[Therapy of onychomycosis].

BACKGROUND

Considering the increased rate of mycotic infections of the nail, various concepts in the treatment of onychomycosis have been developed looking for a successful therapeutic approach.

AIMS: An overview of the actual standards of topic and systemic treatment of onychomycosis depending on clinical findings, classification of onychomycosis and type of fungus will be presented.

RESULTS

Topical urea and bifonazole therapy was available in the past as well as systemic antimycotic therapy with just griseofulvin or ketoconazole. Nowadays a different spectrum of easily applicable, safe and effective therapeutic measures is on the physician's hands. Besides topical therapy with ciclopirox and amorolfine oral treatment with itraconazole, terbinafine and fluconazole is available. Combination therapy of terbinafine orally in addition with topical application of ciclopirox may possibly optimize the therapeutic approach considering the respective response rates however, no clinical study evaluating this hypothesis has been performed so far.