What Is The Most Effective Treatment For Nail Fungus
A podiatrist is your best ally when it comes to determining the best and most effective treatment for toenail fungus. By seeking a podiatrists professional help, youre much more likely to get rid of toenail fungus and avoid possible irritation and infection to the area. Before providing a recommended treatment plan, your doctor will first evaluate the infected area. Treatment options include:
- Topical or oral antifungal medications and removal of debris from the infected nail. Common oral medications for toenail fungus treatment are Lamisil and Sporanox. A common topical medication is Penlac.
- Temporary removal of the infected nail.
- Permanent removal of the infected nail. In more severe casesand if the infection is resisting topical and/or oral medicationsyour podiatrist may recommend laser toenail fungus removal. Laser toenail fungus removal is a safe and painless procedure that takes about 30 minutes to complete.
Why Cant I Get Rid Of Toenail Fungus
In some cases, fungus can get into the cells that make the nail, called the nail matrix. That can make the fungus very difficult to eliminate because the cells manufacturing the rest of the toenail are infected. The good news, though, is that toenail fungus typically does not lead to bigger medical problems.
Kill Fungus Within Toenails
Cut and file your toenails to make them as short and thin as possible. This may help the bleach to penetrate the nail and kill the fungus.
Pour warm water into a bucket or basin that is large enough to accommodate the affected foot.
Add 1 tbsp. of bleach to the bucket or basin of warm water 1.
Soak the affected foot in the bleach solution daily. You may have to wait several weeks to see signs of improvement.
Wash your foot with a gentle, moisturizing soap and water that does not contain bleach. This may help to get rid of any bleach residue that could dry and irritate your foot.
Dry your foot thoroughly, including the area between your toes. Damp areas encourage fungal growth.
Tips
Your doctor may be able to offer medical treatment that will provide improvement faster or more reliably than home remedies. Consider seeing your doctor for help. Discontinue bleach-solution foot soaks if your skin becomes irritated. Alternatively, you might restrict your soaks to one a day or every other week to see whether that helps. Some people also use a solution of bleach and water to kill the fungus that causes athlete’s foot.
Warnings
Never mix bleach with ammonia or vinegar. Doing so will produce a dangerous chlorine gas. Do not apply undiluted bleach to your toenails. It may irritate the skin on your foot.
- Cut and file your toenails to make them as short and thin as possible.
- This may help to get rid of any bleach residue that could dry and irritate your foot.
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Other Ways To Overcome Athletes Foot:
There are many over-the-counter antifungal treatments that work well. One reader shared his experience:
I have suffered from athletes foot and jock itch for years. My doctor recommended Zeasorb antifungal powder, which contains miconazole. This works wonders for me.
Other remedies that readers praise include soaking the feet in dilute vinegar, amber Listerine, baking soda or Epsom salts solutions. One enterprising reader did an experiment on an old-fashioned remedy, soaking the affected foot in urine:
Two months ago I instituted a quasi-experiment for a home remedy to treat my toenail fungus, which is on both feet. Each morning I treat only the right foot, using urine .
In the morning shower, I apply a small amount of surfactant with a paintbrush to the toenails of the right foot, dump some saved urine into a dedicated wastebasket, and then soak the toes for several seconds.
After two months, there appears to be a remarkable improvement of the right foot over the left .
Urine and certain other athletes foot remedies became popular as a way of controlling foot odor. You can learn more from our FREE Guide to Smelly Feet.
Should you wish to learn more about home remedies for either athletes foot or nail fungus, our book, The Peoples Pharmacy Quick & Handy Home Remedies, has lots!
Revised: by Joe Graedon on 8/10/17
What Should You Do To Help Bleach Water Get Rid Of Toenail Fungus Faster
Nail hygiene is a very important thing. If you keep your nails dirty and filled with dirt or particles, its only going to get worse.
In order to see faster and effective results, you must do the following:
- 1. Trim your nails
You should ideally trim your nails with a nail cutter than only belongs to you. Someone else nail cutter can carry infection and fungi that can cause toenail fungus too.
Always clean the equipment and trim your nails every now and then.
- 2. File your nails
Giving them a shape can help your nail surfaces become smooth and tidy. This can also prevent any swelling inside or outside the nailbed.
- 3. Dry your nails
You must always keep your feet dry, clean and moisturize it with water or gel-based moisturiser. A humid environment can help the fungi grow faster than ever.
Follow a proper footcare routine and remember to wash your hands after all remedies.
Reports to Suggest if Bleach Water can really get rid of Toenail Fungus
A university explains how nail fungus condition could differ from person to person. Toenail fungus is more common than a fungal infection on other nails.
Many medicines are suggested to patients with painful toenail fungus and the condition cant be guaranteed. Science has no permanent cure to heal the toenail fungus but it has ways to prevent and heal the condition of the toenail.
Although it isnt the fastest way according to science, mild infections can go away within a few weeks while the complex ones can take many months too.
Recommended Reading: How Do I Know If I Have Foot Fungus
Athletes Foot And Toenail Fungus Live In Your Shoes
Another common fungus fond of the same environment is athletes foot, or tinea pedis. Unlike onychomycosis, this fungal infection thrives also in a dry environment, so is common in summer months among sandal and flip-flop wearers. Athletes foot manifests in intense itching cracked, blistered or peeling skin and redness and scaling in dry, flaky areas. If you dont wear socks, dead skin cells may rub off your feet onto your shoes, creating a surprisingly efficient breeding ground for fungi.
Tinea pedis and onychomycosis fungi will remain active on dead skin cells and wait inside your shoes until the next time you slip them on. A dry environment may be less friendly to fungi than a moist environment, but wherever fungi cells are allowed to thrive, the scene is set for infection by toenail fungus spores and athletes foot.
What Kind Of Fungi Grows Indoors
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency explains that molds include microscopic fungi that are called hyphae and mildew. These grow in multicellular filaments and can spread quickly. Mold and mildew thrive in moist environments, like shower walls, but they can also grow along windowsills and ceilings and in moist basements. Mold can produce a strong, musty smell, especially when there is little air circulation.
Mold or fungus can also grow on food, paper, clothes and even leather. According to the New York Times, the spores latch onto surfaces and produce dark, fuzzy growth and oftentimes a stinky odor. People with compromised immune systems can become extremely ill when exposed to certain molds, and the fungus can enter the lungs. This can lead to severe health problems. Milder symptoms include sneezing, coughing, watery or itchy eyes, exacerbated asthma symptoms and a runny nose.
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Different Methods To Use Chlorine Bleach For Toenail Fungus
To use chlorine bleach for toenail fungus, you can use two main methods:
- Soak your feet in chlorine bleach
Soaking your feet in chlorine bleach is one of the common ways to treat nail fungus. It is also the most effective method because it does not irritate the skin. Here is how to prepare chlorine bleach soak.
Fill up a tub or pan with water. At least one of your feet must fit easily in this tub or pan. Take about one cap of chlorine bleach and pour it into the tub. The exact quantity to prepare the soak is to mix one tablespoon of bleach for every gallon of water.
Place your foot in the tub for about fifteen to twenty minutes. Dry your feet after this. You must soak your foot in this soak at least twice a day. If it causes discomfort or itching, then stop foot soak.
Adding essential oils to this foot soak can make it more effective. It includes tea tree oil, oil of oregano, or Epsom salt.
- Application of Chlorine Bleach to the nail
This is the second way to treat toenail fungus with chlorine bleach. Here is how to apply the chlorine bleach directly
STEP ONE: Apply petroleum jelly to your nail and its surrounding skin.
STEP TWO: All you have to do is dip a cotton bud or cotton in undiluted chlorine bleach.
STEP THREE: The take this cotton bud and apply it to the toenail with fungal infection.
STEP FOUR: Use the other end of the cotton bud or a clean, dry piece of cotton to remove extra bleach from the skin.
- Bleach pen
Causes Of Toenail Fungus
The causes of toenail fungus can vary from person to person.
One of the most generic ways people get toenail fungus is from public areas where their feet come into contact with the fungus.
This includes pools, public showers, humid climates, shoes, and socks. Exposure of the fungus from other people is typically the cause.
Since toenail fungus is so contagious, it is important to protect yourself while in these types of environments.
Try wearing flip flops while at the pool or showers to keep a barrier in between your feet and potential fungus.
Also, if you live in a humid environment, are an athlete, physically active, or just have sweaty feet invest in somefoot powder.
If you are older and are male, the chances of toenail fungus are exponentially higher. This is due to the bodys immune system becoming weaker and the decrease in circulation.
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Laser For Toenail Fungus
If you have a wedding coming really soon, and you want to look good think of having a laser session to treat toenail fungus. this is the fastest treatment to root up fungus. However, you need to have a lot of money to execute this process.
There are two types of leaser treatment for toenail fungus. The expensive one is the cold laser it will take only a few minutes to remove the toenail fungus. The second option is the hot laser treatment for nail fungus. it is not recommended of children, older adults, and pregnant women. It will take almost 4 weeks for the treatment of toenail fungus.
You can read about the Laser treatment in detail from various experts like Dr. Ron has covered everything regarding laser treatment to cure toenail fungus, from where it would be much easier for you to understand the treatment.
Also, there are many home laser devices which one can use as laser treatment for fixing the fungus.
However, the regular method is very expensive in terms of cost.
Can I Wear Nail Polish If I Have Toenail Fungus
You may feel tempted to cover up a discolored toenail with nail polish. If you are using a topical antifungal, you probably should not use polish. Some providers may tell you not to wear it in any case. Polish traps in moisture from the nailbed . Because fungi thrive in moist environments, wearing nail polish may make a fungal infection worse. However, the nail continues to grow with or without polish.
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Bleach And Vicks For Nail Fungus
If in case, you do not have the petroleum jelly to treat toenail fungus, it is better to use Vicks.
Research supports the use of Vicks to treat toenail fungus when combined with bleach to make a paste.
So, similarly here, just mix the bleach and Vicks to form a paste in direct proportion and then just apply it simply on the fungus directly.
You need to apply this solution, under the nail. Applying it over the cuticle would not help, because there is no such liquid to carry the Hypochlorous acid to the fungal infection site. So, try to use a cotton bud, to apply it.
You can then wash it after 15-20 minutes.
Use it twice daily for at least 3 months if you have less fungus, And if you have more that you would be able to notice, then you can continue on it for some more months.
Which bleach solution is better?
Both the bleach and water mixture, and the bleach paste are effective. To claim one of these methods better would not be correct. It depends on the skin condition. For people with sensitive skin, the dilute bleach solution will be safer to use.
The bleach paste is a concentrated mixture. If you have a deteriorating fungal infection it is better to use the paste initially, it will be more effective.
So, this is how to cure toenail fungus with bleach but there are still many important things to know before you go for it.
Keep Switching Your Shoes
Following all the steps on how to kill fungus in shoeswill not be really helpful if you keep wearing the same shoes day in and day out. It would do better to invest in more than one pair of shoes and switch to a different pair every day. This will give enough time for the shoes to dry out completely before you wear them back again. Foot fungus mainly develops in shoes that are closed and do not allow the moisture to escape. So instead, try going for open shoes and breathable fabric instead of synthetics.
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Can I Put Bleach On My Feet
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Simply so, what happens if you put your feet in bleach?
A: Bleach should NEVER be applied to the skin. It can cause irritation, burns and blisters. That’s why you‘ve never seen such a recommendation here. There are many over-the-counter antifungal treatments that work well.
Subsequently, question is, how long should I soak my feet in bleach? He recommends that patients with onychomycosis soak their feet in a bleach–and-water solution for 10 to 15 minutes twice a day for 2 weeks. Such a solution can dry the skin.
Simply so, will bleach kill toe fungus?
BLEACH KILLS FUNGUS. Within a few weeks, both warts and fungus were gone. Dear Reader: This is not the first time we’ve heard that dilute bleach solutions may be helpful against nail fungus. If the bleach causes skin irritation, the treatment should be discontinued.
What is the fastest way to get rid of foot fungus?
Many natural or home remedies can be helpful in killing the fungus that causes athlete’s foot.
What Kills Foot Fungus
Hydrogen peroxide. Hydrogen peroxide can effectively kill the fungus on the surface level of the foot, as well as any surface bacteria that could cause an infection. Pour hydrogen peroxide directly onto the affected area. Note that it may sting, and it should bubble, especially if you have open wounds.
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What Tests Might I Have For Toenail Fungus
Your provider will probably take a small sample from underneath your nail to further analyze it. Viewing the cells under a microscope can confirm a toenail fungus diagnosis. If the initial test is negative, a scraping can be sent to see if the fungus grows out in a culture. It also helps your provider identify the type of fungus.
Using Bleach To Cure Nail Fungus
There have been mixed reviews on the efficacy of bleach to treat nail fungus. Being easily available in most homes and a cheap solution costing a maximum of few dollars, many give it a try. However most people who claim that it worked admit that they used some other method in tandem with their bleach foot baths or soaks. So, it wont be rational to identify bleach as the magical cure all alone.
The process involves soaking your feet once or twice daily for several weeks in a cap full of bleach mixed with water. If you have a mild case of nail fungus then bleach soaks are fine. In case of moderate to severe infection the full strength bleach is directly applied on the affected nail. The chlorine in the diluted solution or otherwise will supposedly make its way to where the fungus lurks and kill it. Watch out though, bleachs being a harsh and powerful chemical it might attack your toenails in a undesired way!
Proponents of the treatment say that patients have to be consistent for the solution to work. So, they must keep at it twice a day for few months if necessary.
The Risks: People with sensitive skin might have a reaction to the bleach and experience discomfort in the form of skin irritation, redness, itching and rashes. If this happens, you should discontinue this form of treatment immediately.
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