62 User Reviews
However I'm emailing about toenail fungus. I have pretty severe fungus in nine toenails. (One little pinky toe is beautifully normal for some reason.) Since my early 20's I've had a tendency to athletes foot. It started in my toenails when I was pregnant. My son is now 22 so that's how long I've had this 'blight' in my toenails starting with just one and very slowly spreading to others over time. The athletes foot also never disappears. Have tried every over the counter product w/ no results. Have always stayed away from the prescription oral stuff. Over the years I kept it from bothering me by daily application of olive oil or jojaba oil after showering (rubbed into skin after toes are well dried). I keep my nails meticulously clean and as trimmed as possible. Summers are not fun for obvious reasons cited by others.
A week ago I did an online search about it as I occasionally have over the years, and this time I was immediately struck by your website! Five days ago I started soaking my feet in ACV. I'm stepping it up from once to twice a day: am and pm. I'm using 1 part ACV to 2 parts H20. I use regular ACV and put in a couple of TBSP of raw ACV to save on cost. I soak my toes for at least a half hour. Will continue this experiment and let you know how it goes! Regardless, I think this is an excellent website - Thanks!
(Minneapolis, Minnesota)
07/28/2009
★★★★☆
Check back:
I wrote in on June 21'09 after starting ACV soaks for my toenail fungus. I have now been diligently soaking my feet twice a day for six weeks. (See my previous post 6/21/09 for ACV/H2O amounts.) After a month I nearly lost hope because I couldn't see any real difference. Then I looked closer when trimming my nails. It was looking slightly different. With renewed hope - like others I'm in this for the fight - I kept up the soaks (my feet are in the bucket as I type this). My toenails are definitely changing, I can hardly believe it. It's happening v e r y s l o w l y. They look like they are starting to grow out normally at the base. The nasty debris/buildup is also diminishing though not entirely gone. No nails falling off however like others report. I am poised to begin Ted's remedies (got all the stuff) which was my next plan if I didn't see any change. Now I'm just continuing the vinegar soaks so I can watch the experiment further. For those of you asking about soaking vs. just applying ACV on the nails: I tried that a couple of years ago. YOU HAVE TO SOAK! I do it minimum 1/2 hr twice a day. I have had a severe case for 22 years! The soaking seems to get the solution into the nail and nail bed which is where the nasty bug is residing. Just applying the solution topically isn't enough; it dries before it can penetrate. I'm not yet done but this is amazing!! I will report back in a few weeks again!
(Minneapolis, Mn, Usa)
09/22/2009
Well it's time for another check-in, this time it's been two months. In brief the ACV is working! This is truly remarkable. It's like getting the best birthday or Christmas present I could ever have hoped for. Just remembering it sometimes during the day brings a good feeling. Here's where it's at: I've continued with twice daily soaks for 1/2 hour or more. If it's occasionally less time then I make up for it later. Improvement has continued gradually in the way described in my previous post. It is not entirely gone. Of nine nails affected, three appear totally cleared up and six are greatly improved. Two of the six, the big toenails, are nearly clear but it takes them longer to fully grow out because they have farther to grow! From the base to two thirds out they appear close to normal looking. In my case, my nails seem to improve first at the base where they grow out and gradually they continue growing out clean. Four stubborn ones still have some signs of the fungus but they too are changing. The ones that had it the worst are taking the longest. I'm so thrilled already that I don't worry much about sandals anymore - even though the nails don't look great, I know they're on their way! Actually they may never look quite the same. I read in Ted's posts that once the nail has become separated from the nail bed, it never grows back in that place and I'm finding that to be true. But for me it's a small price to pay, a scar I guess. Meanwhile I'm not completely out of the woods yet. I figure maybe it'll be six months total. I'm psyched! Will check back.
(Minneapolis, Mn)
03/21/2010
★★★★★
This is a check-in on my ACV toenail fungus cure. I am still soaking my toes twice daily in ACV and it is working! It's taken longer than I thought it would but it definitely works! I started with nine badly affected toenails. Six were completely normal after four months. The last three are slow but definitely getting better. I have no idea why three are taking so much longer. They were among the worst but other bad ones cleared up quicker. I started using ACV last June 2009. I guess it may take a year. It takes a little discipline and patience. But compared to the 23 years I've had it, a year seems quick! ACV works, it's amazing. Thank you so much Earth Clinic!!
p.s. to Phil and to Deirdre at E.C.: I used Grapefruit Seed Extract for a year before starting ACV. I painted it with a fine brush on each toenail morning and night. I started out using it diluted because of the burning you referred to. But soon I applied it carefully full strength and it didn't bother my skin. However this remedy did nothing to change my nails. Maybe it helped to slow it a little from getting worse, but it did not diminish the fungus already there. ACV is the only thing I have tried in 22 years that has made any and a total difference.
Thanks, Kate - Mpls, MN
(Seattle, Wa)
07/28/2012
Hi Kate, You might want to consider adding some FOOD GRADE Diatomaceous Earth (DE) and taking it internally mixed with some kind of juice or water. It has great reviews to helping grow hair/nails. Might help your toenails grow out even faster!
Apple Cider Vinegar
★★★★★
(Fresno, CA)
05/21/2009
Wow, Im so glad this remedy worked for you.I have had toe nail fungus for 8 yrs now and have not worn sandals since i was 17! Im a girl and lets face it my summer dresses arent going to look good with tennis shoes.=) My podiatrist prescribed me the generic brand for lamisil and it has not worked! its been a month and yet nothing. Im also a mommy and would love to go to the beach and finally walk on the sand barefooted with my kids. So im going to try this tomorrow i just dont know where to buy ACV? Someone mentioned on the website about a certain brand and also organic ACV we have a Whole Foods store would it be there? If you have any suggestions or advice please throw them my way. Thanks in advance.
(Fort Collins, Colorado)
11/05/2011
You can buy regular ACV in the grocery store next to the white vinegar. Organic vinegar will be available at Whole Foods, but probably expensive there. Try to find a less expensive organic food store. We have sunflower and sprouts here in Colorado.
http://www.sunflowermarkets.com/Default.aspx
http://sprouts.com/home.php
Hope that helps.
Apple Cider Vinegar
★★★★★
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?
(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
★★★★★
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
★★★★★
Apple Cider Vinegar
★★★★★
Apple Cider Vinegar
★★★★★
Apple Cider Vinegar
★★★★★
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.
(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
★★★★★
Apple Cider Vinegar
★★★★★
Apple Cider Vinegar
★★★★★
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.
(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
★★★★★
Apple Cider Vinegar
★★★★★
Apple Cider Vinegar
★★★★★
Apple Cider Vinegar
★★★★★