Home remedies for toenail fungus:
Home Remedies Overview
Medical treatments and over-the-counter solutions to toenail fungus infections take a long time are not always effective. They are sometimes quite expensive. When faced with a long course of costly treatments or, perhaps, following a recurrence after undergoing a previous treatment, many people turn to home remedies to cure their toenail fungus.
First, a word of caution - use common sense when seeking to cure your toenail fungus with a home remedy. If you have a mild fungal infection and are seeking a simple, inexpensive way to rid yourself of the unsightly symptoms of toenail fungus, a home remedy may be worth a try. If you notice that the condition is worsening, you are experiencing pain, or the toenail is separating from the nail bed, seek medical attention immediately.
What is a Home Remedy?
A home remedy is any treatment intended to cure a disease or condition using items commonly available, such as herbs, spices, essential oils or household products. A "natural remedy" is a type of home remedy that uses only products of nature, and would exclude man-made household chemicals, for example. Some home remedies are intended to be ingested, like Grandma's chicken soup, while others are intended to be applied externally, such as a poultice or a soaking solution.
Note that home remedies and homeopathic remedies are two entirely different types of treatments.
Do Home Remedies Cure Toenail Fungus?
Although there is no direct evidence that any of the home remedies are effective against toenail fungal infections, there are many testimonials of patients who claim to have been completely cured after one or another of the many home remedies. The large number of people who swear by some of the more popular home remedies, such as vinegar or Vicks VapoRub, suggest that there may be some credence to the claims.
What Home Remedies Cure Toenail Fungus?
Home remedies for toenail fungus cover a surprisingly wide range of household products. Most of the products are available at your local supermarket. A few home remedies may require a bit more searching to find, but all are readily available and do not require a prescription or special permit. Most home remedies for toenail fungus involve products that are harmless. With those products, the worst that can happen, if you make sure to keep a watch on the infection, is that you have wasted a little effort and a little money. Other products, as noted below, require careful handling and attention.
Here are some of the most commonly suggested home remedies for toenail fungus infections. For more information, follow the links:
- Vinegar. (Some people specify apple cider vinegar.) Soak your feet daily for 15 to 20 minutes in a mixture of 1 part vinegar to 2 parts warm water. Rinse well and thoroughly dry your feet when you're finished.
- Vicks VapoRub. Apply directly to the infected toenails, usually before bed time (due to the smell).
- Tea tree oil. Dip a cotton ball or cotton-tipped swab in the oil and rub the toe nail two times a day - once in the morning and the second time while going to bed at night.
- Listerine mouthwash. Soak your toes in the mouthwash for about 20 minutes daily.
- Oregano oil. Add 2 drops of oregano essential oil to a teaspoon of olive oil and apply the mixture on the infected toenail.
- Bleach. Soak your feet in a diluted solution prepared by mixing 1 tablespoon (or one capful) of bleach in a gallon of warm water, for about 30 minutes. After soaking, wash and dry your feet completely.
- Rubbing alcohol. Soak your toes in rubbing alcohol for about 20 minutes daily.
- Hydrogen peroxide. Soak your feet in a solution of equal proportions of water and hydrogen peroxide (3%), for about 15 minutes. After soaking, dry your feet completely.
- Probiotics food. Include lots of probiotics food, such as yogurt and kefir, in your diet.
- Turmeric powder. Make a paste with turmeric powder and water. Apply the paste on your infected toenails. When the paste dries, rinse it off and dry your feet.
- Onion. Rub the affected toenail with onion slices.
- Lime juice. Soak a cotton ball or cotton-tipped swab in concentrated lime juice and rub the lime juice on the fungus-infected toenail.