Nail fungus treatment

Nail fungus can be difficult to treat, and repeated infections are common. There are many natural nail fungus treatment Over-the-counter antifungal nail creams and ointments are available, but they aren’t very effective. Fortunately, other nonsurgical treatments have been introduced during the last 10 years as a nail fungus treatment.

What Do You Do to Treat Toenail Fungus?

Dr. Mercola reviews the options in the following Video.

As with many diseases, there are also some scientifically unverified folk or alternative medicine remedies for nail fungus treatment which have had a lot of success.

Nail fungus treatment remedies

1. Toe nail fungus remedy using tea tree oil

Tea tree oil is a potent natural antiseptic and fungicide that will help fight your fungus. Apply undiluted tea tree oil with olive oil to the affected toe nail. Alternatively you can put few drops of tea tree oil on toenails and rub it thoroughly every day.

2. Using Listerine mouthwash
Soak your toes in Listerine mouthwash. The powerful antiseptic leaves your toe nails looking healthy. This works well as a nail fungus treatment.

3. Curing toe nail fungus using warm water and natural apple cider vinegar
Soak your toenails for 15 – 20 minutes in basin full of warm water and natural apple cider vinegar mixed in equal proportion. When done, dry your toenails thoroughly. Use a hair dryer on warm setting to absorb all the moisture in and around the toes

4. Tea tree oil and Lavender oil
Put equal amount of tea tree oil and lavender oil on a cotton ball or swab. Dab it under the top edge of the toe nail and surrounding area 2 or 3 times a day. Tea tree oil is natural antibiotic and lavender will help fight the infection and prevent skin irritation

5. Using Oregano and Olive oil
Blend 2 drops of Oregano essential oil with a tsp of olive oil. Apply this mixture on the affected area daily for NOT more than three weeks. Oregano essential oil has antiseptic, antibacterial, antiparasitical, antiviral, analgesic and antifungal propertie

6. AHA creams
Lather AHA (Alpha Hydroxy Acid) creams on to your feet before going to bed. This will flush the rough scaly skin from your feet that is more prone to growing fungus.

7. Diet for Toe nail fungus

Diet plays a very vital role in curing any ailment. People suffering from toe nail fungus should include more probiotics – good bacteria, in their diet. This will help your body to get rid of the fungus. Yogurt and kefir are good sources of probiotics. Reduce intake of refined carbs like sugar, dairy products and vinegar. Olive leaf extract is an excellent internal anti-fungal agent. Diet is an important part of nail fungus treatment.

Suggestion for Toenail fungus
8. Wash your feet after visiting public places like swimming pools
The fungus thrives in warm moist areas like spas, swimming pools, showers or locker rooms. If you step on a warm puddle or floor, you can pick up the infection. After using such public places, it is ideal to wash your feet thoroughly and dry them well.

9. Wear cotton socks
Wear cotton socks to absorb moisture from the feet that happens from sweating

10. Dry your feet
If your socks are damp, take them off and dry your feet before wearing a fresh pair of dry socks.

11. Do not share linen with affected people
Avoid sharing towels, washcloths, shoes or any other personal items of those people who have already contracted this disease

12. Trim nails and avoid nailpolish
Keep your nails cut short, and don’t use nail polish. Trim your toenails regularly. Trim them into a straight line and then smooth the edges with a nail file.

13. Oral medications for nail fungus treatment
To treat nail fungus, your doctor may prescribe an oral antifungal medication, such as:

• Itraconazole (Sporanox)
• Fluconazole (Diflucan)
• Terbinafine (Lamisil)

These medications help a new nail grow free of infection, slowly replacing the infected portion of your nail. You typically take these medications for six to 12 weeks but won’t see the end result of treatment until the nail grows back completely. It may take four to 12 months to eliminate an infection. Recurrent infections are possible, especially if you continue to expose your nails to warm, moist conditions. Antifungal drugs may also cause side effects ranging from skin rashes to liver damage. Doctors may not recommend them for people with liver disease or congestive heart failure or for those taking certain medications.

14. Other nail fungus treatment options
Your doctor may also suggest these treatments:

• Antifungal lacquer. If you have a mild to moderate infection of nail fungus, your doctor may prefer to prescribe an antifungal nail polish. The Food and Drug Administration has approved a topical antifungal lacquer called ciclopirox (Penlac), which you paint onto your infected nails and surrounding skin once a day. After seven days, you wipe the piled-on layers clean with alcohol and begin fresh applications. Daily use of Penlac for up to one year or longer has been shown to help clear nail fungal infections, but researchers found that it cured the infections in less than 10 percent of people using it.
• Topical medications. Your doctor may also opt for other topical antifungal medications, such as econazole nitrate (Spectazole). In some cases, you may be advised to use these creams with an over-the-counter lotion containing urea to help speed up absorption. Topical medications usually don’t provide a cure but may be used in conjunction with oral medications.

If your nail infection is severe or extremely painful, your doctor may suggest removing your nail. A new nail will usually grow in its place.

15. The science behind home remedies for nail fungus treatment

* Tea tree oil

is a known antifungal. The topical application of high levels is a verified remedy for some dermatophytic skin infections although not for onychomycosis, where the fungus is often too deeply nested in dense subsurface nail tissue to be fullexpunged by topically applied materials of any kind.[1]
* Grapefruit seed extract

as a natural antimicrobial is not demonstrated. Its effectiveness is scientifically unverified. Multiple studies indicate that the universal antimicrobial activity is due to contamination with synthetic preservatives that were unlikely to be made from the seeds of the grapefruit.

* Distilled white vinegar.

Drops are applied to the cuticle twice a day. This method does not kill the fungus, but the vinegar allegedly changes the pH (acid content) of the new nail formed in that 12-hour period. (The scientific perspective, however, is that vinegar is unlikely to penetrate the dense keratinous tissue thoroughly enough to have any significant effect. Instead, it may be absorbed by the skin above the nail and work its way to where the nail is actually forming.) As the old, infected nail grows and is cut away, it is said to be replaced by an acidic nail, uninhabitable by fungi. Several months of consistent application are involved.