Nail Fungus: What It Is & How To Treat It

Sounds awful doesn’t it: fungus. Yuck! This is an infection along the lines of athlete’s foot in that it can happen to anyone, no matter how particular they are about personal cleanliness and grooming.

It’s caused by organisms that find their way underneath a nail. You can pick it up at a beauty salon (if they aren’t cleaning tools properly), at the gym, public showers, etc.

People who are more susceptible to it are those whose feet sweat regularly, have diabetes, poor circulation or are elderly but it’s not uncommon to pick it up after some sort of chipping, splitting or damage has occurred.

Is it contagious? Yes, it can travel from one finger or toe to the next and from person to person. If you have it, wear shoes when using public showers and locker rooms and don’t share clippers or other grooming tools.

How to tell if your nail has it:

• Color will likely change to yellow, brown or even black, may have white streaks or patches.
• It can become brittle, ragged and flaky or become quite thick.
• Can smell funky or is painful.

Confirming an infection: Your doctor will do a scraping for testing.

Home Remedies To Try

Because the fungus lives and thrives underneath the nail, it’s difficult to treat topically. Your doctor will likely prescribe medicine to help your body fight off the infection. If that doesn’t work for you or isn’t an option, you can try the suggestions listed below. Keep in mind that these won’t cure it but they can help contain the fungi so that new nail growth won’t be affected. Regular treatment can take months before you are free of it (as the old infected part grows out).

• Vinegar & water: Soak 15 minutes each day in a 1:2 vinegar and water solution.
• Tea tree oil: Apply a few drops to affected area at least twice daily, rub into surrounding skin then cover with a bandage.
• Eucalyptus EO: same as above.
• Grapefruit seed extract: Apply twice daily.
• Vicks VapoRub: Rub this in covering the area entirely each morning and night.
• Listerine Mouthwash: Soak twice a day in full strength Listerine mouthwash for at least 10 minutes a sitting.
• Coconut oil: Use each morning and night (before bedtime).
• Hydrogen Peroxide: Saturate the area with a drop or two daily.
• Tea tree & lavender EO: Apply this 50/50 mixture morning and night.
• Apple cider vinegar: Saturate with ACV twice a day.

Prevention Tips

• Keep bare toes exposed to air as much as possible, try wearing flip flops or sandals around the home instead of bundling your feet up in slippers, shoes and socks.
• Eat two cloves of garlic a day to boost your immunity system.
• Keep a short and trimmed manicure so there’s less room for it to thrive.
• Dry well after showering, paying close attention in between toes.
• If you are susceptible to picking this up, try antifungal products: Spray feet regularly or dusting shoes with a powder.

Please Note: These are notes from my collection, none of them are intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice. This information is provided for general knowledge purposes only.