic: [https://www.mayoclinic.com/health/nail-fungus/DS00084/DSECTION=treatments-and-drugs](https://www.mayoclinic.com/health/nail-fungus/DS00084/DSECTION=treatments-and-drugs) > Over-the-counter antifungal nail creams and ointments are available, but they aren’t very effective. > > …To treat nail fungus, your doctor may prescribe an oral antifungal medication. Studies have shown the most effective treatments to be terbinafine (Lamisil) and itraconazole (Sporanox). > > …Antifungal lacquer. If you have a mild to moderate infection of nail fungus, your doctor may prefer to prescribe an antifungal nail polish called ciclopirox (Penlac). > "I guess I opened a can of worms here… " > > Nah. Just another opportunity to fight ignorance… 🙂 I am aware that topicals are not as effective as pills but none of that suggests that the infection is systemic…just that internal medications do a better job of reaching the site of infection. Also, I don’t think antifungal agents qualify as chemotherapy. I should also note that antibiotics are not the same as antifungal agents. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2013, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-someone-developed-an-anti-fungal-nail-polish/657737/12 "2013-05-08T15:09:05Z")
IANAD. Not that Wikipedia is the final authority on medical issues, but [they give no indication that nail fungus is a systemic infection.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nail_fungus) They do mention that the fungus is embedded in the nail, which may explain why topical treatments aren’t all that effective by themselves. Systemic medications would ensure that the nail bed is receiving therapeutic doses of medication, preventing infection of newly-grown nail material. ---
**Author:** ![sidhechaos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47c2d/32.png) [@sidhechaos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sidhechaos)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2013, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-someone-developed-an-anti-fungal-nail-polish/657737/13 "2013-05-09T13:11:54Z")
Ive seen a polish that makkes such a claim in drug stores (I think it uses tea tree oil) don’t remember cost, think it was sally hansom? ---
**Author:** ![MegaBee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f0a364/32.png) [@MegaBee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MegaBee)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2013, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-someone-developed-an-anti-fungal-nail-polish/657737/14 "2013-05-09T15:14:07Z")
> [@sidhechaos](#): > > Ive seen a polish that makkes such a claim in drug stores (I think it uses tea tree oil) don’t remember cost, think it was sally hansom? Check the label. I’ve seen anti-fungal medication for nails that says, in small print, “Is not effective on scalp or nails.” ---
**Author:** ![shiftless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9c0ed/32.png) [@shiftless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shiftless)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2013, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-someone-developed-an-anti-fungal-nail-polish/657737/15 "2013-05-09T16:34:45Z")
I tried a lot of topical treatments over the decades that I had nail fungus, with little effect. The doctors always explained to me that topical treatments do not work on nails because the nail protects the fungus. Make perfect sense to me. Docs suggested removing the nails first but I had it on almost every toe, so wasn’t interested in that. Eventually, after 30 years of truly horrible nails, they invented Sporanox. That did the job for me. The fungus has to be killed in the nail bed. ---
**Author:** ![kristiecc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b9bd4f/32.png) [@kristiecc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kristiecc)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2013, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-someone-developed-an-anti-fungal-nail-polish/657737/16 "2013-10-29T16:28:58Z")
> [@gwendee](#): > > I’ve never used it so can’t vouch for it (it’s different foot issues that take me to such sites), but it’s out there. > > [Dr.'s Remedy Enriched, Antifungal, Non-Toxic Nail Polish](http://www.healthyfeetstore.com/dr-remedy-non-toxic-nail-polish.html?gclid=CI2xmZ_3hLcCFcIv4Aod-B0ACQ) > > I think the next question would be “When will someone develop an anti-fungal nail polish that’s affordable?” I’d have a hard time forking out that much for a nail color I couldn’t see in person. Did anyone here try that with any success?