If you’re dealing with a fungal nail infection, you’ll want a treatment that’s fast and effective and that gets to the root of the problem. Over the counter medications aren’t always the most reliable, so why not take a look at our guide to the best nail fungus treatments?
We’ve tested nail fungus treatments for the qualities you’re going to look for. Effectiveness is a top priority, but we’ve also thought about other concerns like the cost of the treatment and where it’s available to buy. The best nail fungus treatments should be ones that are fairly priced and work as they should, but also one that you can find online or in your local pharmacy.
All the products in our Top 5 list are ones you can buy over the counter. Improve the health and condition of your nails without booking to visit your doctor.
Table of Contents
5 – Canespro
Canespro nail fungus treatment is a widely available product. It says that it can treat nail fungus in just 2-3 weeks. We’ve done the research, to find out more about how well Canespro works. Is it really as fast and effective as it says? Let’s take a look beyond the box:
Availability
Canespro is widely available, both online and offline. For ease, you can order it from Amazon, or from the Canesten website.
If you’d like to buy Canespro offline, you can probably find it in your local Asda, Morrisons, Tesco, Sainsbury’s or Waitrose supermarket. It’s also available to buy from Boots, LloydsPharmacy or Superdrug.
Price
Canespro can cost anywhere between £18 to £25. You’re likely to pay about £25 to get Canespro delivered to your door.
Canespro certainly isn’t the cheapest, but it’s also not overly expensive. For a topical treatment, if it helps to avoid going down the oral medication route, it’s probably a price that’s worth paying.
Ease of Use
Canespro isn’t the easiest treatment to apply to your fungal nail. After soaking your nails for 10 minutes, which is fairly standard procedure, you’re then required to wrap a plaster around each infected nail. You get 22 single-use plasters in a typical Canespro box. If several of your nails have fungal infections, this probably isn’t ideal. You’ll spend lots of time wrapping your feet, then walk around like a bandaged mummy with plasters that will rub and could fall off.
After 24 hours wearing plasters on your nails, you’ll be required to remove the plasters and scrape the soft fungus from your nail. It’s recommended that you repeat this process for 21 days, so you’ll work through one box of Canespro plasters even if just one nail is affected. Fungal nail infections can spread, so you may need to buy several boxes of Canespro to get enough plasters for your treatment.
Effectiveness
Canespro simply isn’t as effective long-term as other fungal nail treatments. It’s a quick fix, though that might be all you want at this time.
Instead of getting to the root of the problem with antifungal creams that really work, Canespro makes a cosmetic difference by softening the fungus on your nails. You can scrape the fungus away from your nails for a better overall look, but as soon as you stop using Canespro treatments the fungus is likely to come back. This is only really an option for a short-term improvement, like making your nails look better in sandals if you’re going on holiday.
If you’re going to use Canespro but want long-term results, it could be best to use this product alongside another fungal nail treatment. The process of soaking and scraping your nails could help to speed up the effectiveness of antifungal products, though you won’t get those antifungal properties from a box of Canespro alone.
4 – Nailner
Nailner’s a trickier product to rank because four different options are available. The treatment that works best for you might not be the one we’ve reviewed, but Nailner has earned fourth place in our list through reviews of Nailner Regular:
Availability
Nailner’s available from online pharmacies and from Amazon and similar websites. If you want to order online for delivery, you’re certainly not short of options.
You’re also likely to find Nailner products at Boots, Superdrug or LloydsPharmacy. It’s also available from Tesco, Sainsbury’s and other leading supermarkets.
Price
Be careful, when buying Nailner. Prices for this product can vary enormously, so it really helps to shop savvy. You could end up paying £25 for your Nailner treatment, or as little as £8 which (for a product like this) isn’t just a fair price but a fantastic one.
If we were ranking treatments purely on price, Nailner would come out on top.
Ease of Use
Another reason to love Nailner is the ease of the treatment process. You don’t have to do a little dance in the rain or sacrifice your first-born teddy bear. Nailner keeps things simple, with a bottle of liquid that you’ll apply like a nail varnish. Just brush Nailner onto your infected nails, then go and get on with your day.
Other fungal nail treatments involve a lot of soaking, scraping and complicated application rules. It’s nice that Nailner’s so easy to use, though you must remember to apply the product twice a day if you want the best results.
It’s recommended that you use Nailner every day for the first four weeks. After four weeks, you can use the product just one a day instead of twice.
Effectiveness
Like some other fungal nail treatments, Nailner papers over some cracks. It doesn’t have long-term antifungal properties, so won’t treat the cause of the problem. Nailner will make your nails look better, but only whilst you’re using the product. If you stop, there’s a likelihood that all your nail fungus will return.
If you have years to wait, using Nailner daily will eventually bring permanent results. If you continue to restrict the fungus then it will, eventually, give up. For this to happen, you need to be faithfully using the product for at least 12 months.
For the low price, Nailner’s probably worth a bit of a gamble. The costs of this treatment aren’t too prohibitive, so why not see if it works for you?
3 – Scholl
You’ve probably heard of Scholl products. Scholl’s a big name in foot care, so you should have no trouble finding this fungal nail treatment. We’ve taken some time to review this product, so you can decide if it’s worth adding to your bathroom cabinet:
Availability
Scholl Fungal Nail is widely available as an over-the-counter treatment. Expect to find it in most leading supermarkets and plenty of places online. LloydsPharmacy, Boots and Superdrug stores will also stock Scholl footcare products.
If you’re buying online, check any online pharmacies or websites like Amazon or eBay. Just be careful if buying from eBay, and make sure that you’re using a reputable seller and getting a genuine product.
Price
Scholl Fungal Nail is widely available at a very fair price. It’s not the cheapest nail treatment on the market, but also nowhere near the most expensive.
Expect to pay between £12 and £20 for one treatment kit. That’s the kind of price that’s worth taking a chance on if you think Scholl is right for you.
Ease of Use
Scholl isn’t the easiest product to apply to your fungal nails, though it also isn’t the most complicated way to treat the problem. First, you’ll need to file the nails and remove the top layer completely. Then, it’s time to use the brush to apply the clear nail liquid. This process is fairly standard for treatment, with the filing step helping to access deeper and more embedded fungus.
You’ll need to remember to treat your nails daily for at least a month. If you want the results to last, keep going much longer to make sure that all the fungus is gone. Scholl recommends continuing treatment for nine months after you’ve started, even if the nail looks and feels better much sooner.
Effectiveness
Scholl doesn’t actually contain any antifungal ingredients. This means that treatment can be effective, but only if you’re really consistent. You can treat your nail by filing and brushing, so the fungus runs out of growing room. The nail liquid can help to stop the fungus in its tracks, but you’ll need to keep going for several months if you want a permanent improvement. The liquid itself is mildly acidic, and it’s this that stops the fungal infection from thriving and spreading as it could.
2 – Excilor
Excilor might not be the most well-known name, but this product could improve your nails. What makes Excilor one of the best treatments for fungal nail infections? With results that you’ll notice in less than a month, it could be well worth your money:
Availability
Excilor’s not the most widely available, though you shouldn’t have too much trouble finding it. Buy from trusted locations like Amazon online, and be cautious if you’re buying from eBay.
For a bit more reassurance, why not buy Excilor from Boots, LloydsPharmacy or Superdrug? Then, you’ll know that you’re purchasing a genuine product.
Price
Expect to pay between £10 and £20 for Excilor Fungal Nail Treatment. It’s certainly worth shopping around because this price can vary dramatically. You’re likely to find the best price on Amazon, for Excilor delivered to your door, but don’t buy online without also looking at other online pharmacy websites.
Ease of Use
Excilor’s incredibly easy to use, with no need to sit and file your nails. Just apply the liquid treatment, twice a day, with the brush.
In total, you’ll spend about 60 seconds applying Excilor each day. If you want a solution that’s quick and easy, you’re not going to find better than this.
Effectiveness
If you’re buying Excilor’s Fungal Nail Treatment, you need to be in it for the long haul. Excilor doesn’t promise a quick fix, but that’s one of the things you’ll love about this fungal nail treatment. There are no false expectations because with Excilor you’ll know that successful treatment is likely to take several months. Whilst Excilor advertises ‘results from 2 weeks’, the box makes it clear that some people will be waiting much longer. For the best chance of long-lasting results, use Excilor for 6-12 months. It might seem like a long time to wait, but it’s the only way to make sure that the fungus has gone and isn’t just lying dormant.
1 – Curanail
Our top choice with the best reviews, Curanail’s a well-known name for over-the-counter fungal treatment. We’ve taken time to find out why Curanail’s such a popular product:
Availability
Expect to find Curanail in all the usual pharmacies and supermarkets. This product is widely available, whether you’re buying offline or online. You can find Curanail on Amazon or eBay, or buy it with your weekly groceries. Look out for Curanail at Boots, Superdrug, Lloyds Pharmacy or online alternatives. In short, you’ll have no trouble getting your hands on this fungal nail treatment.
Price
You’re paying for a well-known brand and a popular product, so don’t expect your Curanail treatment to be the very cheapest option. In fact, this product can be twice as expensive as other similar-sized bottles.
In most places, Curanail products cost £20 to £25. Interestingly, though, this bottle will last longer than other similar product. Curanail’s just a once-a-week treatment, so 5ml goes a long way!
Ease of Use
Curanail’s not the easiest product to apply. Like some other nail fungal treatments, it relies on your nail being filed. This step helps to make the nail fungus more accessible.
Importantly, Curanail must only be used once a week. If you can’t be bothered with daily applications, that’s a huge tick in the right box. You can spend a bit of time getting everything just right, then ignore your nails for a week.
To apply Curanail, file the nail when it’s soft (ideally, after a bath). Use the brush to apply the clear liquid, then wait for 10 minutes as it dries. Like a clear nail varnish, Curanail will harden and give your nail a smooth protective coating.
Effectiveness
For assured results, there’s no better over-the-counter product than Curanail. Unlike other products, Curanail uses actual antifungal ingredients. Instead of just creating an inhospitable environment and smothering the fungus on your nails, this product really works to kill what’s left and make sure that the fungus won’t come back. Just don’t expect to be showing your toes to the world in a matter of weeks – just the same as other products, Curanail can take several weeks or months to really make a noticeable difference.
Summary
All our Top 5 ‘Best Fungal Nail Treatments’ have their plus points and their drawbacks. A lot will depend on what you’re actually looking for.
If you want to take a chance without spending much money, Nailner could be the best option. Nailner is also the easiest product to use, though results are much slower than with other products.
For speedy results, a product like Canespro could be your favourite choice. It’s a quick fix so you can wear your flip flops on a white sandy beach.
For the best improvement to your nail condition, you simply can’t get better than Curanail. Whilst other products work by stifling the fungus and creating inhospitable environments, Curanail has genuine antifungal ingredients. Curanail doesn’t just mask the problem, or rely on a little bit of luck – it gets to the root of the issue and wipes out the fungus completely.
