Cure Nail Fungus
Updated: April 28, 2008 11:02 PM EST
#1 Rated Natural Nail Fungus Cures!
Please note: There are manufacturers out to mention their nail fungus products. Be aware that not all of these email posts are selfless contributions -- if someone names a brand, it's probably a contrived testimonial!
SELSUN BLUE
04/26/2008: Ann from Gainesville, FL writes:
"I had fungus between my toes and on the
side of my feet. I also had some irritation
in my groin area. I found info on the web
that suggested Selsun Blue shampoo on the
fungus..I bought a generic from a local
store. It immediately took away the scaling
between my toes and on the sides of my feet.
I also had 90% less itching/burning in my
groin area after 1 treatment....
Instructions suggested 4-6 weeks of daily
treatment and then use 2 times a week after
that."
CASTOR OIL
04/17/2008: Ann from Algonquin, IL
writes: "I have successfully used castor oil
to treat toenail fungus. My baby toenail was
completely taken over by fungus. It had a
black line running through it as well
(another sign of fungus). I did this
treatment twice per day until the nail grew
out: First, I put two drops of vinegar on
the nail. Then I placed a bit of cotton
soaked in castor oil directly on the nail
and kept it in place with a bandage. The
nail is completely healthy. It's been almost
two years since the treatment."
VINEGAR, SOCKS AND SHOES IN THE
FREEZER
3/29/2008: Robin (robinlittle@gmail.com)
from New Mexico, USA writes, "I was reading
the oil pulling pages, and saw that so many
people were plagued with cracking heels, and
I felt bad because I know how to make it go
away. You just put vinegar on the cracked
heel everyday for 6 months without missing a
day, and place your socks and shoes in the
freezer for 24-48 hours from time to time.
This will also heal nail fungus, itchy ears,
athletes foot, and dandruff, (just put it on
a little while before shampoo-ing, then
rinse with vinegar/water dilute). Anything
yeasty where you can stand to put vinegar.
You of course would have to dilute it to
treat vaginal yeast infections."
OTC
3/17/2008: Ellen from Redwood
Shores, CA writes: "I've been working on my
toenails since December 2005. I've tried
numerous remedies, probably 10-20. And for
the first time ever, I see pink growth
peaking out of the base of my two big
toenails. I am doing 2 antifungals twice a
day. Every morning and evening, I am
applying Fungoid Tincture and then Tineacide.
I try to also apply Clotrimazole 2% during
the day sometime, but it's not always
possible. I started the Clotrimazole 2% on
Sept. 18th, Tineacide on Dec. 14th and
Fungoid Tincture on Jan. 20th. Then around
Feb. 28th or so, I discovered the PINK! So,
I am guessing that it's from the application
of the FT, since I believe that it takes
about a month to see visible growth. I only
hope that it continues to grow and that this
new pink nail will be resistant to the
fungus at the free edge. I don't work for
any of these companies. I just wanted to
pass along this tip to anyone who has
stubborn toenail fungus, like my 35 year old
toenail."
HYDROGEN PEROXIDE, WHITE VINEGAR,
TEA TREE OIL
3/1/2008: Don (dfsmitty[at]verizon.net) from
Lakeland, FL writes: "I shoved a wood
splinter under my finger nail and ended up
with a fungus under the nail. After finding
this web site, I started the peroxide/white
vinegar/ tea oil treatment. I cut the old
finger nail way nearly down to the cuticle;
soaked my finger in hydrogen peroxide, then
white vinegar and then applied tea tree oil/vaseline
(50-50%). I did this for about 3 months and
then went to just soaking with white vinegar
morning and evening. This worked and the
finger nail is well and nearly grown out
completely and looks great. It takes time
for this cure to work, but it sure does
work!!"
BAKING SODA
2/21/2008: Jessyka from Memphis,
TN, USA writes: "I had the horrid nail
fungus many years ago and took Lamasil to
clear it up. When my father failed to do the
same, the fungus returned years later, both
pinky toenails now fully infected. Without
the money for the medicine and the will to
again risk its side-effects, I lived with
it. 11 days ago, I adopted a baking soda
regimine for other reasons (cancer
preventative). Today, my right pinky nail
simply fell off when I was drying after my
morning shower. Beneath, a new nail - a
perfect nail - was found growing in. Nothing
else in my diet or lifestyle has changed
other than the baking soda addition to my
routine. Most Americans' lifestyles and
diets leave our bodies too acidic for good
health. Baking soda balances the bodies Ph,
creating a more alkaline system. I mix 1
teaspoon in a glass of water at bedtime.
Ideally, it's recommended taken in the
morning with no food or drink for 1 hour
before or after; however, as I'm
hypoglycemic, I have to have my Coca-Cola
(others have coffee) first thing each
morning, so I don't drop dead. Regardless,
I've noticed a number of improvements since
adopting the baking soda routine (which is
terribly easy to do - quick and simple). I'm
sleeping better, my skin is clearing up,
and, lo and behold, my toenail fungus is
obviously dead... in eleven days!!! [Insert
delighted giggle here] I couldn't believe it
when I discovered the old infected nail
barely holding on and falling away with the
first touch and a shiny new healthy nail
beneath (even if it is small yet). Now, I'm
watching the still-infected nail on the
left, and yes, it's got a line of
"disconnection" appearing. I recommend
giving the baking soda a try and do so for
more reasons than defeated nail fungus. Go
ahead, google "baking soda" and see how much
you discover. In some European country
(think it was Italy or Germany), a doctor is
actually curing cancer with baking soda
therapy, even in serious cases where
changing the bodies Ph to one more alkaline
is making all other treatments (as chemo)
doubly effective. Cancer cells cannot thrive
or spread in an alkaline environment. And
consider this - it's in your kitchen. You
cook with it. You eat it. It's non-toxic,
has no ill side-effects, costs almost
nothing, and even whitens teeth. I can't say
everyone will have the astounding all-around
results I have so quickly encountered, but
I'd have to encourage them to give it a
shot. It's too easy to implement not to
try. That's one teaspoon baking soda
stirred into one glass of water, once a day,
preferably in the morning (but it doesn't
seem to matter), with no food or drink for
an hour before or after. Good luck."
Baking Soda Feedback
TEA TREE OIL
4 YEA
1/28/2008: Jeff (mrjeff99/@\\bigfoot.com) from Bedford, Virginia writes: "I had the toe condition that you see on TV in which the nail dries and seems to die and becomes unattached to the nail bed. The prescription medicine has side effects of harming the liver so I looked for something non-toxic. I read about Tea Tree Oil and ordered some from a well know mail order vitimen supplier. I used a cotton swab and worked the oil under the nail and coated the entire outer nail. Within two weeks the decay had stopped and I could see the nail bed attached to the new growth. I'll continue until the nail completely is replaced and that should take about 8 months (my nails grow slowly) This stuff is great!"
1/1/2007: Anonymous writes, "I am trying Vics Vapor Rub and 100% Tea Tree oil, I do believe the fungus is on its way out as the fungus under the nail is turning Black. What I do is apply the tea tree oil first rub it in and try and get it down the back of the nail, then I rub a good amount of vics vapor rub all over the nail bed. I also filled my infected toe nail in both directions Across and down, allowing the mixture to absorb in quicker I only file once a week so not to make my nail sore. I apply this twice per day once in the Morning and again before bed time. I cover my toe nail up with a cotton wool cosmetic pad and surgical tape to keep it in place while I am sleeping."
7/17/2006: Crystal from VA writes, "I have hard rough skin around fingernails causing them to become brittle; discomforting in daily tasks like typing and basic tasks involving fingers and hands. My nail fungus problem began on my right big toe. I thought it was an in-grown nail. A whole summer I sat out in the sunlight picking at it with a file and tweezers and finally saw a podiatrist. She told me it was fungus and that the only cure was Lamisil. I of course could not fathom the health risks and financial costs the drug involves. I have a strong faith and am Spiritual, therefore I knew there must be some natural remedy for this problem. I asked around and someone said tea tree oil. For the next few weeks I noticed the problem worsening in my other toes, and more recently has started to grow in my fingers.
In my retail job I waited on a customer
who happens to own our local health food
store. I asked her, and she also said tea
tree oil. My next day off, I went straight
to her store and purchased a bottle of
Thursday Plantation brand of nail fungus
therapy with tea tree oil. I started the
treatment on my fingers only and noticed
immediately that the discomfort had
disappeared. The next day the dead skin was
peeling off to reveal my fresh healthy skin
underneath. I am on day 4 now and my fingers
and nails are starting to look and feel like
MINE again! When they are back to normal
I'll start the real test on my big toe, on
which the nail is almost gone! When speaking
to the owner of the store at which I made my
purchase, she said the remedy works as long
as the treatment is administered diligently!
So, if you purchase this product, please
stick to your regime! To your healthy and
happy fingertips, toes and nails! (:
~Crystal"
Kristy from Chicago, IL writes, "I managed to get rid of a fungal nail infection on one toe completely using Jason Tea Tree Oil from Australia ($9.95/bottle). I used it 3 times a day and now the nail is completely fixed. I had the fungal infection on this nail for about 5-6 years. I have two other nails that are infected but it is proving to be more difficult to get rid of. I would definitely give the tea tree oil a try. I am now going to try Vicks vapour rub on the other nails."
VICK'S +++
1/5/2008: Robert from Naples, Florida
writes: "The question of whether Vick’s
Vapo-Rub works on toenail fungus was the
subject of a University of Michigan study
about a decade ago. Their conclusion was
positive; they isolated the specific
ingredients that worked, and received U.S.
Patent 6,361,785 (look it up to see the
results of the research).
Also note that 90% of toenail fungus is
caused by four dermatophytes that are the
same culprits in athlete’s foot and jock
itch. (Therefore, to prevent re-infection,
one must get the fungi everywhere – nails,
feet, & crotch. Also change towels
regularly, and don’t dry your feet first,
then transfer the fungus to another place.)
The formula (based on the research study,
(which I’ve adapted for a more natural cure)
is: 1 part Menthol oil
1 part Thymol oil
1 part Camphor oil
1 part Lemon Eucalyptus oil
1 part Tea Tree Oil
5 parts DMSO
5 parts Aloe Vera
5 parts Rubbing Alcohol
(the oils can be bought on e-bay, DMSO in a
health store)
Apply twice a day to nails and feet. I’ve
suffered from this vexing problem for 40
years, as did my mother and grandmother. It
works."
QUESTION TO ROBERT:
1/6/2008: Ellen from Redwood Shores, CA writes: "To Robert: Were you successful in fully eradicating the toenail fungus? Btw, it was Michigan State University's patent, not University of Michigan. I did look it up and skimmed the Doctorese. I was familiar with the Meijer's Chest rub study. Thanks for providing this information!"
1/20/2008: Robert from Naples, Florida
writes: "Robert's Fungus Saga – Vicks Update
Part One: Feet
Q. Do the ingredients (camphor, eucalyptus,
thymol, menthol) work?
A. I’ve applied the solution on my nails as
well as to my entire foot to get rid of all
the fungus that might eventually cause a
reoccurrence. The results were obvious after
4-5 days: first, the athlete’s foot symptoms
between my toes rapidly got better and were
healed in about a week. Then, at the
seven-day point lots of skin started
sloughing off all over my feet where the
fungus was obviously in hiding -- including
the heal callus. I was surprised to see so
much sloughing of the skin around the base,
sides and top of the toe nails -- this area
apparently had been deeply affected by the
fungus, but just looked like tough skin that
I had become accustomed to expect. Within
2-3 weeks the unaffected new toe nails could
be seen at the cuticle. Now, several months
later, there is a clear line of demarcation
between the old fungal nail, and the new
clear nail. I expect that it will be 3-4
more months before all the old nail has
grown out and gone.
Q. Is the formulation the right one?
A. After much research and playing kitchen
chemist, I learned that coconut oil is a
good anti-fungal as well as a great
emollient. DMSO doesn’t need to be at 25%
concentration. 10-15% is sufficient. Oregano
Oil is composed of Thymol and University of
Western Australia research proved tea tree
oil’s anti-fungal capability, so I added it
as well. The essential oil amounts are at
least or a little more than what
bio-chemists call the Minimum Inhibitory
Concentration (MIC). The formulation I like
and use now is:
Revised Formula
1 part Menthol oil
1 part Thymol oil or Oregano oil
1 part Camphor oil
1 part Lemon Eucalyptus oil
2 parts Tea Tree Oil
2 parts DMSO
12 parts Virgin Coconut Oil
There is probably a synergistic (i.e.
harmonious working together) effect of
anti-fungal herbs, which has been
demonstrated in several studies. In one test
of ten plant species whose oils were
anti-fungal, researchers noted that
"combinations of the anti-fungal essential
oils increased their activity remarkably."
In a similar study, researchers stated that
"in all the oil combinations, the
anti-fungal potency was found to increase
over individual oils."
Part Two: Adult “Acne”
This is where the “saga” starts to get
interesting. After my adolescent acne should
have cleared up 35 years ago, it got slowly
worse. All over the bearded part of my face,
what appeared to be sacs of hardened oil
under the surface of the skin had been
forming nodules. These didn’t get infected,
each just grew larger. Over the years I’ve
seen dermatologists who said, because of my
otherwise great health, “you’re just a
middle aged adolescent,” blaming it on high
testosterone, etc. The apparent acne problem
continued and worsened.
I’ve seen doctors, dermatologists,
pharmacists, herbalists, laser specialists,
and spiritual healers. I’ve bought every
acne ointment known to man. I took pills,
vitamins, and herbs. I changed diet. I get
plenty of exercise. Nothing worked. I had
extensive surgery to correct the problem
three years ago, and within 18 months it
looked just as bad as before. As a public
speaker and author in my profession, the
skin condition was emotionally upsetting and
stressful.
Having conquered toe nails, I started
researching down the path that maybe the
acne was caused by a fungus (although the
symptoms didn’t look like my feet). Was I
surprised when I found:
“ Tinea barbae is a superficial dermatophyte
infection that is limited to the bearded
areas of the face and neck and occurs almost
exclusively in older adolescent and adult
males. Symptoms include inflammatory, deep,
kerion-like plaques and noninflammatory
superficial patches and lumps resembling
bacterial folliculitis. The hair breaks off
below the skin surface. It is caused by
several dermatophytes. Trichophyton species
are most common. Infection of bearded skin
may be the result of autoinoculation from
tinea pedis or onychomycosis.”
In other words, the mess on my face that had
caused me so much grief and been
misdiagnosed for decades was caused by the
same fungus that gave my feet a problem.
Apparently the dermatophytes enter the hair
follicle (nails and hair are similar
biological structures), then attack the
sebaceous gland, feeding off the body oil;
then the body’s immune system reacts with
scaring and hardening the facial oil,
leaving an oil nodule. The dermatophytes
then migrate to the next follicle, and
eventually dozens of affected follicles link
as a nodule the size of a pea.
Now it became obvious what had happened: The
athlete’s foot I got as a teenager went to
my toe nails, and, because I was ignorant of
the relationship of using a towel on my face
that might have been used on my feet or
crotch, the fungus got transferred.
Not a single dermatologist who examined my
face ever bothered to ask the question: “Do
you have toe nail fungus or athlete’s foot!”
Using the same solution on my facial
outbreaks as on my toe nails (the revised
formula with coconut oil), the facial
condition is clearing up. Just like with my
feet, skin is sloughing off and the nodules
are beginning to eject. This is the best
result I’ve seen in years. I expect it will
take a few months for the problem to be
cured, as the fungus is down below the level
of the base of the hair follicle in the
sebaceous gland.
Part Three: Chronic Sinusitis
For the last 15 years I’ve had chronic
sinusitis, post nasal drip, clogged nose,
etc. I was constantly clearing my throat,
and sometimes coughing. I snored a lot,
which my wife didn’t appreciate, and the
snoring actually would wake me up in the
middle of the night, leaving me tired in the
morning. I seemed to catch colds more easily
than before, but I attributed this to my
very frequent plane travel.
Doctors prescribed antibiotics, but I they
did not fully cure the problem and when I
stopped the treatment, every symptom
returned. (And I just don’t like unnatural
treatments.) Others said it was allergies.
I wondered: Could my sinusitis be a fungal
problem? More exploring on the internet
found the answer:
In 1999 Mayo Clinic researchers found the
cause of most chronic sinus infections to be
an immune system response to fungus, and
that this may kick off a secondary
bacteriological infection. It is not an
allergic reaction, but an immune reaction.
Again, I felt betrayed by the medical
profession. Why hadn’t anyone told me this?
I went to the health and vitamin store to
look for an anti-fungal nasal spray, and
nothing met my requirements or budget
($10-15 for a one ounce bottle of
ingredients seemed way out of line.) Here’s
the formula I “invented:”
1. Rinse out a 1 ounce nasal spray
bottle
2. Add one eye-dropper (approximately
1 ML) of Oregano Juice (NOT Oregano Oil
–it’s too strong and will not dissolve in
water)
3. Add a pinch of salt (approximately
½ ML) (Iodized salt is OK – iodine is a good
anti-fungal)
4. Fill the rest of the sprayer with
distilled water, and shake well until the
salt is dissolved.
Spray as frequently as once an hour until
symptoms subside. For me, this solution
began working within an hour; most symptoms
were gone in three days. And the price of
the ingredients per bottle is just a few
pennies.
If the oregano/saline solution is too strong
for you, dilute in half with water. If you
want, you can add a drop of eucalyptus oil
with ½ ML of glycerin, (which will bond the
oil to water). I now spray once or twice a
day, just to prevent any recurrence.
A very dear friend, who is 75, has had awful
sinusitis for years. He heavily cleared his
throat every minute or two. I told him of
this simple formula, and two days later he
called me to say it was working. He then
said with amazement: “I don’t believe it,
we’ve been talking for over 15 minutes and I
haven’t had to clear my throat once!”
There are articles and books that claim that
some cancers are caused by fungus. If this
is true, taking action on fungus early may
be very beneficial in the long run. It’s
time we gave fungus a deeper analysis."