Topical Agent Combines Antifungal, Cosmetic And Nail Renewal Treatment

Podiatric physicians now have at their disposal a single product to fight nail fungus while simultaneously rejuvenating the appearance of nails.

Tolcylen™ Antifungal/Nail Treatment Solution offers cosmetic treatment of the symptoms of most nail conditions while also administering antifungal treatment to the infected sites, according to the manufacturer Marlinz Pharma.

The product utilizes tolnaftate 1% and undecylenic acid 25% to target fungal infections. It also contains urea, lactic acid and propylene glycol. The company says these ingredients work to soften, thin and lighten brittle and discolored nails while also serving as penetrating agents for the other ingredients. Jojoba oil and vitamin E moisturize and revitalize nails, improving nail appearance and promoting growth, according to the company.

A patented delivery system facilitates application of the product through an applicator brush tip that controls the flow of medication while effectively dispensing the product on or under the edges of nails, according to the company.

Charles J. Gudas, DPM, prescribes Tolcylen to treat a variety of nail deformities, including fungal nails, psoriatic nail conditions and onycholysis. Dr. Gudas, who has experience using a variety of antifungal treatments, praises the effectiveness of Tolcylen.

“I have utilized oral antifungal therapy, local therapy, including Clarus and Formula 3, and prescription local medications, including Jublia and Kerydin, and have found Tolcylen to be the most effective of all because of the combination ingredients,” says Dr. Gudas, a Fellow of the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons, who is in private practice in Charleston, S.C.

According to Dr. Gudas, Tolcylen allows for improved nail appearance in a relatively short time.

“The other products do not have the combination of ingredients with the ability to rapidly penetrate the nail bed as seen with Tolcylen,” notes Dr. Gudas. “It has been impressive.”

Peter Redko, DPM, has successfully used Tolcylen to treat onychomycosis, nail dystrophy and brittle nails. Among the product’s benefits, he points to the product’s unique applicator.

“(The product is) simple to apply. There is no odor. The medication is clear and dries quickly. There’s no need to touch the medication, and patients find it easy to adhere with the treatment protocol,” says Dr. Redko, a board-certified foot and ankle surgeon in California. “Patients love the easy applicator brush.”

Dr. Gudas concurs. He says ease of use means improved patient adherence.

“In my opinion, the patients have a much easier time applying the medication. I get rave reviews on the foolproof applicator system, which can apply Tolcylen to all areas of the nails and surrounding tissue,” says Dr. Gudas, a former director of the podiatric residency program at the University of Chicago. “The medication is portable. It can be carried in a purse without fear of leakage and the medication does not dry up. The applicator really makes the process much easier than the other local nail preparations.”

Both Drs. Gudas and Redko report seeing relatively quick results in patients using the product with improvements apparent within two to four weeks.

“Patients have been very happy with the product,” says Dr. Gudas. “For the first time in my life, I have found a product that positively impacts the treatment of a variety of chronic nail conditions.”

“(I am) impressed (with) how well it works for various nail pathologies,” states Dr. Redko.

Ms. Garthwait is a freelance writer who lives in Downingtown, Pa.

For further reading, see “An Update On Current And Emerging Topical Antifungals” in the July 2015 issue of Podiatry Today. To access the archives, visit www.podiatrytoday.com.