[Diversified treatments of Tinea unguium]

Antifungal agents and therapeutic approaches for tinea unguium have been increasing in number. Itraconazole, terbinafine and fluconazole were developed in the 1990s, and many useful methods with them for tinea unguium have been reported, including pulse therapy and short duration therapy. There have been many reports of not only oral treatments but also contrived topical treatments, in most of which improvement rates were high. However, each treatment has had some drawbacks and did not seem to gain the complete compliance of patients. Many patients dropped out, still having affected nails. It seems important to us to understand thoroughly the merits and demerits of each diversified treatment for tinea unguium and to provide the preferential treatment for each patient.