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.
Tea Tree Oil
Posted by Jules (Tioga County, PA) on 03/06/2020
★★★★★
Tea tree oil, applied directly in and around the toenail, quickly eliminates discoloring.
Chinese Tonic Fo-Ti
Posted by Joseph R (Michigan Usa) on 07/04/2018
★★★★★
Was a nail bitter for 54 years. I started taking (Fo-Ti) He Shou Wu organic tincture for an unrelated purpose. 970mg / 3x
Bite free for one month now!
Horizontal Ridges on Nails
Posted by Tina (Pennsylvania) on 10/15/2017
Thank you so much for your post. I've had these horizontal ridges on just my thumbnails for the past two years and in all of my reading, it would be some kind of deficiency or disease. If it were so, wouldn't the ridges appear on all of my nails? I have a tendency to pick around the cuticles of my thumbs so this was something I was starting to think might be the cause. Your post just confirmed it! Thanks heaps 😊
Coconut Oil
Posted by Ann (Sydney) on 10/06/2017
Bleug's lines are HORIZONTAL lines. Not vertical lines.
Onycholysis
Posted by Reina (Europe) on 10/03/2017
Painfull finger tips I have also occasionally and what helps me is to squeeze the finger tips hard. I alternate going from one finger to the other, and do this as often as possible. May hurt a little on the moment but gives relief after. It also stimulates the circulation and with that the growth of the nails.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Lex (Idaho Usa) on 07/26/2017
To save money when doing foot baths, I use rubber boots (with out internal insulation so they dont take forever to dry and get nasty) and a small amount of liquid is enough to cover the entire foot and I can still do other things in the house.j
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Mama To Many (Tennessee) on 06/12/2017
For foot soaking for fungal issues we have always used distilled white vinegar ($3-4 a gallon.) We use 1/2 white vinegar and 1/2 water and
reuse the soak one time. This has worked well for my family and has been inexpensive. I hope it works for you!
~Mama to Many~
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Carmen (Laguna Woods, Ca) on 06/12/2017
Dear Sir or Madam, Began ACV soak not quite two weeks ago. I am hopeful. Does the ACV have to be unfiltered? Very expensive. $20 for a gallon which only lasts three days. Is it safe to reuse a batch? If so for how long? I was not able to get any response from the on-line chat. Would appreciate knowing. Thank you, Carmen
Sunlight
Posted by Michael (On) on 06/07/2017
Did this work???? I am trying this too! Been a month but I do it more than once a month!
Onycholysis
Posted by Pakins (Wilmington, Nc) on 03/30/2017
Could you please tell me what medication the Dr. gave you for $5
Nail Psoriasis
Posted by Chloe (Westminster Co) on 06/26/2016
Coconut oil, add some tea tree oil or 3% peroxide. Also soaking feet in black tea, eliminated athletes feet, skin infections, and fungus, rapidly, in people with diabetes, and a fellow hospital patient I suggested it to.
Infection
Posted by Elle (Crete, Greece) on 06/25/2016
I also have overcome many infections just by drinking ACV (apple cider vinegar). Make sure you buy from the healthfood store and on the bottle labeling itsays "with mother". The mother in it is live organisms that kill the virus, bacteria and yeast. It also alkalizes your ph as soon as you drink it. Drink through a straw and after rinse your mouth with water. It is to preserve your tooth enamel. For more info look up "benefits of apple cider vinegar". Amazing stuff.
Himalayan Salt, Coconut Oil
Posted by Jay (London) on 01/13/2016
★★★★★
Hi,
I had a very nasty (disgusting looking as well) nail infection in my big toe and the doctors prescribed antibiotics for 6 months which after only 3 days started causing side effects and other problems. After a lot of research (thanks google) I used 2 methods just to be sure.
Everyday, after shower I would spray a premixed solution of Himalayan salt (sea salt is also an option that might work also), 1 tablespoon in 100ml, and let it dry naturally.
Also, 2 times a day I would put some coconut oil all around the nail with a cotton bud making sure that it goes under the nail and in between the skin and the nail all around. The soreness and pain disappeared in a week and the infected nail grew out naturally in a few months.
Thanks to Mother Earth. Coconut oil is also good for many other skin problems.
Apple Cider Vinegar, Tea Tree Oil
Posted by Gg (Denver) on 12/10/2015
★★★★★
I picked up a fungus from a yoga studio (shower). I first soaked my toe in Clorox with water, then thereafter swabbed full strength tea tree oil on in the morning & before bed and sealing it with a bandaid (also applied tea tree to the bandaid absorbant pad). As it cleared up, I trimmed the nail until gone and continued to soak in a tree tea bath and Apple Cider Vinegar. Healed beautifully.
Coconut Oil
Posted by Caitlin (Austin, Tx) on 07/22/2015
For foot and toenail fungus: Every night before bed, smear your feet with organic coconut oil & put on a pair of cotton socks. This helped my husband eliminate toe fungus completely in one night! For some, it takes up to a week.
Smashed Fingernail Remedies
Posted by Cindy (Illinois, Usa) on 06/09/2015 523 posts
Perhaps what we need is a safety net for physicians. Most doctors truly want to help people and dealing with the fact that they are required, by law, to sacrifice the well-being of human beings to support an industry is and HAS been taking quite a toll on them.
They're stuck between an industry that won't let them do what they sought to do when they became doctors and the population of patients who are getting fed up with it and blaming THEM, are increasing daily.
With no support system, it is understandable why the health profession hovers around the #1 spot in suicides. They don't want to take the "social status" enjoyed by their families away from them but they also don't want to hurt people.
We need more dialogue and doctors need some support, pronto.
The pharmaceutical industry is made up of people - and, yes, lawyers ARE people - and it consists of people who, and whose familes, often require medical care and are subject to the exact same dangers as everyone else. Politicians, judges, law enforcement and even the people of the FDA are ALL subject to the same industrial abuses as anyone else.
It is said that physicians are just as vulnerable as everyone else, with most being merely 2 months from bankruptcy. Meaning, that 2 months without income would thoroughly ruin them, financially. Granted, that's not the public's problem, but they're every bit as vulnerable as everyone else.
If doctors had support, they could easily end this mess. They could prescribe what's needed, rather than what the law requires that they prescribe and stand up to the mechanism that is killing them and those they want to help.
Those who work in the medical industry are aware that lives are being sacrificed for the sake of their jobs. To whom can they turn? There is, currently, no one. They are perceived as "the enemy" by both sides.
The pharmaceutical industry isn't the problem. The problem is this society's worship of "social status". A medical professional, some of whom are here, on Earth Clinic, and some of whom have loved ones who visit here, regularly, is unlikely, in a social-status-driven society, to sacrifice the status of his/her family to "doing the right thing" and suicide increasingly becomes the more attractive option because, to one who is stuck in that loop, their personal "social status" loses its priority.
Why not work to "save the doctors"? Both, from persecution AND prosecution? Because their feelings of powerlessness are the only thing keeping the medical machine in operation and they're killing themselves, literally, left and right.
Imagine, if you can, a computer program that diagnoses and treats, charging thousands of dollars. Because it wouldn't take a very complicated program to do what doctors are confined to doing. You could put the whole thing in a Microsoft Excel file and don't think for a minute that unthinking people who are far removed from the audience of watching people suffer and die aren't considering that as a way to get around the problem of the only thing that is an actual threat to THEIR jobs, which is the doctor.
There is no industry as vulnerable as the pharmaceutical industry and there is no greater threat to it than the doctor, himself. With some real legal and public support for doctors, the whole despicable system could be turned around in a single generation.
If you know a doctor and understand what I'm saying, then tell him/her that you believe that his/her life is of more value than anyone's social status - including their spouse's, children's, friends' and parents'.
Smashed Fingernail Remedies
Posted by Joy (Thailand) on 06/09/2015
Hi ORH, I want to thank you again for your interesting posts, I request that you keep up your writing to EC. Yes, I totally agree thar some of the old doctors from 50's and 60's had a lot of common sense. We had one elderly GP whose evening surgeries were so busy that some of the patients would take flasks of tea and sandwiches as the doctor would not rush with anyone and sometimes people would not get home until late, they sometimes were not given prescription medicines just old fashioned remedies from the kitchen cupboard. Thanks again for all of your postings and good luck with all of your health issues.
Smashed Fingernail Remedies
Posted by Mmsg (Somewhere, Europe) on 06/09/2015
ORH, how fascinating about your thumb! I recently had a bad infection by a fingernail and the edge of the finger was all swollen, feelin' the hearbeat and all. I BEGGED them to slit it so the stuff can come out, but they said: the antibiotics will take care of it, they said it's not swollen enough to slit!!! After a few days of suffering, I went to the ER in middle of the night and said: you slit it or I stay here!! Luckily, the surgeon on duty knew me from a different visit and "did me the great favor" of slitting it and pressing out the pus and stuff. THAT'S when it started to get better!
Smashed Fingernail Remedies
Posted by Robert Henry (Ten Mile, Tn.) on 06/08/2015
HI U OLE PATOOTS DOIN, , , , , , , , , I'm in a better mood today, but the spooks are still after the natural folks and it is now world wide. I gonna tell you ATS and then do a simi-rant.
Back in the late 60's, I was working in a paper mill in SW Arkansas. The little town had only two doctors. I smashed my thumb in a car door and naturally it swole up and the pain was excruciating and blood filled my nail. I went to Ole Doc Peacock, who always had a cigar butt in his mouth. He looked at my thumb , opened his desk drawer, pulled out a large paper clip, straighten one end out, heated it with is cigar lighter and stuck it through my thumb nail. Blood went every where. He just took a paper towel, held my thumb over his waste basket and bled my thumb down. These days they would have a medical hearing on such nonsense.
I could not believe the relief, before, , , , my thumb knew every heart beat.... it was that painful. I was now good to go. Can you imagine a snot nose, preppy type doctor doing that this day and time. First, your family doctor would give you a pain prescription and then refer you to a surgeon. Ole Doc Peacock took care of the problem with a paper clip, a zippo lighter, and his waste can.
Now for my rant. I have a health problem that I am addressing. My plan is that if my program shows any set back then I was going to Dr Shallenberger or one other Doctor that addresses your immune system instead of your cancer. Cancer can not live in an alkaline or oxygen environment. Your immune system will kill cancer cells if it can recognize them. The cancer cell is coated with a protein so it is identified as friend, and thus not destroyed.
The other doctor I am speaking, went to Africa and cured the Ebola doctors in a few days with direct ozone shots. He did that so they could then treat the people. What happened? A few months ago the world was coming to an end, now the problem is no longer front page news. Ebola was to be the next big money maker. Ozone shut that money maker program down PDQ.
How did Methuselah live to be 969 years old? One of the reasons is that the oxygen he breathed was not 21%, it was much higher back in those days when the world's forests were still standing and the sheep had not turned half the world to a sand desert.
Dr Shallenberger is a torn in the side of Allopathic medicine and if you research. They have been after him for many years. I can promise you this, , , , , , , there is no reason for cancer, diabetes, heart and dementia to be a problem in this world. It all can be handled with simple natural solutions. The problem is that if you come up with a simple solution then you will be destroyed.
Hell, they are even after poor ole Dr Oz.
AYSM=====ORH=========
Nail Biting
Posted by Kay (FL, US) on 08/26/2014
Obsessive nail biting/chewing can be a sign of PICA, a symptom of iron deficiency (very common in women who are still menstruating). So try getting more iron in your diet (red meat, spinach, plumbs, prunes, blackstrap molasses, etc) and see it that helps. Also make sure your daily vitamin is made for women your age (thus has the proper amount of iron in it). If warranted, ask your doctor to measure your iron levels; you may need an iron supplement (especially if you have other symptoms like feeling run down, your blood is not bright red, inner eyelids are pale; these are all signs of anemia).
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Sofia (Bronx, New York) on 07/13/2014
★★★★★
My big toe had a fungus for more than ten years. I have tried many different remedies but never did them consistently until 6 months ago. I had had enough. I started ACV again. I put it in a little bottle that I keep in the bathroom and every time I went to the bathroom whether to wash my hands or to use it...I poured the Apple Cider Vinegar right on my toe, before work, after work, during the night. I use open toed slippers at home so it was really easy to do. Once a week, I would cut as much of the ugly nail off and use the buffer. It took six months and I am very happy to say my toe is 100% cleared of any infection. It worked for me.
Biotin
Posted by Keara (NYC, NY) on 06/11/2014
★★★★★
My nails became weak, and broke a lot. I took biotin for a few months, and they are long, medium strength and are not breaking at all. It definitely worked for me - I'm delighted.
Sunlight
Posted by Cece (Amawalk, Ny) on 04/27/2014
★★★★★
Tonail Fungus SURE CURE. It takes time but it is working. For more than 15 years I have had an extreme case of toenail fungus on both feet & every single toe! My nails were a dark grey color and very thick to the point I had to file them down to fit in my shoes. I am 62 years old and a gardener. My feet are always wet and my feet also sweat. As a woman I would dread having to hide my feet in the summer.
I eat healthy and have good hygiene, and have literally tired everything on the market, from tea tree oil, Vics rub, to every fungus cure oil on the internet and in the drug stores. I even had one laser treatment -- VERY EXPENSIVE! The doctor told me it was a bad case and might not work. It didn't -- I would need several visits and over a $1,000 for each visit.
Finally, my boyfriend gave me the idea to do my own laser treatments with a magnifying glass and the ultra violet rays of sun. For the past 6 months I go out once a month on a sunny day and focus the sun's energy through the magnifying glass. YOU MUST WEAR SUNGLASSES FOR THIS!!! I focus the sun's rays into a little hot white dot over each nail and move it around until I can feel it (almost painfully) heat up. I do each nail twice! You must pay attention because when it hurts, it is working and killing the fungus through the nail! You will know when it gets a little painful to move the white concentrated ultra-violet light all over the nail and nail bed. It is worth it. Let it sting but don't burn yourself. It has been about 6 months using the magnifying glass on the first sunny day of each month. I am noticing that about half of each nail is growing in smooth pink, and COMPLETELY CLEAN. I thought I'd never have nice nails again, because fungus is tenacious, but this is going to be the end cure for me. The best part is that I did not have to spend a penny. I will give an update in 6 more months. My nails grow very slowly, yet each month there is more new nail showing as I cut away the old.
Garlic
Posted by Leslie (Austin, Tx) on 04/27/2014
★★★★★
I absolutely cured my case of toenail fungus with garlic. I'd tried using tea tree oil, applied with a small paintbrush, twice a day for 3 1/2 months with no improvement (no worsening either though) when I thought about the anti-fungal property of garlic. So after trimming my nail back pretty far, and removing as much yellow "crud" as I could (I actually used a small pocket knife and sharp-ended tweezers for this), I sliced across a clove of garlic and simply rubbed it against the end of my nail forcing juice and some pulp underneath it. I cut off the corner of a plastic baggie to cover my whole toe and secured it with medical tape (mainly to contain the smell). I did this at least once daily, slicing the garlic fresh each time, always keeping it packed with juice/pulp and always keeping it covered. After two weeks, the skin around my nail started to peel-no big deal-and I once again trimmed my nail, scrubbed it thoroughly with a cloth saturated with hydrogen peroxide, and lo and behold, my nail fungus was gone!
By the way, garlic will also kill a wart- just put a new sliver-ONLY the size of the wart-on daily &cover with a band-aid. It will blister, then look like a blood blister, then scab over and eventually just come right off.
Articles
Posted by Man (Sojouring America) on 03/24/2014
★★★★★
Onycholysis
Posted by Man (Sojouring America) on 02/14/2014
I need more information about this nail separating issue. What is Ted's BS remedy? I know what the ACV means, (apple cider Vinegar).
I have noticed recently that I have this painful finger tip issue and they hurt bad. I have put my fingers into ACV and then I dipped them into DMSO and that was a strange experience. I don't know if it helped or not. but I have a little relief now. Anyone with experience with painful finger tips?
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Tammy (Wichita, Ks) on 11/03/2013
★★★★★
Over the past few years, I've had more than a few cuticle infections or small cuts on my hands or toes that became infected. Some were bad enough that I had to get antibiotics to treat. After twice going to the doctor for them, the next time I had an infection, 1. I didn't want to spend the money on an office call, and 2. even worse I didn't want to take antibiotics. Did a bit of research on the net and saw a post to use vinegar & water, 50/50 and soak your hand in that for 20 minutes 2 times a day. My finger around the cut was swollen and had turned black and yellow, so I decided to jump in and use 100% ACV. Soaked my finger 3x per day and on the end of the 2nd day I could see a big improvement. I continued a few more days till the infection was gone. I've done this several times for finger or toes. Now when I get a cut that turns red and starts to swell, I don't wait for it to become infected, I just soak a few times in some acv. Works great and has saved me money from paying the doc and even better, saved my body from antibiotics.
Horizontal Ridges on Nails
Posted by Angel86 (Europe) on 08/07/2013
★★★★★
I've had HORIZONTAL ridges on my thumbs for years, and after years of googling the solution, I finally found it... All I had to do is stop pushing my cuticles before putting nail polish. Thumbs are especially sensitive to pressure, so don't press them! They disappeared completely and never returned. That was 10 years ago, and I haven't had a single ridge since!
Baking Soda For Split Nails
Posted by Ej (Nanaimo, British Columbia) on 05/17/2013
★★★★★
For about two years I had a thumbnail splitting along a ridge. Took baking soda in water, and the thing healed. Wahoo! I also add apple cider vinegar and hydrogen peroxide to the mix, but the baking soda seemed to be the key ingredient. I drink 1/2 - 3/4 teaspoon baking soda in big glass, (12-14 oz or so) water first thing in the morning or at least one hour before a meal. I only drink it 1x per day.
Vertical Ridges on Nails
Posted by Joy (Battleground, Wash) on 05/03/2013
I agree: be careful when you open the refridge to get something to satisfy you that you are not mistaking a thirst signal for hunger. Close the refridgerator and get a nice glass of water , drink it, then wait half an hour .... if you find yourself opening the cupboard or refridge again.... get a second glass of water, drink it and wait another half an hour , then you can know it's hunger not thirst.
We eat more than we drink and think we are not thirsty.... overeating dehydrates the body further ...
I drank a lot of water and was DEHYDRATED from lack of magnesium. Low magnesium causes us to be vulnerable to multiple health problems.
Vertical Ridges on Nails
Posted by Joy (Battleground, Wash) on 05/03/2013
There is an amazing article with pictures of all nail conditions on hub pages under the heading of: "LISTEN TO WHAT YOUR NAILS TELL YOU" low iron, poor digestion and absorption, poor protein metabolism are associated with vertical ridges on nails.
I can't attach any sites ??? Maybe one of you can bring a connection for the readers here.
Vertical Ridges on Nails
Posted by Rsw (Uniontown, Oh) on 05/03/2013
Vertical ridges on my nails and toenails were an early sign of an autoimmune disease called Lichen Planus, and is a sign, also, of hypothyroidism. I imagine there are other problems that show up this way, too.
Vertical Ridges on Nails
Posted by Tamara (Fort Collins, Colorado, Usa) on 05/03/2013
Hi Anon, I'm not Joy, but I wanted to mention that pale urine CAN indicate dehydration. I know it sounds counter intuitive. When people drink lots of water throughout the day and strive for clear or super pale urine that means they are drinking TOO MUCH water and flushing water and electrolytes out of the body. We need a balance of electrolytes in order for osmosis of the cells to occur. For instance, if we don't have enough salt (among other things) in our blood our cells will not let water in, so it just moves into our kidneys and out the bladder without actually hydrating us! You want a little color in your urine, which means not drinking litres of water a day and making sure to get plenty of electrolytes. Remember, fruits and vegetables have lots of water in them, too. Drink to thirst, salt your food to taste, and eat mineral rich foods (or supplement). Good health!
Vertical Ridges on Nails
Posted by Joy (Battleground, Wash) on 05/03/2013
As far as I know by bloodwork, I am not anemic, but taking a full spectrum mineral and sea salt and plenty of water, my ridges have improvement. My next move is the topical oils. I have put coconut oil on them daily for a few months.
Hope your ridges improve also. I googled recently to find some information to treat the ridges on my nails. They have only been there for a year or so, so want to nip them in the bud.
You can have clear urine and be dehydrated because electrolytes are needed to hydrate the body...check out watercure.com
Vertical Ridges on Nails
Posted by Anon (Anon) on 05/03/2013
Hi Joy, I thought vertical ridges where due to anemia? I am anemic and I have these ridges! I am not dehydrated I know this as my urine is pale!
Vertical Ridges on Nails
Posted by Joy (Battleground, Wash) on 05/02/2013
Vertical ridges on finger or toe nails are caused by lack of hydration, either internal or external. For internal hydration, make sure you drink enough water and eat sea salt with iodine, vitamins and minerals so your body will hold the water, otherwise it will just flush it out and you will remain dehydrated. For external hydration of the nails rub with jojoba oil and vitamin E.
Onycholysis
Posted by Karen (Sacramento, Ca) on 04/23/2013
This is nail fungus. I had it for 12 years. I tried everything... Wasted $1300 on the pin point laser treatment... The nail lacquers... Nothing worked... I also take meds for my thyroid. It was just on two of my toes. I got so tired of it I went and got the Rx from my doctor... For only $5! 3 months later.. My toes look great and my liver from the meds is fine. Nothing u do.. Will get rid of it... Trust me... I have tried them all.
Infection
Posted by Lou (Tyler, Tx) on 01/31/2013
Vicks Vapo Rub for toenail fungus - contains thymol.
Biotin
Posted by Timh (Louisville, Ky, Usa) on 10/27/2012 2048 posts
Citygirl27: It's good to here of your improvements. As for sufficient Protein, Jim Humble recently devoted an article to it's merit. Many folks nowadays are vegetarian (for whatever reason) and do suffer from certain Amino Acid deficiencies (although many are in denial of this condition). Over the yrs, and especially in the event of very bad health, it simply breaks my heart to see anything (plant or animal) suffer; but I try not get over-sentimental about the animal ethics or cruelty issues and at the same time support organizations that help prevent unnecessary suffering of either wildlife or livestock. I think a good model for animal protein consumption would be the Native American, where gratitude is given to the animal as well as the Great Spirit. Ultimately it's how we live our life after eating animal derived protein.
Biotin
Posted by Citygirl27 (Richardson, Tx, Usa) on 10/26/2012
The two things that gave me a huge improvement in my nails are 1) protein and 2) cutting out colas. Even just cutting out colas, I noticed a phenomonal improvement in the space of inside a week. Now about 6 weeks on, I cannot *get* my nails to break, no matter how hard I bend them, and they don't chip or split anymore, and I haven't had one hangnail since. I also have to cut them every week now, where I was only having to do it every 4-6 weeks before. I found biotin more helpful for hair strength rather than nails. I can speak for this as last year, while regularly using biotin, when I began upping my protein intake to 50g per day, my nails grew amazingly. But not with the same strength and hardnesss I get from abstaining from cola drinks. It's the phosphoric acid that draws the minerals out of your nails. You really will notice a difference quick.
