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ACV for Toenail Fungus: Effective Natural Treatment

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.
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Posted by Nat (Huntsville, AL) on 04/30/2009
 ★★★★★

Vinegar can and does work wonders on mild to moderate toenail fungus. I used ordinary Heinz white vinegar and experienced amazing results after just a week. I'm sure ACV would provide equal or better results. After 2-3 weeks of treatment, the fungus was just about totally knocked out and I haven't had any problems since.

Of course, the studies probably don't support this - but why would they? Who has anything to gain from cures that involve a $3.00 bottle of vinegar?

EC: Nat, how long did you soak your nails for?

Replied by Nat
(Huntsville, AL)
05/01/2009

Not long. I just covered the nail with a generous amount of vinegar and then allowed it to air-dry. I did this 1-2 times per day for a few weeks, until the thickness and discoloration were almost totally gone. After just a few days, I was able to remove large amounts of flaky whitish matter from under the nail - presumably the dead fungus. I continued applying the vinegar and removing the foreign matter until I was satisfied with the results. I still apply vinegar once a week or so for maintenance, and have had no further trouble with the nail.

I had been considering getting Lamasil or Penlac before trying this, but figured I might as well give it a try first - and I'm very glad I did. More severe cases may not respond as well, but I'd say it's worth a shot.

EC: Thanks very much for updating us!

Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Rin (London, UK) on 04/05/2009
 ★★★★★

I have been using ACV on my toenail fungus for just one week and the results are amazing. I have had this on my big toe for a very long time and nothing would shift it, nothing that is until I started using ACV. This what I do every night..

Soak a cotton wool ball in ACV
Place it over my toe and stick down with a plaster
leave it on over night
Remove in the morning and shower
In just one week ACV has nearly removed all of the black part of my toenail, it just went soft and fell off. I know i will have to wait for the new nail to grow back but im thrilled to bits

Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Suzann (Titusville, New Jersey) on 03/16/2009
 ★★★★★

Hi, I am following up with my results as promised on the Earth Clinic website. I wrote on 2/19 that I was going to start treating my "large" toe - with ACV. Well, it has been almost four weeks. I am happy to say, my four small toes are close to being totally cleared up and my large toe (my main concern) has lost the large, crusty, black striped nail and a new toenail bed is under! I was thrilled to see this! My nail fell off and on my toebed was new pink toenail. Now, I will see if my toenail grows back clear and healthy once again. Hope this helps and encourages you to use Apple Cider Vinegar on your "fungus infected toes!" It works!

Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Bill (St. Louis, MO, USA) on 02/02/2009
 ★★★★★

My lady friend developed a severe case of some type of yeast or fungus overgrowth. It began as a red area under one breast, and soon spread to both breasts, upper chest, stomach and groin area. I suspect a recent injection of steroids (to relieve poison ivy) to be the cause, but that is only speculation. This rash was severe. She was Dr. prescribed a cream and then a powder-- with little effect. I recommended the Apple Cider Vinegar Cure, along with making sure the affected area stayed clean and dry. We applied (again, use only), organic, unfiltered, non-pasteurized Apple Cider Vinegar. She applied the ACV directly to the affected area. It is important to note that applying the ACV to a severe rash is Very Painful! I suggest that if you cannot tolerate the pain, you might start with a diluted (50%?) mixture until some of the "rawness" disappears. RESULTS: 100 Percent CURE! Absolutely amazing. She continued the application for about two weeks, with results beginning immediately. Her skin dried completely, the rash and finally the redness disappeared. Thank You Earthclinic, Thank You Ted!

Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Sam (Scipio, IN) on 11/18/2008
 ★★★★★

After reading about using apple cider vinegar to cure toenail fungus, I decided to give it a try. Not being a patient person, & wanting it GONE ASAP, I applied ACV relentlessly. I dabbed it on morning & night, as well as soaked a cotton ball with ACV, placed it on the nail, & wrapped a strip of tape around it to keep it on the fungus during the day. Sometimes I wore old socks & poured the ACV directly on the socks over the affected toes. The pressure of my shoes kept the vinegary sock in contact with the fungus all the time. Let me just say this - ACV works! In less than a month, I have a healthy pink toenail.

Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Shelly ( Iowa, Iowa) on 10/26/2008
 ★★★★★

I found this website when looking for cures for my daugher's warts, she has several on her hand. We taped small pieces of banana peel to each wart every night and two are gone, two are getting much smaller, so I'm positive they will disappear. I can't remember how long it has taken, but I would guess at least 1 month. We would forget several nights too.

Also, I found the rememdy of ACV for toe fungus and have soaked my foot every nite for about 1 or 1-1/2 months. The toenail isn't completely grown out yet, but this new growth is looking very clear, so I think that worked and it will grow out clean.

Thank you for cheap and easy remedies.

Replied by Ringlette
(Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada)
10/18/2009

I'm writing in response to your post regarding warts. I do a great deal of travelling, and I somehow contracted a wart on the top of my big toe. For a year and a half, I tried everything that was offered from the pharmacy, including a home burning kit, but nothing worked. The wart would get smaller, but it wouldn't go away. Finally, I tried oregano oil. Twice a day I put a few drops on the wart and put a bandaid over it - the wart was completely and permanently gone in approximately one week. I tried the oregano oil for toenail fungus, and, unfortunately, have not had the same success. Please note, not all oregano oils are created equal - this is one product you get what you pay for. Some are diluted with olive oil and are not as good quality. Anyways, hopefully you get the results, you need with the banana peel treatment. If not, perhaps you might consider this alternative

Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Walt (Buena Park, CA) on 08/09/2008
 ★★★★★

Nail Fungus: At the Veterans Hospital they told me to use Organic Apple Cider Vinegar, mixed with one part water. Not beliving it I tried it anyway and wala it worked. However I mixed it to one part each with Hydrogen Peroxide. The pills my private doctor gave me did'nt work.

Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Solomon (Ottawa, Canada) on 06/05/2008
 ★★★★★

I got nail fungus two three years ago. more than a year I used penilac which does not help me anything. I bought "No more nail fungus" online but help little. I read online about apple cider vingar, it was unbelivable with in 15 days I saw white nail is growing and black staf coming out form my nail. (i had sever nail fungus) now I am happy with the result. solomon

Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Linda (Clyde, Texas) on 02/07/2008
 ★★★★★

Editor's Choice

I've used ACV for many problems including fungal infections. When my son came back from Iraq he had a horrible case of athletes foot. I used 1 cup ACV and distilled water as a foot soak and the infection cleared up completely. He only needed to do the foot soak 1 night. Also, I developed that horrible toenail fungus like my mother had...thick yellow nails with a flaky exudate underneath...I started soaking my toenails in ACV straight from the bottle. After a 10 minute soak, I would use a q-tip and get the ACV up under the nail. Within a week, I had healthy growth of my nails. Now they are completely normal. The prescription for this was $600 which I couldn't afford. The ACV was $3.95 and I only had to use a shot glass of it every night for a week to clear up the problem. Once new growth was healthy, I stopped the toe soaks and have not had to use it again.

I've used ACV to get rid of ringworm too. It works as quickly as black walnut hull extract. Just dab it on with a cotton ball, and BLOW as it burns. It may burn, but it works.

Finally, I worked in Iraq for a year and developed a horrible fungus in my sinuses and had to have emergency surgery. The fungus would always come back and I finally cleared the infection by using ACV in my nasal irrigator every day. I put 1 mL of ACV in a WaterPik bowl, with warm water. It burned and made my eyes water, but I could BREATHE! Anytime I have symptoms of that fungal infection, I immediately start using ACV in my nasal wash. Anytime I have the slightest symptom of cold or sore throat, I use a shot glass of plain ACV and the symptoms are gone with 1 dose. Now my BP is getting high, so I know what to do...I never should have gotten off of it. This is a great site by the way. For beauty, I've used a water/ACV mixture to tighten pores and to eliminate dulling from shampoo. My dogs get 1 mL of ACV in their drinking water every day and NEVER have fleas or ticks. I don't have to purchase expensive flea remedies. Just a little ACV will do it, but you have to be consistent with it.

Replied by Carlji
(Davis, Ca)
07/24/2011

I have just started using Apple cider vinegar and Hydrogen Peroxide to soak my feet. No idea whether it will cure the toenail fungus, but the irritation between my toes is gone. My feet feel cool and dry during the day, not clammy. (I am wearing sandals with socks. If I were wearing shoes in this heat, my feet might feel worse). Additionally, after a two minute soak, I can further trim my mis-shapen toenails. This makes using the vinegar/peroxide soak worth it to me, whatever long run effect it does or does not have on my toe nail fungus. Let you know about that in a couple of months.

Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Jim (Gainesville, FL) on 08/23/2007
 ★★★★★

I had a fingernail fungus develop on every finger on one hand, and didn't want to take prescription meds. A doctor friend of mine advised that soaking the nails in ACV every day would eventually kill the fungus. He said it would take time but be patient. I started soaking my fingernails for 15 minutes every day a year ago. All of my nails have SLOWLY grown out healthy except the tip of one nail is almost healed. It has been a slow process, but it works - with no meds!

Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Trac (Ireland and Dubai) on 10/31/2006
 ★★★★★

Apple Cider Vinegar with water 50-50 soaked my feet as per advice on this board for about 10-20 min. at night. and if I had time in the day on the weekends I would do it twice. It cured nail fungus the fastest time ever and completely !!! This works but you must do it everyday and you will see a difference.

Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by R Moore (Cincinnati, OH)
★★★★★

I had fungal toe for years, could not take the huge green pill, so tried ACV and have been free of the fungus for 10 years. I stopped taking ACV and within a week the fungus was back, so now I take a shot in the morning and at night.

Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Jeff (Mnassas, VA)
★★★★★

Soak each foot in at least a 50/50 water/acv solution for 2 to 3 days, for 30 minutes each and you will rid your feet of any fungus/ athlete's foot and soften and exfoliate your skin to boot. Much harder to get at the nail fungus though.


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