Home remedies for toenail fungus are treated as best bet as they are easy to use and safe and one can use them at the first sight of fungal infection before it grows out of proportion and causes social embarrassment without fearing of side effects. Fungal infection can occur under toenails and fingernails but it is very common and more troublesome in toenails as this part remains covered in the shoes for most of the time which provides ideal conditions for fungal infection to spread. Fungi and bacteria breeding in shoes are most common causes of toenail fungus. People can also catch an infection at moist and watery public places like locker rooms, common showers and swimming pools.
Diseases like diabetes and HIV can also cause this infection as these diseases reduce the blood circulation which decreases body’s capacity to identify and cure the infection. Wearing shoes for longer periods and wearing tight shoes decrease the blood flow to toe which also allows infection to grow and spread. Sharing footwear, personal hygiene and poor immunity system are other causes of toenail fungus. Home remedies for toenail fungus can control the spread of infection and help the body in removing the infection before it becomes troublesome.
Yellow colored spot at the tip of toenail is the first symptom of toenail fungus. Gradually this spot spreads on to whole nail changing the color of nail completely into yellow or brown. Thickening of nail and crumbling edges are other symptoms of toenail fungus which arrive with the spread of infection. Flaky nails and presence of foul smelling debris under the nails are other symptoms of toenail fungus. There may not be any pain when a person is barefooted but it can cause pain after wearing shoes due to thickening of toenail. Appearance of streaks or spots on the sides of the nails and detachment of nail from the nail bed are other symptoms of toenail fungus. This infection can allow nail to fall off at later stages, toenail fungus shall be treated promptly to avoid any further complications to health. Home remedies for toenail fungus have been used by people for effectively and safely curing the problem.
One of the most effective home remedies for toenail fungus is provided by essential oils which can be used when a person notices first symptom of infection. Blend a mixture of tea tree oil, olive oil and thyme oil mixing all of these in equal quantities. Rub this mixture on the nail and let it stay for 15 minutes. After that scrub the nail with a used toothbrush to slough off the uppermost layer of the nail, brushing will also help the oil to move under the nail and cure the infection. The removal of upper layer will help to remove the infection as most of the infection affects the upper layer of nail. This is one of the most trusted home remedies for toenail fungus, keep applying tea tree oil on the nail even after infection is cured for preventing reoccurrence of infection.
Apple cider vinegar provides few effective home remedies for toenail fungus. Apple cider vinegar can be used to treat the problem by mixing it with any mouthwash in equal quantities and soak the affected foot in the mixture for 15-20 minutes everyday. Later wipe the foot well and let it dry in open air. Apple cider vinegar can be mixed with warm water too for soaking the affected foot, dry the foot using clean towel to cure toenail fungus. Mix coarsely grounded rice and apple cider vinegar to form a paste, use this mixture to scrub the nails with help of a cotton ball to exfoliate the upper skin of nail. This is also an effective treatment for toenail fungus. These are few very effective home remedies for toenail fungus using apple cider vinegar.
Mix Vicks vaporub and oregano oil to form a paste, make sure that it is not edible oregano oil. Apply this mixture on the affected nail with help of a cotton ball or brush to cure toenail fungus. This is one of the simplest home remedies for toenail fungus.
Application of mixture of two to three drops of oregano essential oil with olive oil on the affected nail is also one of the easiest and effective home remedies for toenail fungus. Mixture of olive oil and lemon juice on the affected nail also cures the infection and is treated as one of the effective home remedies for toenail fungus.
Mix carrier oil, olive oil and tea tree oil in equal quantities. Use this mixture as an application on the affected nail, cover this with a bandage or wear a cotton socks to allow it to stay overnight. This is also one of the most effective and easy to use home remedies for toenail fungus. Application of mixture of tea tree oil and lavender oil in equal quantities 2-3 times in a day also very effectively alleviates the infection and forms one of the simple home remedies for toenail fungus.
Soaking the affected foot in mixture of water and baking soda for 15 minutes and later scrubbing the nail with baking soda powder with finger or cotton ball also provides an effective treatment to the problem. Using bleach, hydrogen peroxide along with baking soda is one of the oldest home remedies for toenail fungus if a person’s skin is not sensitive to these.
Some precautions are very necessary to prevent reoccurrence of toenail fungus. Do not share footwear and socks with others, wash feet after coming from watery public places like pools and locker rooms, keep feet dry and wear clean socks. Exposure to sunlight works as effective preventive measure and is treated as one of the home remedies for toenail fungus. Dry your feet in the sun and massage them from ankle to toe, remove debris or remnants of soap and water between fingers of toes and rub nail with thumb from base to the tip. This increases the blood flow in the feet to allow body to prevent infection and exposure to sunlight kills bacteria and fungi responsible for causing the infection. Eat balanced and healthy diet and avoid sugar, dairy products and vinegar.
