I have recently returned from living in a hot climate and have developed a fungus under some of my toenails. I have been advised that the only way to treat this is with a steroid treatment, which has an 80% chance of success, takes four months and has nasty side-effects. Do you know of any other treatment I could try?

Jill Forgham

Dr Jules Eden replies: Steroids have no place in treating fungal nail infections. You need anti-fungals. Probably the best tablet is terbinafine. Taken daily for four months, it does have a good success rate, but your liver function has to monitored and the treatment stopped if the results show liver changes.

Another treatment favoured by podiatrists is Loceryl. This is a nail paint that is applied over a long period. Results are less impressive than for terbinafine, but there are no potential side-effects.

When you are travelling or living in warm sweaty climates, prevention is all. Make your toes as inhospitable to fungal infections as possible: keep your feet dry and your nails cut short.

· If you have any questions you want to ask Dr Jules Eden, email travel.doctor@theguardian.com, or write to The Flying Doctor, The Guardian, 119 Farringdon Road, London EC1R 3ER.