Natural Nail Fungus Treatments: Effective Home Remedies

Sea Salt

Posted by Anonymous (Somewhere, Texas) on 09/23/2012
★★★★★

Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup or more of salt to the foot bath depending on how much water you have. Think salty like the Dead Sea - this will kill the fungus.

If hot water hurts your toes you can use warm water. But you might want to dissolve the salt in hot water first so the water becomes super saturated then let cool.

You can go to a local feed store and buy bulk fine mineral salts which are the same thing as the some of the more expensive mineral baths salts(mined from the same place). This way you can get a lot of high quality salt cheaply. Hope this helps you.

Multiple Remedies

Posted by Kate (Raleigh, Nc, United States) on 09/23/2012 6 posts

Kate: If the tea tree oil remedy that was offered by Jay doesn't work, you may want to try a borax solution. I dissolve one teaspoon of borax in 3oz of hot tap water and pour it into a 3oz spray bottle that I purchased from [a] Beauty Supply [shop]. I spray my feet with this borax solution and rub it in. So far, it seems to help the small patch of athlete's foot fungus on my left foot. It may help your toenail fungus. I've been doing this for about ten days as of 09/23/12. I think it takes a while to completely heal. You may want to read the entries for the borax remedy on EarthClinic. Good luck. Your condition sounds very distressing.

Multiple Remedies

Posted by Jay Mango (Germantown, Ohio, USA) on 09/23/2012

tea tree oil will kill toenail fungus you can buy it at walmart for pretty reasonable or at a health food store. Good luck

Multiple Remedies

Posted by Kate (Pegram, Tennessee, Usa) on 09/22/2012

I am new to Earthclinic... I sent TED and email but have not received any answer as of yet.

I have never dealt with toenail fungus until June 22, 2012. I have checked both with comments here at Earth Clinic and all over the web looking for someone who has experienced a severe fungal toenail that is detaching from the nail bed... I have been to two podiatrists. The second one cut down the loose part of the fungal nail and told me to keep using my routine which has been apple cider vinegar. He said removing the nail was not a good idea because I don't have great circulation in my foot and there's a big possibilility that the toe would not heal and would get gangrenous.

So I have done as he said... I am to visit his office every two months.

I noticed the fungus growing out from under the base of what's left of the old nail as well as on the left side of nail. It seemed loose so I pulled the fungus away which detached the old toenail from the bottom. I already had space behind the old toenail where the fungus had died (I guess). I noticed liguid white discharge on my skin where podiatrist had trimmed toenail.... And also under my now almost detached toenail. I very carefully scooped it out and off with a sterilized toenail clipper (the file part) I was afraid to use anything else for fear of bacterial infection.

Now the area is still filled but the white discharge has turned brown. The fungus has attached my skin so severely that I do not put vinegar on everyday. I do soak my foot in plain water for about 20 mins, then dry thoroughly. I wear opened toe slides constantly so toes get plenty of air. I cover my bad toes with a thin sterilized, clean cotton handkerchief material. I don't want any bacteria to get into my toe.

So far before going to podiatrist, I have used Vick's, hydrogen peroxide and water, and vinegar from the grocery store. I read about DMSO, pharmacy grade . I am going to mix it with 50 % distilled water and apply it to toenail area after I have applied coconut oil. I don't think my skin can take anything stronger right now. My skin is still red, some swelling, sore and very, very tender... I could not wear shoes with toes in if I had to.

My question... after my nail was cut a clear water discharge came out from behind my nail, then after a week or so and vinegar soak the clear went to a white milky looking discharge which has now turned brown and seems to be serving as a scab of sorts, it's brown so I assume that it's fungus growing still.

Since there seems to be no real cure... I am desperately wanting to just eliminate the tender soreness and swelling. I hope this DMSO if used properly does not make my toe worse. I had blood work done. The fungal infection is not in my bloodstream... The podiatrist side it was a skin fungal infection. For now he did not want to remove nail as I said... For fear it will not heal. I do not have diabetes. I control blood sugar with my diet.

Does anyone have any comments?? I am worried, my mother lost her leg from a caregiver cutting a toenail too short.... so I know how easily this can become life threatening. All comments or help appreciated.

Thanks, Kate

Multiple Remedies

Posted by Not More Nail Fungus! (USA) on 09/22/2012
★☆☆☆☆

I have had toenail fungus for over 10 years. Its disgusting and hurts.

Heres what I've tried: All of them keep the fungus at bay but after a few weeks do not regress the situation.
* H2O2 Foot baths - strength ranging from 3% to 12%
* vinegar foot baths
* vicks
* Lamasil toenail paint - did not work at all. Waste of money
* Oregano oil - too stinky
* tea tree oil - works but I was not consistent

I am now using listerine mixed with alcohol. Its working, but I'm at the 2-3 week stage where all the others have failed, so I'm keen to see what happens next.

Dietary Changes

Posted by Neverenough (Baltimore, Maryland) on 09/21/2012
★★★★★

Editor's Choice

The problem with Athlete's Foot and Toe nail Fungus is that it is coming from your insides out. Your body flushes toxins out of your system through the sweat of your feet, pits, etc....

When you allow a build up of toxins in your systems and don't replenish the good stuff; you become prone to anything and everything under the sun.

It took me years to discover this even though most of this is explained to us when we are in high school. But you believe you are invisble and your body will always function the same way as when you were 19. Not so.

I decided to take my health more seriously recently after having bouts of all kinds of aliments. Which are really too numberous to post. But let's just say, I was a fully functional adult and was becoming dependent on those around me. I had been diagnosed with all kinds of issues and most were immune disfunctions.

I had been on every medication you could possible put someone on, for the side effects of this I had to take that-it was a vicious cycle. I was on an EXTREMELY high dose of pain killers as well and becoming more and more depressed as the months wore on.

I decided to stop the madness and quit everything I was being perscribed. I even quit going to the doctor's office because I was so sick of nothing working or if it did, it was only temorary.

I got myself on a daily regimen of vitamins, anti oxidants, Omega 3s, anything I figured I was lacking. With great success, I am pain free and so much more independent. I also noticed that the "things I was diagnosed with" were becoming less of an issue. We all feel that we are truly getting our daily intake of vitamins from the foods we eat, yet every story on the news is how these things are truly poisoning us.

I have noticed that by putting the good stuff back into my system the problems I was having have become less of "problems" and by minimal amount of application, the nail fungus and athlete's foot are gone. It is a problem #1 With the immune system and #2 With not putting back into your body what is taken out on a daily basis to run our hectic lives and #3 Taking more time to be good to ourselves and less time stressing because something isn't as we would like it to be.

My over all health has improved drastically since I began to refuel my body to do it's miraculous job of keeping me healthy. Think about this; where did the fungus come from? And for some, why does it come back so quick? You need to boost your immune system and boost your anti-oxidants and let your body do what it does best, fight the bad stuff. You can certainly help it along with treatments, but the most important is to fix it from the inside to take care of the outside.

It has worked for me and I am so thankful I paid attention to my body. It really does tell you what you need.

Distilled Vinegar

Posted by Marc (Owings Mills, Maryland) on 09/18/2012
★★★★★

I had a severe toe nail fungus on my two big toes plus a couple of others. I tried everything but nothing worked. Then I heard about the 2 dollar remedy five years ago which was distilled vinegar. I soaked a q tip in the distilled vinegar and applied it to the nails twice a day morning and night. It took about a year but 100% gone. Safe, effective, and inexpensive.

Apple Cider Vinegar, Anti-Yeast Cream

Posted by Bettertoknow (New York, Ny) on 09/10/2012

gris from Houston, The thing you are describing can be a non-fungus problem at all! Please go test your toenails at a fungus lab! I had the same problem and was self-curing against fungus for many years - it disappeared but re-appeared next year, every year mostly in summer... But after I did a test (twice, to confirm it wasn't any type of fungus) the doctor said it's a condition often developing in women wearing tight and high heeled shoes - due to lack of blood circulation. In extreme situations they even amputate the toes (almost same problem as diabetic patients develop). So don't waste your time self-curing, do the test first!!!

Emu Oil

Posted by Sean (Portland, Or) on 09/07/2012
★★★★★

Put pure emu oil on your nails for a month. Tougher cases may take longer. My fungus was cured. Hope yours responds in the same way.

Iodine

Posted by Sachsesenior (Sachse, Tx, USA) on 08/27/2012

Liquid drugstore Iodine and grocery store clear ammonia are harmless when added together. Clear Iodine sold in drugstores is Ammonium Iodide, Potassium Iodide, and 45% alcohol. The fireworks compound referred to is made with products only available from chem-lab suppliers.

Adding ammonia to chlorine bleach is very dangerous as it releases chlorine gas which is very poisonous and regularly sends housewifes to emergency rooms.

I have tried white vinegar without luck and tea tree also without results. Now trying de-colored Iodine I got at a Walmart. Iodine is a potent bio-cide and would work if it can be delivered to the source of the fungus infection which is under the nail - that is why it is so hard to treat with topical solutions, the nail is hard to penetrate with any liquid.

NAET

Posted by Selena (Port Coquitlam, Bc, Canada) on 07/11/2012
★★★★★

I had a case of very stubborn toe nail fungus, nothing would work. I had it for about 10 years. I found an NAET practitioner and she cleared the systemic fungus with acupressure on the spine -- one treatment and my nails grew out pink and beautiful!

Hydrogen Peroxide

Posted by Mary (Thedford, Ne, Usa) on 07/10/2012

As a science teacher, I would STRONGLY urge you to avoid using any concentrations of Hydrgen Peroxide higher than 20%. At 30% concentrations, skin can be severely burned. Even something as common as hydrogen peroxide can be very dangerous if not used properly.

Sea Salt

Posted by Mpi (Atlantic City, Nj) on 07/10/2012
★★★★★

I probably tried over 50 different remedies for nail fungus on my big toe and it just kept getting worse. It got so bad, the entire nail was separated from the nailbed, except for a small section at the very base of the nail and I was resigned to the idea that I would lose the nail. Here is what finally worked: SALT.

My routine: At night, pack the affected toe(s) in salt, (less than 1/8 of a teaspoon is plenty! ) making sure to get it well under the nail. You can add a drop of water so some of the salt will get into all the crevices the fungus can grow. In the morning, I use baking soda and a nail brush to scrub it clean and then dab some coconut oil on it to keep the nail from becoming too brittle.

First, I noticed that the fungus stopped advancing down the nail. As the nail grew in, it came in white for a bit and then little by little, I saw pink, healthy nail bed growing at the base of the nail, it is firmly attached to the skin and continues to grow in normally.

Hydrogen Peroxide

Posted by Susan (Boulder, Co) on 06/05/2012
★★★★★

I've had a mild but progressing toenail fungus for years, but no longer. After showering I have been applying 20% hydrogen peroxide, bought in a beauty supply store because the drugstore version is more diluted. After about six weeks I began to see results, and several months later it is better than 50% gone. The material I read mentioned that one can use even stronger hydrogen peroxide, but this has been sufficient for me.

Apple Cider Vinegar, Hydrogen Peroxide

Posted by Tammy (London, Uk) on 05/31/2012
★★★★★

I have had left big toe nail fungus for over 20 years and not keen on surgery I soldiered on. While browsing through the posts I cam across the ACV with the 'mother' and hydrogen peroxide (I had 6% in the house diluted it to 3%). Soaked the toe for three days while trimming and filing afterwards. 3/4 of this very thick unsightly nail just amazingly painlessly came off after all these years. I am mighty ecstatic cant stop looking at my, emerging new nail will continue to soak and file until the whole nail is pink and healthy.

Thank you All for the very helpful contributions, there make a big and cheap difference in enhancing we stay health and keep up the good work. I feel blessed since the day I stumbled on to this site.

Ted's Remedies

Posted by Cjizzle (Raleigh, Nc) on 05/25/2012
★☆☆☆☆

WARNING!

Hi Guys. I would definitely not use Clorox on my bare hands. Clorox is unsafe to use on bare skin or to inhale. I would try monistat or the Vicks and ACV method before Clorox. I posted a link for you all to see the very adverse affects Clorox can have. Everybody be safe!

http://www.ehow.com/about_6602332_dangers-breathing-clorox_.html

Vicks

Posted by Mazza (Wellington, New Zealand) on 05/19/2012

I too have had great success with Vicks (and a cheaper version). My toe nails are growing normally from the nail bed and I have been able to remove the thick "horns" at the top of my nails and hope in a couple of months to show my nails again after wearing shoes and socks for years. I read that fungus loves dark, and therefore painting toe nails is a no-no.

I enjoy this site and have used it to clear many a problem but I do take exception to the EC comment that these comments are from the Vicks manufacturer and are just posted for our enjoyment. I do not work for the company or own shares - I just have used a product that works.

Castor Oil

Posted by Gregory (Dfw, Tx) on 05/17/2012
★★★★★

For nail fungus, smother it out with cold pressed castor oil (just protect your linens and clothes, it can turn them yellow. Very large bandaids work to sleep in.

I have used this for everything from lacerations, dog bites - dog to dog, dog to human, face discolorations, interal for immune boosting, cosmetic oil, etc. Palma Di Christi is another name for it. Bacteria and fungus cannot grow in it because it is so viscous. And it's soothing.

Vicks

Posted by Elizabeth (Shelby, Nc) on 05/04/2012

I tried a product similar to Vicks called Raleigh Salve. It has been around my whole life, and I figured it would work the same as Vicks, and it does. I had a fungus on a small section of my big toe, and I started using it twice a day. Within one day I could see a difference in it. It looks like it is repairing my toe nail from the inside out. It almost looks completely normal. Thank you for the information.

Iodine, Hydrogen Peroxide, Colloidal Silver

Posted by Hippocrates (Odin, Missouri, USA) on 04/29/2012 9 posts
★★★★★

Hello all, Many years ago, I went to Hawaii. I walked on the beach barefoot, it was fun. I am unsure if this was the cause but, I came back home, and one toe nail started to get thick and brittle a few months later. It got so thick, toe nail clippers won't go over it to cut it, so I have to hack away at it to get it cut. The others have been totally unaffected.

One day, I decided to cut it, but then went outside and sanded it down to a slightly less-than-normal thickness out of frustration. I noticed that the outside looked normal-ish, but inside it was pithy, like old dead wood, small hollow pockets with brown streaks.

So, I mixed up some iodine I had, some hydrogen peroxide, and some 500 ppm colloidial silver. It was 60% iodine, 20% hydrogen peroxide, 20% colloidial silver. I would paint it on in the morning a few times so that it soaked in nicely, then put on a bandage over the nail or a "finger cot" (like a condom for your finger), then take it off in a few hours. Then, when I got home, I would paint it on several times again, but let it air dry.

The nail started to grow back normally from the base of it, but I moved and was unable to continue to the current living arrangement for a year. It reverted back to the old thick nail by the end.

I am now able to continue my earlier treatments, but didnt figure that you would want to wait a year or two to find out how it goes. It takes about a year for a nail ripped off to grow completely back in (dont ask me how I know ;), so if you do this, I would continue for 2 years to make sure that it was completely gone, then a periodic treatment, once a week or twice a month or so, to make sure that it doesnt come back. If it is thick, even possibly not, make sure to sand it down quite a bit, so that it can absorb down into the nail bed better, since nails arent the most porous of substances. The key is to get it into the nail, as if you put it on and then put on socks that absorb the liquid, it wont go into the nail. That is why I used something to keep the solution from drying out and not soaking in.

Iodine

Posted by Melmc (Orlando, Fl) on 04/26/2012

I believe it killed the fungus because it is an iodine solution. Several people on this site have said how quickly an iodine solution has cleared up their toenail fungus infection. Someone mentioned getting a clear, stain-free iodine solution at CVS where they live. I plan to do this. (It can be very drying to the nails, so I will be using it with Tea Tree oil, which is supposed to help fight it as well. I'm also going to take about 1 tsp of baking soda in a glass of water for 3 weeks to clear out fungus that is probably in my blood, then every 3-4 days for maintenance.)

Distilled Vinegar

Posted by Pat (Naperville, Il) on 04/15/2012
★★★★★

I have used distilled white vinegar to eliminate toenail fungus. I soak the toenail in undiluted white vinegar for about 20 minutes almost every day. The fungus stops growing and once the affected toenail grows out, you again have a totally healthy nail. I read that ACV will discolor the toenail but this did not happen with the distilled white vinegar.

Sunlight

Posted by Jwmci (Boulder, Co) on 04/06/2012
★★★★★

My son has been running barefoot for various reasons. An interesting sidelight is that his toenail fungus disappeared, leading him to believe that sunlight is the key. It would be interesting to try an artificial sun light.

Vicks

Posted by Christina (Battle Mountain, Nevada) on 03/31/2012
★★★★★

I had been trying multiple remedies but I only seemed to be keeping the fungus at bay rather than actually killing it completly. Then I added vicks to my other remedies and slowly stopped all other remedies except for the vicks and my two infected nails are doing great. Also I had the fungus for almost 6 years on one nail and about 18 months on the other. I read somewhere that it is the thymol that makes it so effective, don't know if its true. Good luck everyone!!