How To Get Rid Of Stubborn Nail Fungus

Nail Polish And Contaminated Equipment

A 2018 study found evidence that fungi may be able to live and multiply in some nail polishes. It may be a good idea to avoid sharing nail polish.

Contaminated equipment at a nail salon can also expose you to types of fungi that may lead to an infection.

Your fungal infection may not cause any symptoms in the beginning, until it progresses.

As the infection gets worse, you may experience:

Fingernail infections often clear up on their own or with home remedies. Antifungal medications are used for more serious infections.

What Are Treatments For Toenail Fungus

Do you need to treat your nail fungus? Maybe it doesn’t hurt, and the yellow, thick nails don’t bother you.

But nail fungus doesn’t go away by itself. And if you don’t treat it, there’s a chance it could get worse. It could spread to other nails or through your body. It could cause pain when you walk.

There are a number of ways to take care of it, including:

Nonprescription options. You can buy antifungal creams, gels, and nail polish at the store and online without a prescription. You might want to try one of them first if the infection doesn’t look bad. Some people also swear by home remedies like menthol rub, tea tree oil, mouthwash, or snakeroot extract — but studies show mixed results.

Prescription polish and creams. Your foot doctor will likely trim your nail and file away its dead layers. They may also take a piece of your nail and send it to the lab to make sure itâs really a fungus and to find out what type it is.

The doctor might suggest an antifungal drug that you paint on your nails. This may work on its own, or they may suggest you take it with antifungal pills.

Prescription medications. One of several antifungal pills may help. They work, but it may take many months to do the job. They also come with side effects like nausea, vomiting, and headaches. They may cause liver damage too, so your doctor will watch you closely while you take them. Be sure to tell them about any other meds youâre taking — some antifungal pills might not work well with them.

Apple Cider Vinegar And Epsom Salt

Another foot soak method, this is said to work really well for toenail fungal infections. Apple cider vinegar has a number of healing and antibacterial properties if its organic, making it a go-to for many homeopathic treatments.

• 1/3 cup full strength ACV
• 2 cups hot water
• 1/3 cup Epsom salt

Mix and soak your toes/feet for at least 30 minutes every day. Apple cider vinegar is also a good supplement to take internally for overall health and to promote healing of fungus and bacteria from the inside out.

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Organic Apple Cider Vinegar:

Apple cider vinegar is very famous for its amazing and powerful beauty effects as well as health effects. In terms of skin and nail issues, apple cider vinegar is actually one of the best remedies for fingernail fungus infection as well. This acidic home remedy can help to ward off bacteria and prevent other skin and nail areas from being infected by fungus. I suggest that you and other people who are suffering from the fingernail fungus or also some other infections should make use of this ingredient because it can act well for a great deal of purposes. You can make use of the organic apple cider vinegar lotion in 2 different ways:

Diluted:

Prepare equal amounts of water and apple cider vinegar and use the mixture to apply onto your nails for about 30 minutes. Practice makes perfect, so you need to apply this tip every day and do not forget do pat the infected area dry after each soak session.

Spray:

Take 1 cup of water and 1 tablespoon of organic apple cider vinegar and put them both into a spray bottle. Use this spray to apply under your each fingernail every night before going to sleep so that you will be able to heal and regain the natural beauty of your nails fast and effectively.

In fact, this is also one of the best and most effective home remedies for fingernail fungus that people should not skip but try making use to stop the current concern fast and safely without making use of any type of costly yet useless creams or medical interventions.

How To Prevent Both Foot And Toenail Fungus

While toenail fungus and foot fungus arent the same condition, the following tips can help you prevent both, says Sundling:

• Practice good hygiene, such as keeping your feet clean.
• Alternate your shoes during the week. Your feet sweat all day long. Alternating your shoes allows them to dry out, so the fungus cant survive.
• Wear moisture-wicking socks that help dry out shoes and kill fungus. You can find these at running stores and athletic stores. If your socks are exceptionally sweaty, changing them more than once per day can help.
• Wear shoes in public places like locker rooms, pools, and gyms to limit exposure to fungus.

Read Also: Does Vicks Help With Toe Fungus

What Is The Outcome For Someone Who Has Nail Fungus

With treatment, many people can get rid of nail fungus. Even when the fungus clears, your nail may look unhealthy until the infected nail grows out. A fingernail grows out in 4 to 6 months and a toenail in 12 to 18 months.

To clear the fungus, its important to:

• Use the treatment exactly as prescribed

• Apply the medicine for as long as prescribed

• Keep all follow-up appointments with your dermatologist

Nail fungus can be stubborn. If you had a severe infection, its possible to clear the infection. A healthy looking nail, however, may be unrealistic, but you can expect the nail to look better and feel more comfortable.

Even with clearing, nail fungus can return. Youll find steps to reduce your risk in Tips: 12 ways to prevent another nail infection.

ImageGetty Images

ReferenceGold LFS and Rosen T. Onychomycosis: Diagnosis, treatment, and prevention strategies. Dermatology News . March 2016:2-15.

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Read Also: What Is The Best Remedy For Toe Fungus

Recommended Reading: How Do You Get Rid Of Toenail Fungus Fast

Get Rid Of Toenail Fungus

Treating toenail fungus

Toenail fungus–it’s one of the most common podiatric problems children, teens, and adults have. Causing thickened, yellow, brittle nails, onychomycosis spreads easily and can be stubborn to treat. If you see one or more of your toenails changing shape, color, and texture, see your foot doctor right away. They have the expertise and treatments to give you ten clear toenails once again.

How toenail fungus starts

The micro-organism thrives in dark, moist environments–sweaty socks and sneakers being prime candidates. Additionally, shared towels, nail clippers, shower room floors, and pool decks breed toenail and Athlete’s Foot fungus. In fact, if you suffer periodic outbreaks of itchy, uncomfortable Athlete’s Foot, you’re more prone to onychomycosis, says the American Academy of Dermatology.

Conquering toenail fungus

Your foot doctor sees scores of patients with toenail fungus. Visual inspection is the main diagnostic tool, and for mild cases of onychomycosis, the podiatrist may recommend creams or ointments applied topically. Oral medications are an option as well.

Additionally, modern podiatry offers innovative laser treatments which kill the micro-organism right where it lives. Painless and very effective, laser treatments are applied to all ten toenails to prevent re-infection.

Prevention is best

Regardless, your podiatrist recommends these preventive measures for healthy, fungus-free nails:

Can Home Remedies Cure Toenail Fungus

People who cannot afford pricey procedures or prescriptions sometimes turn to home remedies. Health professionals are usually skeptical about such unproven treatments. Even some readers are cautious, like this person:

Q. The nails on my big toes are so thick even large nail cutters do not open wide enough to trim them. Ive tried smearing on vinegar or Vicks VapoRub with the hope that they would soften the nails enough to file them. Neither worked. What can you suggest?

A. Thick hard toenails are often caused by an underlying fungal infection. There are lots of approaches to cure toenail fungus, both prescription and OTC, but they can take many months to work. The same is true for remedies like amber Listerine and vinegar soaks or applications of Vicks VapoRub.

Once the fungus is eradicated, you may need to use a foot bath to soften nails enough to trim them. An hour or two of soaking may be required.

If all else fails, a podiatrist can trim nails and offer other nail fungus treatments.

Our downloadable free Guide to Hair and Nail Care offers details on cornmeal mush foot soaks, vitamin E oil, hydrogen peroxide and herbal oil. Many readers have reported success with such inexpensive or unorthodox approaches, like repeated application of products containing menthol or thymol.

Also Check: Does Toenail Fungus Go Away

When To See A Doctor About Toenail Fungus

If you are experiencing persistent toenail fungus or pain is present, you may need to see a specialist. A dermatologist or podiatrist may be able to assess your symptoms and send a small sample of the affected toenail or flesh to a laboratory to be analyzed as there are various types of fungi and yeasts that cause onychomycosis. Knowing the specific cause of your foot fungus can help identify what route to take to treat your condition.

Nail changes can also be caused by underlying conditions, like psoriasis and diabetes, so its important to seek professional medical advice if your condition persists or worsens. Bacterial and fungal infection of skin in diabetes patients often result in hospital admissions, and in severe cases, can result in amputations. If you are at a higher risk for infection, you should skip home remedies and seek professional medical treatment.

Studies To Prove The Effectiveness Of Home Remedies In The Treatment Of Toenail Fungus

There are not many studies conducted on home remedies. For example, many have tried the cornmeal remedy and it works 90% of the times however, there are no studies to back it up.

NCBI stated the effectiveness of essential oils in its studies: The results of our study indicate that this new topical antifungal containing vitamin E and essential oils of lime, oregano, and tea tree is an effective and safe option for topical therapy of onychomycosis.

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Best Ways To Treat A Nail Fungus

Nail fungus can cause thick, discolored nails, and, for some patients, it can even be painful. An Internet search will bring up plenty of ways to treat the condition, but which ones are best? Dermatologist Dr. Christopher Hull discusses what nail fungus actually is, why its so hard to get rid of, and which treatments work best.

Change The Environment Of Your Feet

Toenail Fungus, like all fungi, prefers dark, damp, and warm environments. Unfortunately, feet can provide the perfect environment that fungus thrives in.

Make sure you dry your feet thoroughly after showering, especially between the toes.

• Use socks that wick the moisture away from your feet. Socks with merino wool, bamboo socks, or socks with Drymax® or Coolmax® technologies are best for absorbing moisture.
• However, even the best socks are of little use if the shoe is not made of breathable materials. Avoid using shoes with plastic, rubber, or certain artificial leathers that do not have pores which allow the moisture to evaporate into the environment.
• Also, alternate between two pairs of shoes. Wear one pair while the other pair has a chance to air out. Once you get home kick off your shoes and socks and let your feet get exposed to air and light. If your feet continue to stay damp consider using an antiperspirant on your feet

Also Check: How To Treat Toenail Fungus Over The Counter

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Take Care Of Toenail Fungus For Good

We have worked with many patients dealing with toenail fungus, and have had plenty of success stories to share. If you need help, we would love to add your name to our list.

Just give us a call to schedule an appointment at one of our two area offices:

• Princeton 924-8333
• Roselle Park 687-5757

If you prefer to reach out electronically, you are more than welcome to do so! Simply head to our contact page and fill out our form with your questions and requests. Well be happy to answer questions about our practice and schedule an appointment via email, if you would like to.

Princeton Office

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What’s New In Onychomycosis Therapy

Recent device-based therapies for onychomycosis include laser devices, photodynamic therapy, iontophoresis, and ultrasound. Laser treatment has been approved for cosmetic treatment only, but efficacy as a treatment to eradicate the fungal infection will have to be determined by additional randomized controlled trials . There have been rare reports of onychomycosis cures following the use of phototherapy, which involves the irradiation of accumulated protoporphyrin within the fungal hyphae, leading to subsequent hyphal cell damage . The ability of iontophoresis, or the use of electric current to facilitate the passage of drug through the nail plate, has been proven in studies with human cadaver nails, but relevant clinical studies remain to be conducted . Finally, though ultrasound therapy has preliminarily demonstrated fungistatic activity against nail infections , the device itself seems overly complicated, with ultrasound transducers and drug delivery compartments needed above each toenail and the requirement for a computer software interface, making it a physician-officeonly treatment and likely very expensive .

When To See A Doctor

In most cases, toenail fungus is considered a cosmetic problem. Still, it may cause serious complications for some people.

If you have diabetes, toenail fungus may lead to foot ulcers or other foot problems. According to a 2012 study, chronic toenail fungus is a significant risk factor for bacterial cellulitis of the leg.

If you have diabetes or a weakened immune system, you shouldnt use home remedies for toenail fungus. Contact your doctor for the appropriate course of action.

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Does Exposure To Sunlight Treat Toenail Fungus

UVB from the sun is a very potent germicidal agent and, if you suffer from a common and chronic nail infection known as onychomycosis, you could find a daily dose of sunlight would finally get rid of your problem. Nail fungus is a very stubborn condition because it lives deep under the nail and not on the nails surface with the infection growing off as a healthy nail grows in. The treatment you use to treat your nail fungus needs some help and the regular sunlight to the feet provides the best rescue plan. You might have to use this method for several months or the whole of the summer. But would that be such a hardship? Carry out your foot sunning on grass or perhaps a sandy shore and you get triple benefits a treatment for nail fungus, attractive tanned feet and all the good things that come with grounding or earthing!

What Are The Dangers Of Using Bleach

Bleach could be chlorine and non-chlorine. There are many bleach solutions available in the market but theyre all highly concentrated as theyre mainly used to remove stains, disinfect surfaces or clothes.

While following this remedy, you must take care of your feet very well. Never soak your feet in an undiluted bleach solution or you may be at risk of severe skin or nail damage.

Some dangers of the wrong usage of bleach solutions include:

• Itching
• Dry and patchy skin
• Burning sensation

In case, you inhale the solution while applying it, you may experience nausea, dizziness, shortness of breath or coughing too. So be very careful.

A step-by-step method to Remove Toenail Fungus Using Bleach Water:

• 1. Buy a Bleach Powder or Solution

Most houses have bleach powders as they use them to do the laundry. Some people even use it to clean their bathroom floorings.

Preferably bleach powder should be bought as it can be diluted easily. A tablespoon of bleach is enough to get your toenail fungus treated.

• 2. Warm Water

It is always better to soak your legs in warm water to remove dirt and mud. It helps soften the nail bed too. When you want to dilute bleach faster, you may warm a gallon of water in the basin or foot bath, or even a bucket is good.

• 3. Add other anti-fungal ingredients

These can prevent your skin discolouration and also take care of your nail cuticles. Essential oils can penetrate in the nail bed and kill the fungi too. Note that this is an optional step.

• 4. Soak

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