After writing, how to get rid of foot fungus?, tea tree oil for toenail fungus, and home remedies for scalp fungus, we are now writing the best ways to get rid of toenail fungus fast and naturally. Toenail fungus is a very common problem and also known as Onychomycosis. It is basically a fungal infection, which happens due to abnormal changes in pH levels of the skin, weak immune system, diabetes, and moist environment can be the reason. If not treated initially, the infection spreads and becomes painful and incurable. In this article, we got together the best remedies to get rid of toenail fungus fast, naturally and inexpensive.
Remedies to Get Rid of Toenail Fungus Fast and Naturally:
Contents
1.) Coconut Oil For Toenail Fungus
The high content of caprylic acid in coconut oil is one of the medium-chain fatty acids. It has the ability to go through the tough cell wall of toenail fungus (candida and other fungi). When the protective coating of the cells is ruptured the fungus dissolve, removing the infection fast. Apply some coconut oil thin layer to toenail fungus and let it absorb the oil in for at least 10-15 minutes. Coconut oil is highly beneficial for skin health, so there is no limit to how often you can follow this treatment. Make sure you aren’t allergic to coconuts, before using coconut oil to sensitive tissue. Read article on uses and benefits of coconut oil for skin.
2.) Garlic For Toenail Fungus
Allicin and ajoene are the main compounds of garlic and will help to get rid of toenail fungus fast and naturally. These compounds make garlic anti-fungal and antiseptic in properties. You can use the garlic both in the form of a paste or oil. Take some garlic cloves and fry them in three teaspoons of olive oil. Strain the oil and apply to your affected toenail. Cover your toe with a bandage and rest it for a few hours. Repeat the method two times a day for a few days. Apply the paste to your toe and cover it with bandage for one hour.
3.) Use Listerine Mouthwash
Listerine contains alcohol and other chemical compounds, which are antiseptic in nature. The antiseptic nature kills the bacteria and germs in the mouth, which can also be used for toenail fungus. In a tub pour two teaspoons of listerine mouthwash and some amount of water which is sufficient to soak your affected foot. Soak your foot in the solution for 20 to 30 minutes, and then rub your toenail gently. Rinse it and dry it softly. Do this daily for a few days until the infection clears.
4.) Use The Lemon Juice
The citric acidic nature of lemon helps to fight out the toenail fungus. As lemon juice is rich in antiseptic and anti-fungal properties it clears the infection and soothes the skin. Apply the mixture of lemon juice and olive oil in equal quantity to affected toe. Take a teaspoon both of lemon juice and olive oil. Apply the mixture to toe and gently massage for 5 minutes. Rinse it off with lukewarm water. Olive oil will soothe the skin, while lemon juice will remove infection completely. Do this remedy daily until the fungal infection clear.
5.) Apply The Tea Tree Oil
Tea tree oil has properties of being an antiseptic as well as anti-fungal. Tea tree oil also helps to get rid of toenail fungus in a fast and effective manner. The anti-bacterial and immense healing power of tea oil helps in getting rid of infection and pain by fungus. Take 5-10 drops of tea tree oil with 1 cup water. Use a soft cloth or cotton to apply the mixture on affected areas of your toe. Repeat at regular intervals for better result. Don’t apply directly tea tree oil to affected area as it can cause irritation, drying and redness of skin. Always dilute tree tea oil with water.
6.) Use The Orange Oil
Orange oil can be used to treat infected toenails because it has anti-fungal properties. Research has shown that orange oil has some side effects also, so apply orange oil on a small stain of skin before applying it to infected toenail. Apply the orange oil with the help of cotton swab on the infected toe. Leave it for 15 to 20 minutes. Apply this two times daily for a few days until you see improvement.
7.) Take Help From Baking Soda
Baking soda is easily available in your nearby stores and even in your kitchen. Baking soda dries out the toenail infection. It also soothes the skin by providing relief to itching and inflammation. It has other properties like antiseptic and anti-inflammatory which helps in healing the toenail fungus. Take half cup of water, add baking soda to make a paste. Apply this paste to your foot affected area for 15 minutes. Wash off with water and apply this after regular intervals. Follow the procedure for a few days until the infection disappears.
8.) Use The White Vinegar
To treat any skin infection than white vinegar is one of the best as it is easily available and is anti-fungal in nature. It also helps to balance the pH of skin, which lowers the inflammation and pain of toe. Mix a cup of warm water with two teaspoons of white vinegar. Soak your affected toenail in this mixture for 15 minutes. Rinse it off and rub it softly with a cloth to dry it. Repeat the remedy two times in a day.
9.) Use Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is an excellent home remedy to treat any fungal disorder whether it is toenail fungus, or other skin problems. It is helpful in managing the pH level of the skin by diluting extra acid of the stomach. Dilute apple cider vinegar with water as it sometimes causes irritation. Apply some apple cider vinegar with help of cotton swab on your affected areas. Rest it for a few minutes and then remove the cotton swab. Do this 3 to 4 times a day until the infection disappears.
10.) Make Use Of Olive Oil
Olive oil helps in providing moisture to the skin of toe lost due to toenail. It heals and make skin smooth as it is rich in vitamin E and antioxidants. It reduces itching and redness of the skin too. Rub a few drops of extra virgin olive oil or a combination of olive oil and honey on your toenail. Gently massage for few minutes two times a day. You can also add a pinch of turmeric powder to some olive oil and apply on your toenail.
11.) Apply The Oregano Oil
Oregano oil is in use for centuries for getting rid of toenail fungus. It has all the properties for healing toenail fungus like anti-fungal, antiseptic, antiviral, analgesic, antiseptic and antibacterial. Mix two teaspoons of both olive and oregano oil. Apply it to your toenail directly and leave it for 20 minutes. Rinse it off and apply it regularly for fast healing.
12.) Cornmeal Will Help
One of the unique home remedies for toenail fungus is cornmeal. It naturally consist a type of fungus that is safe to the human body but fatal to Candida. Candida is the most ordinary fungal parasite that causes infections in toenail. In a bathtub, mix one cup of cornmeal and about two jars of water. Allow the cornmeal to mix in the water thoroughly for at least one hour then soak the toenail foot in the mixture for an hour. Many people have reported success with this when applied once per week. Cornmeal is totally harmless to nails and skin, realistically the cure can be repeated as often as you like.
13.) Maintain The Good Hygiene
To reduce the chances of nail fungus, start taking care of your feet. Allow as much air as possible to reach your nails. You can take of simple things that will help you to prevent the symptoms of toenail fungus. You can follow simple preventative measure to get rid of nail fungus. Wearing sandal or flip flops in the public area can help. Clean and wash your feet everyday. If you want to make your nails dry all time then do not wear tight shoes, hosiery and tights that will give moisture to your skin and sweaty environment to your nails. Go for open toed shoes.
14.) Keep Your Feet Dry and Clean
When your feet and nails have too much of moisture and warm which is brought by shoes and socks, they itself create a sweaty environment which encourage nail fungus to grow. You just have to keep your nails short, clean and dry for healthy nails. Always keep your nails short to ward off bacteria from getting trapped under them.
You can find shoes and socks that allow your feet breathe to avoid toenail fungus. Always wear clean socks as they can harbor fungal spores. Always check that your shoes fit well and there is enough space for your fingers to breathe. Discard those footwear that you were worn while having an infection. You can wear ventilating socks which doesn’t allow moisture to build up. Avoid wearing cotton and wool socks, if you sweat while wearing them. You go with synthetic socks that wont give you moisture and also get trapped inside your socks.
15.) Cure Athletes Foot Immediately
If you allow the fungal infection to remain on your foot then it will definitely get spread and become worse. Your carelessness on your foot will increase the risk of its spreading to your nails. Stop the potential spread by curing the athletic food as soon as possible. Mild cases of athletic foot can be treated with over counter medications. Serious toenail fungus infection requires prescription strength medication. Visit to doctor and ask the option for you.
16.) Try to Wear Gloves For Nail Infection
Same goes for hands. While washing dishes or cleaning product, always wear gloves to avoid the nail infection. This helps to you get away from the contact of bacteria while performing chores around the house and keep your hand dry. As bacteria like to live in warm and moist places so always try to avoid that environment around your nails whenever possible.
17.) Try Wear Flip Flops in Shower Area
Always wear slippers in public area, most importantly shower area in a gym. Always make sure to wear sandals or flip flops while taking shower if multiple people are using the same area. These perpetually wet, warm places with full of sweaty people are more likely bacteria breeding grounds.
18.) Avoid Sketchy Nails Salon
If you are going to any of the nails salon then always ask they have properly sterilize their tools and tubs after giving service to every client. If you are not comfortable to ask the owner or you are unsure about the sterilize tool then it is best to take your own nail kit. Ask them to use your own tools and polish to complete your pedicure or manicure. You should also stop painting your nails or getting fake nails altogether. As the nail polish trapped moisture in your nails and give you small cuts that attract bacteria which damaged your nails.
Ways To Treat Toenail Fungus Medically:
1.) Recognize the Symptoms
Before treating toenail fungus, you need to know what to look for. It is not necessary that the toenail have consistence symptoms. The most common symptoms of toenail infection are tenderness or pain in the nail. Symptoms of fungal infection include certain changes in the toenail such as changes in the color. In toenail fungal infection, the nail will get usually white streaks or yellow on the sides of nail. It is cause due to the collection of the nails under or around the nail, a crumbing and thickening of the outside of the edges of the nail, a lifting and loosening of the nail, and nail brittleness. Nail fungus is serious issue and it should be treated well. If the infection is severe then it can cause permanent damage to your nails.
2.) Don’t Go For Over The Counter Options
Infection can spread to the nails, especially if you are high risk category. A person with diabetes or impaired immune systems comes in high risk category. If the toenail function is not treated well then there is a chances that the high risk people can develop cellulitis, a skin infection.
Toenail fungus caused by the fungi such as trichophyton rubrum. It is caused by the non-dermatophyte molds and yeast which is mostly commonly is part of candida species. Nail fungus is difficult to cure and repeat infection is very common. In opposite to common belief, over the counter antifungal creams are usually for athlete’s foot and do not have much impact on toenail fungus. It may be because they cannot penetrate in the toenail.
3.) Go For Oral Medication
Oral medication is one of the effective ways to get rid of toenail fungus. If you are looking for the best treatment to prevent toenail fungus then go for systemic treatment like oral prescriptions antifungal. But these treatments can take 2-3 months or longer. This oral antifungal medication has Lamisil, which is commonly prescribed with a dose of 250 mg a day for weeks. But it also has some side effects which include rash, diarrhea or liver enzymes abnormities. In case of liver or kidney issue, avoid these medications.
You can also try itraconazole which is normally prescribed with dose of 200 mg a day for 12 weeks. It also have some side effects like rash, nausea or liver enzymes abnormities. If you have liver issue, then do not consume this medicine. Best way is to consult your doctor and tell about the medication you are taking to get rid toenail fungus.
4.) Have Topical Antifungal Prescriptions Medications
You cannot take the topical medication alone, but it can be with oral therapy to decrease the duration of your treatment. However, if you are hesitant to start oral therapy or have reservation about oral therapy then try topical medication which is one of the best options.
You can go with Ciclopirox, which is an 8% of solution commonly applied daily for 48 weeks. Alternatively, you can try Jublia, which is a 10% of solution applied daily on the affected area for 48 weeks. These prescriptions are effective, if the infection does not spread into matrix, it is a layers of cells at the base. Visit to your doctor and your doctor will let you know if your infection has expanded to include the nail matrix.
5.) Know About Surgical Treatment
If you are serious case of toenail fungus infection then you need to fix it with surgical treatment. In this case, the options include partial or complete nail removal. When the nail gets removed, then antifungal creams are applied to ward off the infection on the affected area for reinfection of new nails. Total nail removal is not usually needed.
6.) Go for Non-Pharmacological, Non-Surgical Treatment
In this method, it doesn’t require to take drugs or go for surgery. This method includes nail debridement, which is called removal of dead skin or infected tissue and also trimming of nails. This method is used in treating the severe infection or for those infections that cause abnormal growths. Usually doctors apply ointment on it and cover it with a proper dressing. This process helps to soften the nails over periods of 7-10 days after that the doctor can easily removes the infected area of the nail. It will take time but it won’t give you pain.
7.) Go For Laser Treatment
You can go for the laser treatment to get rid of toenail fungus. There are so many laser treatments available but it will burn your pocket as it is very costly. In this process, they use high focus beam to eradicate the fungus in the affected area. You can take it as serious treatment to cure the infection, which means that you have to pay it more even more each time you go. The treatment is also a large experimental. You should well aware about the process and consequences. Until the further studies are conducted, laser treatment is not considered for routine use.
Other Important Tips to Get Rid of Toenail Fungus
- Never Use other People’s shoes, if you have fungus infection. There are chances that you leave fungus spores in their shoes and this will infect his/her feet as well.
- Visit to doctor if the infection is serious and mild cases can cure with home remedies. Go for check if the toenail fungus become severe as the area around the infection is painful, become red and sometimes have pus in them.
- In some cases, natural remedies may not work. If you do not noticed any improves then consider doctor for checkup. If you have other health related problem like diabetes then you should immediately concern with doctor as toenail fungus gives more complication such as cellulitis.