The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
Urine
Posted by Rob (Robertsville, MO) on 05/02/2009
★★★★★
i had athlete's foot so bad i would pull large chunks of skin and my feet would bleed my cousens girlfriend told me her grandpa told her brouther to pee on his feet when he first got in the shower then wait till last to wash them i started doing this that night and it took about 2 weeks its been about 4 years cince ive had any problem with my feet
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Beverley (Leeds, Yorkshire) on 04/26/2009
★★★★★
Thanks for the reply, Shaun, but I won't be needing to try the ammonia after all - because I have changed my mind about apple cider vinegar - it really does work and I'm so happy! I'm guessing, but I the reason it didn't cure the moccasin athlete's foot I suffer with sooner, is because I wasn't soaking my feet in a strong enough solution. In the past, I had mixed a foot soak of about half ACV and half water, and although it dried my skin out, it didn't have much effect on the fungus. Recently, I thought I'd have one last try and I started soaking my feet once a day in neat apple cider viniger - no water at all. It stung a lot, probably because the athlete's foot had really damaged my skin in places, but I stuck with it, and wow - the skin has started to repair itself and the athlete's foot has nearly disappeared. I am amazed! And so so so pleased! I've stuggled for years with this and I can't believe I'll be able to wear sandals this summer without feeling embarrassed about my feet.
EC: Hi, Beverley. Thanks for the update! We're removing the NAY rating from your first post and adding YEA here.
White Vinegar, Salt, Ginger Soak
Posted by Jason (Newport, Washington) on 04/17/2009
★★★★★
I recently had quite a case of athletes foot, that was spreading from my toes, to other parts of my foot, it was quite uncomfortable, and amazingly itchy to say the least.
I started doing research in to what might naturally treat it and came across a few options, here's what I did and it worked in less that 4 days.
Create a foot bath with 40 percent white vinegar, 60 percent hot water, then add around a table spoon of salt and a tea spoon of ginger powder. Soak your foot for 15 minutes or so giving it a break every so often. (you can use the same batch through out the day to save ingredients) Soak your foot a few times a day for a few days and your athletes foot will completely clear up, it is quite the amazing cure.
Thats it, I know this will work as well for you as it did for me! :)
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Shaun (York, UK) on 04/04/2009
Try soaking your feet in a household ammonia solution (50/50 ammonia and water) for a while. Works a treat for me.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Beverley (Leeds, Yorkshire, UK) on 04/03/2009
I've been reading the posts about apple cider vinegar and I have to say that I think whether or not it works may depnd on what type of athlete's foot you've got. For example, I've seen it work really well for people with toe-web athlete's foot, (the kind that infects the area around the toes), but I have Moccasin-type athlete's foot (which infects the soles of your feet and sometimes spreads to your hands), and ACV has no impact on it at all. I have also tried tea tree oil, and that doesn't appear to cure moccasin athlete's foor either. I've had it for about 4 years now and unfortunately, my overall experience has been that moccasin athlete's foot is much harder to cure and often dosn't respond to the home remedies you read about online. Also, while over the counter medicines can controll it - they don't seem able to cure it - I've tried all the brands I can find of creams, sprays and talcs. None helped.
My conclusion about Moccasin-type athlete's foot is that once it is severe, (i.e. when it has spread over most of the sole of one or both feet), you need prescription medication to cure it. Apparently, this is beacuse of the thickness of the skin on the soles of the feet (creams, oils etc won't penetrate it). I wish I was wrong, as I do prefer home remedies - but for moccasin athlete's foot my experience has been that a trip to the doctor really is necessary.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Char (Los Alamitos, CA, USA) on 03/12/2009
★★★★★
Organic apple cider vinegar cure worked wonders in 3 days, redness decreased on bottom of foot, skin appears to have returned to normal in area where it had peeled off, blisters decreasing in size and almost dried up. I also used the coconut oil to keep the skin soft. Can't thank you enough!!!!!!!
Urine
Posted by Joyce (Joelton, Tn) on 03/05/2009 490 posts
Hello Scott, Thought you might like to know that there is another theory of what is actually happening when an animal licks its wounds. Allegedly, licking the wound sends any pathogens present to the digestive tract where the immune system kicks in and starts producing antibodies against these pathogens to kill them off and bring about healing.
However I suspect that the saliva probably starts softening up the pathogens for the kill.
Urine
Posted by Scott (Anaheim, CA) on 03/04/2009
★★★★★
I tried everything OTC and nothing worked well. Literally everything. I am even put VICs on my feet before sleeping for 1 month. It cleared up the nails, but it came back really quickly after stopping. The nails started to get dark again. I did vinegar soaks and that didn't help either.
Finally, I decided to PEE on my feet twice a day (morning pee and night). I remembered a few years back, I had this bad headache that wouldn't go away and I ended up drinking my own morning urine for a week after trying everything else. It fixed that headache. Its really amazing, but it cleared up my feet in a matter of days, not months or 1 year. Don't believe those that say it doesn't work. Urine has thousands of nutrients, many of which can't be detected with our equipment. It literally cleared it up in 1 week. I also resorted to spitting on my feet and rubbing in the SALIVA letting dry. Remember dogs and cats always licking their paws? Its Saliva they are spreading and used to clean their paws.
Dietary Changes
Posted by Cheryl (Chicago, IL) on 02/23/2009
★★★★★
Remember that fungus is systemic. When you treat your AF topically, its going to keep recurring because its fungus that circulates all over your body. Try taking garlic capsules, we get them at Costco. Also, everyone with AF or nail fungus should research candidiasis which is a polysystemic fungal infection. Due to overuse of antibiotics (which also kills off good bacteria) and our bad diets (sugar, sugar substitutes, high fructose corn syrup in almost everything-- read food labels and all high glycemic foods), creates perfect environment for candidiasis. Also take probiotics to replace the good bacteria in the GI tract. I recommend changing to the candidiasis diet (no dairy, no sugar or sugar substitutes or any other high glycemic foods), taking garlic tablets, caprylic acid (from the health food store), take high fiber capsules to clean out the colon (fungus lives on our waste) and finally drink a lot of water. Unless you clear the fungus out of your entire system internally, the AF fungus is always going to come back.
Our daughter is diagnosed with candidiasis, our osteopath put her on anti-candidiasis diet. We parents decided to go on the same diet to be supportive, now all three of us are feeling much better. As an unexpected bonus, my AF fungus and nail fungus is dramatically improving after only 3 weeks. Its SYSTEMIC, gotta change your diet to beat it. Here's your diet: eggs, organic meats, fish, low glycemic mostly green vegetables, salad. Once you change your diet, you'll feel so much better, you won't mind this. You will also lose weight. Also seems like what clogs up the system, so no bread or any other food product with yeast. Check canned soup labels, many of them contain yeast.
Nu-Stock
Posted by Jean (Franklin, WI) on 02/22/2009
★★★★★
Just an update. The athlete's foot tried to return once. I applied nu-stock before bed, then again three days later. Athlete's foot hasn't returned. This is some powerful stuff. It didn't hurt the skin, and yet in that seven month period of time, I only had to use it about 6 times.
More important than that, I also had a problem with the NAIL FUNGUS ... you know the thing where your toenail gets discolored, dark and thick. THAT'S GONE TOO !!! :D Seven months after my first post about Nu-Stock, I have normal toenails. I love this stuff! :) If anyone is having trouble finding it, I got it on EBay...$7 for a large jar plus shipping.
Oregano Oil
Posted by Cheryl (Manteca, California-USA) on 02/22/2009
★★★★★
Hi-Please do yourself a big favor if you are bothered by what the dr calls-athlete's foot type rash. For over a year I tried every cream, spray, powder on the market-doctor after dermatologist with biopsy gave me everything-presription including 2 mos of Lamisil pills and cream. The dermatologist got mad when Lamisil didn't work after her biopsy. Well, I prayed so hard and then found Oil of Oregano-wow! 3 days cured-its been months and its still gone. I diluted with olive oil under my tongue and later used the gel capsules to fill and take orally. I diluted this very strong oil with olive oil on the rash itself-stops that horrible itch,too. I later learned Extra Virgin Coconut oil is anti-fungal and mixed the oregano oil with this and used this on the skin. I need to know more-Iam very grateful to Earth Clinic-I learned about the evcc-extra virgin coconut oil from this site. Also, I really never knew what the rash was from-I think it was a Candida fungus type rash -it seemed way worse when I ate sugar. So, I also had to clean up my diet dramatically and I still stay away from processed white flour and sugar etc. But, try Oil of Oregano-anti-microbial, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti parasitic/worms. Great for wiping Candida out. Blessings and good health to you all. I would say-research all you can about all of these oils: Thuja, Thieves oil etc as to there healing qualities.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Bethany (Westminster, CA) on 02/20/2009
★★★★★
My husband had a severe case of athletes foot, and his skin would crack from how think and hard it was. We tried every cream, spray and powder out there, it helped with the smell but that was it. My sister told me about raw organic unfiltered apple cider vinegar and that it would kill the fungus. I figured we would give it a shot, and after the first night there was an improvement, and when he came home from work the smell was gone! So we kept on it soaking his feet in it for 15 mins a night after he got home from work and took a shower. after 2 weeks of this no more athletes foot, he now has soft normal skin on the bottom of his feet and they dont stink!!! give it a shot it is an amazing cure for athletes foot!!
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Lesley (Hervey Bay, Australia) on 01/21/2009
★★★★★
I have used ACV to successfully treat Athlete's Foot. Just soak cotton balls in the vinegar and apply often to the affected toes. Do this twice a day for 2 to 3 days and the problem will vanish. Try to keep your toes dry as reinfection is common with this ailment. I have also used ACV for itchiness in my ears. Just pour it in as best as you can and massage to let the vinegar get right down into the ear. This fully healed my ear itchiness that I had suffered for years.
Coconut Oil
Posted by Desiree (Portland, OR) on 01/17/2009
★★★★☆
I have had athlete's foot for several decades: not usually cracked or peeling, but warm and itchy all the time. I thought this isn't going to do anything. I put coconut oil on my feet and within a half hour I felt a cooling sensation. What a surprise. The next morning I felt cool feet. I am amazed! I just rubbed it all over my feet, put on socks and climbed into bed. I am anxious to see how it works for me systemically. I have had itchy scalp for about 10 years. It isn't itchy at present, but I can't imagine treating the feet could cure it. I do know that the feet are like the tongue in that the organs of the body is mapped out on the tongue. We'll see.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Keith Warren (Totnes, England) on 01/06/2009
★★★★★
I have suffered from the above off and on for many years and get really bad attacks of athletes foot. I have tried many remedies, non of which have proved very satisfactory until I tried Cider Vinegar and Vapour Rub. What can I say? Within a week its like having a new pair of feet, I simply cannot thank the people who posted these remedies enough, they have been the proverbial life saver as I am in the building trade and have to wear safety boots and my feet were so very painful. Thank you one and all for your suggestions.
Topical Silver
Posted by Melissa (Lawton, OK) on 12/31/2008
★★★★★
Remedy - Topical Silver
Ailment - Athletes Foot
My husband had athletes foot for months and was desperate for a cure. He tried all over the counter applications with nothing working. Next he tried apple cider vinegar internally and externally which helped for the first few applications but then it came back in full force. He then tried a qtip soaked in silver and put on his badly cracked red skin. He has been applying for a week now and the crack is gone and the itching soreness of athletes foot is gone!
EC: Topical silver treatments and silver dressings are typically used for contaminated or infected wounds.
Oregano Oil
Posted by Ameer (Barcelona, Spain) on 12/28/2008
★★★★★
Oregono oils is great, keep using it. if you like do a combination treatment. the key is do not wear socks. it will go away faster if it is aired out. fungus grows in warm damp places. the best way to get rid of atheletes foot is to buy open toed sandals and wear them until the fungus is gone. this is difficult to do in the summer time. if it is really cold in your country then make sure you take off your shoes and socks as soon as you get home. also if you are going to an event or party or will be at a place for a long period of time put on the oregono oil with foot powder and salt in between the toes to keep it as dry as possible. take a pair of sandals with you and change into them in the bathroom when you are in from the cold. if it is warm just wear sandals till they are gone. they professional looking sandals if you have to work in a professional atmosphere. it only takes a minute for this discusting parasite to grow back.
Urine
Posted by Rosy (Orlando, Fl) on 12/23/2008
★★★★★
This is going to sound nasty but it works. I got athletes foot once from a pair of combat boots I bought at and army navy surplus store. What you want to do is pee in a paper cup and then poor this over your althetes foot. Let it set for a few minutes then wash off. I used to do this in the morning and evening. It cleared up in about a week.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Kira (Saratoga, NY) on 12/23/2008
★★★★★
I don't even need to soak my feet in Apple Cider vinegar (ACV), just wet a cotton ball with ACV and run over feet.
Be careful, it can really burn raw spots!
After the ACV dries, it feels so good to massage a little coconut oil on my feet (anti-fungal and moisturizing).
I find my biggest problem is I wear socks all the time and when they get moist, the intense itching begins.
My b/f did find when he wears cheap socks (like I do) his athlete's foot is worse.
