Loceryl

What is Loceryl?

Loceryl contains amorolfine (in the form of hydrochloride), a drug which belongs to a group of medications called antifungals. Applied directly to the nails once or twice weekly, Loceryl is an effective treatment for fungal infections.

Fungal nail infections are common and usually aren’t serious. Also called onychomycosis, they can sometimes take a while to clear if they’re not treated properly. Although they’re not often too painful, they can cause discomfort. And the change in appearance of the nail might bother some people. Infected nails usually become discoloured and fragile. They can sometimes even come away from the nail bed entirely.

Amorolfine is usually applied as a nail lacquer, and is sometimes marketed under different brands, such as Locetar and Odenil.

How does Loceryl work?

Fungal spores are microscopic particles that exist in the air. Onychomycosis, or fungal nail, is a superficial infection caused by dermatophytes, a group of fungi that can affect the hair, skin and nails. Because the toenails are a receptive surface for fungal spores, they feed off the nail tissue and burrow into the skin under the nail. This means infections can often be stubborn.

Though the reasons are unclear, men are three times more likely to get an infection than women. It also tends to affect people of an advanced age, with people between 60-79 much more likely to develop onychomycosis than than those younger than 19.

Getting rid of fungal nail can sometimes be difficult. Loceryl works by penetrating the cell membranes of the fungus, destroying the infection and restoring your nails to their natural, healthy state.

What doses of Loceryl are there?

Loceryl is available only as a lacquer and comes in a 5ml bottle. It is usually prescribed to treat mild fungal nail infections.

Mild infection can take up to 12 weeks to clear up. Our clinicians can advise you about applying Loceryl more than once a week.

How to use Loceryl

You’ll apply the lacquer to your infected nail once or twice a week, depending on what’s recommended by your clinician.

1. File down your nail surface as much as you can, using the file provided. Try to file the infected areas and the surface of the nail.
2. Using one of the provided swabs, clean the nail surface. Repeat the first two steps for any nails which are infected.
3. Dip the applicator into the bottle, and apply it to the entire surface of the nail. Do this for each infected nail.
4. Leave it to dry. It should take around 3 minutes to dry, but if you want to apply cosmetic nail varnish you should give it 10 minutes
5. Clean the reusable applicator with the swab you used to clean your nail surface.

Close the bottle tightly and dispose of the swab. When you need to use Loceryl again, re-apply the lacquer in the steps shown above. 

How long does it take Loceryl to work?

You should use Loceryl until your infection clears and you can see your healthy nails have returned.

It usually takes around 6 months for fingernails to grow back, and around 9-12 months for toenails. How long it takes your fungal infection to clear will depend on the severity of the infection. If you have any concerns about taking Loceryl for too long, or if you feel the infection isn’t clearing, our clinicians can advise you about alternative treatments.

How often do I need to use Loceryl?

Severe fungal infections can take up to a year to fully clear. This is because it’s often difficult to penetrate the nail and get deep into the nail bed, where the fungus lives.

A 5ml bottle of Loceryl will last for 12 months, and usually works best for milder fungal nail infections that don’t require more serious treatment (such as tablets).

When dried properly, Loceryl is waterproof. This means if you’re active, you can go about your day and the medication will continue working even if you’re exercising or showering. Most people will only need to apply Loceryl once a week, but our clinicians will let you know if they think using it twice a week might work best for you.