Ciclopirox nail lacquer: a brush with onychomycosis.

Ciclopirox nail lacquer solution 8%, effective and safe for the treatment of dermatophyte onychomycosis of mild-to-moderate severity, covers a broad-spectrum of organisms and also may be effective in onychomycosis caused by Candida species and nondermatophyte molds. In addition, ciclopirox nail lacquer may be an important adjunct to oral antifungal therapy in certain presentations (eg, lateral onychomycosis, longitudinal spike, dermatophytoma, extensive onycholysis) that might respond poorly to oral antifungal therapy alone. Combination therapy with an oral antifungal agent may reduce the duration and cumulative dosage of oral therapy. In some cases, however, surgical therapies may be preferred or needed in addition to topical nail lacquer treatment. Ciclopirox nail lacquer also may be valuable in the treatment of early cases of reinfection and relapse. Treatment with ciclopirox nail lacquer for onychomycosis has a favorable risk-benefit ratio. Studies to determine the role of combination oral and topical nail lacquer therapy for the management of onychomycosis are needed.