Diagnosing and treating onychomycosis.

Onychomycosis is a particular concern for active people because they're exposed to fungi in locker rooms and because hot, sweaty feet enable the infection to flourish. A thorough physical exam and potassium hydroxide exam of debris from the nail plate can help rule out look-alike conditions and provide information that will guide drug therapy. Treatment with the new generation of onychomycosis medications-itraconazole, fluconazole, and terbinafine hydrochloride-is costly but produces impressive cure rates. Active patients need detailed instruction about preventive measures to avoid recurrence.