The therapeutic properties of CBD oil have been intensively studied in the past few decades with somewhat encouraging results. Research shows it has neuroprotective properties [1], changes psychological response to food (obesity treatment) [2], can be used as a painkiller in certain conditions [3], and there are encouraging results in cancer treatment as well [4]. The health benefits of CBD oil does not end here- at any given moment, dozens of preclinical and clinical research studies are conducted across the world while the body of evidence updates daily. Multiple sclerosis, HIV, opioid addiction, various psychiatric conditions, and cancer are only some of the areas CBD oil research focuses on.

But, can it treat toenail fungus? This article is all about CBD oil in the treatment of toenail fungus. Theoretical and practical concepts, research studies and experiences of people who used it for the treatment of toenail fungus.

Cannabinoids and terpenoids- a short guide through their (documented) effects

Cannabis or hemp is a plant CBD manufacturers use to extract the cannabinoids from it- substances with proven therapeutical effects for human health. The cannabinoid oil consists of two main fractions- CBD (cannabidiol) and THC (tetrahydrocannabinol). Other than those, different hemp strains contain more or less of other fractions, such as Cannabigerol (CBG), Cannabinol (CBN) and CBC (Cannabichromene). Each of those slightly differs from each other and have different health effects. Besides cannabinoids, another group of molecules also plays a significant role in hemp therapeutic properties. Those are terpenoids- aromatic compounds found in many plants, chemically quite diverse whose effects to humans reach far beyond the nose.

Using sophisticated technology, manufacturers separate the CBD from THC. The separation is needed to avoid well-known psychoactive effects and to eliminate the risk of addiction while preserving all therapeutic properties of the cannabis. The effects of CBD and THC are opposed to each other in some cases- while the CBD is used to put the appetite under control, THC stimulates it. Depending on the extraction technology used, final product- CBD oil contains more or less other fractions and no THC (the whole point of the legislation is to prevent THC spreading around as an OTC remedy).

Except the above mentioned two fractions, CBN (Cannabinol) and CBC (Cannabichromene), make significant fractions of cannabinoids. CBN is a degradation product of THC of no particular importance for health. On the other hand, CBC is a lot more interesting as it shows stronger antibacterial and antifungal effects than CBD. However, compared to conventional treatments, it’s antifungal effects are described as “mild”[5].

    Cannabigerol (CBG), a biochemical precursor of cannabinoids mentioned above is another member of a cannabinoids family. It shows the strongest antifungal and antimicrobial effects compared to CBN and CBC [6].

    Cannabis contains more than 100 different terpenoids as well. The distinctive smell of marijuana comes from these molecules- terpenoids are what the police dogs are trained to smell when searching for weed. Hemp strains used for the production of CBD oil are not as aromatic as marijuana; therefore they contain a lot less of terpenoids. One of these compounds is particularly known for its antifungal properties, and it’s called Caryophyllene oxide. It’s the only compound of hemp plant with antifungal properties stronger than conventional antifungal drugs. Back in 1999, a group of researchers used a sheep hoof plates to simulate human nails in order to research the antifungal properties of Caryophyllene oxide. The effects were comparable to those of the ciclopiroxalamine and sulconazole- the eradication was achieved after 15 days. This is the most important study about antifungal properties of a hemp compound after topical application [7].      

Online reports

    Despite the limited data about the efficacy of CBD oil topical application in toenail fungal infections and research that suggests it’s less effective than conventional treatments, there are anecdotal reports of its miraculous effects unpaired to any other “classical” approach. However, all those reports from different forums have pretty much the same format- there’s that one guy who had a nasty infection for years, an army of doctors around him was wondering how they could help, suggesting treatments that completely failed and then, almost accidentally, he discovered the miraculous effects of CBD oil. The problem disappears virtually overnight never to return back.

    Does it really works or it’s just a “gray hat” marketing campaign of affiliate associates? It depends whom you ask- people want to believe it works and that’s perfectly ok. Cosmetic defects of any kind are not something people handle very well, and toenail fungus is, for sure, one of those things that hurt the self-esteem more than a toothache will ever hurt.

To try it or not to try it?

So, is a CBD oil pure extract, or it contains other fractions? The whole process of CBD production turned into a lucrative business in the last 10 years. Some estimates say that CBD market net worth will reach $2.1 billion by 2020.  Legislation has not yet reached the level of “minor sub-fractions.” The chances are, in the next few years, “highly specialized” blends will be introduced to the market (it’s already happening in cancer treatment), and until that happens using commercially available CBD oil seems to be the only option.

Having in mind the treatment is safe and, practically without any side effects, it’s worth trying. At this moment, it’s safe to experiment with it- the chances are it won’t do much, but… There’s always a glimpse of hope it might work in your particular case.

Despite not so optimistic expectations at this moment, the chances are we will witness a novel and very effective CBD oil treatment of toenail fungus in the coming years. Until that happens, keep an eye on research studies!

References

[1] Dexanabinol (HU-211) effect on experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis: implications for the treatment of acute relapses of multiple sclerosis. Achiron A, Miron S, Lavie V, Margalit R, Biegon A J Neuroimmunol. 2000 Jan 3; 102(1):26-31.

[2] Efficacy of rimonabant and other cannabinoid CB1 receptor antagonists in reducing food intake and body weight: preclinical and clinical data. Carai MA, Colombo G, Maccioni P, Gessa GL CNS Drug Rev. 2006 Summer; 12(2):91-9.

[3] Efficacy of two cannabis based medicinal extracts for relief of central neuropathic pain from brachial plexus avulsion: results of a randomised controlled trial. Berman JS, Symonds C, Birch R Pain. 2004 Dec; 112(3):299-306.

[4] Endocannabinoids as emerging suppressors of angiogenesis and tumor invasion (review). Bifulco M, Laezza C, Gazzerro P, Pentimalli F Oncol Rep. 2007 Apr; 17(4):813-6.

[5] John M. McPartland DO, MS & Ethan B. Russo MD (2001) Cannabis and Cannabis Extracts, Journal of Cannabis Therapeutics, 1:3-4, 103-132.

[6]  ElSohly, H.N., C.E. Turner, A.M. Clark, and M.A. ElSohly. 1982. Synthesis and antimicrobial activities of certain cannabichromene and cannabigerol related compounds. J Pharmaceut Sci 71:1319-23

[7] Russo, E. B. (2011). Taming THC: potential cannabis synergy and phytocannabinoid-terpenoid entourage effects. British Journal of Pharmacology, 163(7), 1344–1364.

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Week 1 – Hi my name is John and if you are like me one day you looked down at your feet and thought wow my toenails look pretty gross. Could be at a pool party, walking on the beach or just wearing your flip flops out in public. For me I love training in martial arts. In the martial arts gym you are always barefooted. No shoes allowed! It was there one day that it hit me, amongst all these 20 somethings with clear nails my nails looked yellow and crusty. It was really embarrassing and I vowed to clear them up once and for all.

Nail fungus never really appears out of the blue… its a gradual thing… get a crack in your nail… walk around the shower in the gym barefooted… wearing your shoes constantly without letting you toes breath and next thing you know your nail start getting little cracks and discolored. My story is that I took a break with martial arts training to have a family and to work on my career and so after 5 years decided to starting training again.  I never really cared what my feet looked like, however that changed when I got back into martial arts.

In the gym you are training in close quarters, whether you are grappling, wrestling or sparring so being clean and cleanliness in general is of a high concern. You don’t want to be that guy that has terrible body odor or super bad breath…

Now I’m no spring chicken but I’m not “old” either I’m in my late 30s but when I stepped onto the mat I noticed right away how gross and yellow my big toenail looked. Now I looked at my feet a millions times before that day stepping onto the mat, but never really noticed or cared. Yet here I was the “older” guy in the gym looking quite the part with my yellow nails and all.

From that day forward I always hid my toenail with black tape when I was in the gym. From time to time someone would ask me why I was wearing the tape and I would usually say “oh I jacked up my toes hitting the heavy bag” or “tweaked them while sparring”… at this point no one evens bothers anymore… as they must be thinking his toes are permanently screwed up!

If you take a look at the picture you can see why I usually wrap them up. They look gross!

So I have to do something… I can’t always wear tape around my toes and summer is coming up! So I’m going to detail here my experience in trying the various methods of curing my nail fungus on this blog. Following along with me and leave your comments below!

Week 2

So my strategy is just to go to local drug store and pick up a cheap bottle of anti-fungal solution from CVS. I’m using undecylenic acid. Also I’m filing my toenail down. It way too early for any real results but I think filing down the crusty parts is better than nothing at all.

Week 4

Not much has changed.  Just plugging away and applying the CVS treatment daily as well filing the yellow parts down.  I think the root base of the nail is not yellow but it seems that the nail as it grows out develops a yellow tinge as well as gets flaky and not healthy looking.

My plan is to finish the bottle out in another few weeks before switching up my treatment options.

The post My Personal Journey in Curing Nail Fungus for Good – A Weekly Treatment Diary appeared first on ToenailFungusTreatments.com.

Overview

1. The anatomy of the human nail
2. The organism behind nail fungus
3. How topical treatments work

1. The anatomy of the human nail

Overview

The skin is the largest organ in the body and its most important function is to provide a selectively permeable barrier to the outside environment. The outermost layer of skin is called the stratum corneum (SC), Latin for horned layer, which is a dynamic structure that functions to protect deep layers of the skin from infection and injury [1]. This layer is comprised of dense skin cells (15 layers deep) called corneocytes [2] that originate deep within the skin and migrate to the surface of the skin as they mature. Complete replacement of these cells in the epidermis takes approximately 1-2 weeks, as it takes about 24 hours to form a single layer of the SC. One of the most important structures of the SC is the nail, which is a flat, hardened covering at the tips of the fingers or toes that has evolved to function as a protectant for the tips of our digits. The nail covers and protects a part of the finger called the matrix (see below), which is a layer of skin under the nail from which all of the cells that become the nail arise [3].

Nail Structure

The nail itself is comprised of three main layers. From the outer structure in, they are the nail plate, the nail bed, and the nail matrix. The nail plate, also called the dorsal outer layer, is dense and hard, consisting of keratin [4]. The nail plate is a thin (0.25 -0.6mm for fingernails and up to 1.3mm for toenails), hard, yet slightly elastic, translucent, convex structure that is made up of approximately 25 layers of dead keratinized and flattened cells. These cells are tightly bound to one another via numerous intercellular links, membrane-coating granules and desmosomes, which are cell structures specialized for cell-to-cell adhesion [4].

The nail bed is the skin beneath the nail plate [5]. Like all skin, the nail bed is made of two types of tissues: deep dermis, (the living tissue fixed to the bone which includes capillaries and glands), and the superficial epidermis (the layer just beneath the nail plate, which moves forward with the plate). The epidermis is attached to the dermis by tiny longitudinal “grooves” known as matrix crests.

The nail matrix (sometimes called the matrix unguis, keratogenous membrane, or onychostroma) is the tissue that the nail protects [6]. This part of the nail bed rests beneath the nail and contains nerves, lymph and blood vessels. The matrix is responsible for producing cells that become the nail plate. The width and thickness of the nail plate is determined by the size, length, and thickness of the matrix, while the shape of the fingertip itself shows if the nail plate is flat, arched or hooked [6]. The nail matrix continuously produces nail. The matrix at the base of fingernails consists of the most rapidly dividing skin cells in the body, which grow four times faster than toenails at a rate of about 3mm a month. This tissue consists of rapidly proliferating skin cells that soon fill with the protein keratin. This is the protein that gives strength to the nail [7].

The nail-plate (corpus unguis) is the actual nail that we usually refer to as the “fingernail” or “toenail.” This part of the nail is made of a clear protein called keratin. Several layers of dead, flattened cells make the nail strong and able to protect the end of the finger, yet partially flexible. The nail-plate is comprised of dorsal, intermediate, and ventral layers. The dorsal outer layer is dense and hard, consisting of keratin. However, despite its hardness, this layer of the nail is only a few cells thick (approximately 0.5mm) [8]. The dorsal and ventral layers of the nail plate have the highest concentration of lipids in the nail, and affect penetrability of treatments (see below) [9]. In intermediate layer of the nail plate contains highly compressed, flattened cells, in comparison with the other two layers, which contain softer, less compressed cells [10].

The Protein Keratin: Giving Strength to Nails

Keratin refers to a family of fibrous structural proteins that give nails their hardness. Keratin is the key structural material that comprises the outer layer of human skin, hair and nails. Single pieces of keratin, or monomers, assemble into bundles to form intermediate filaments, which are tough and insoluble. These filaments are the building blocks of the nail.

Keratin filaments are comprised of keratinocytes, which are keratinized cells [11]. Keratinocytes serve many important functions, most important of which is the production of the structural protein keratin. Keratinocytes are formed deep in the skin and progresses up through the epidermis to the dorsal outer layer of the nail. During this migration, the cell is transformed right before reaching the SC into a mature keratinocyte, called a corneocyte (or squames, from the Latin word squama for scale or armor) [12].

This transformation causes the cell to change in a number of important ways. For example, the cell loses both its nucleus and cytoplasm, forms a tough outer structure called the cell envelope, expels a large amount of lipids into extracellular spaces, and aggregates large amounts of keratin inside itself. The resultant corneocyte is comprised of about 80% keratin by dry weight. By this stage the corneocyte is in reality a dead cell, as it lacks a nucleus and is no longer actively conducting biological processes. However, it now serves a structural purpose in the nail. Following maturation, this cell is shed in the normal skin cell turnover process.

2. Onychomycosis: nail fungus

Onychomycosis is a term that describes a number of different infections of keratinized tissues of the nail due to a fungus [13, 14]. A number of different fungi can cause onychomycosis, including Candida, dermatophytic molds, and nondermatophytic molds. Of these, dermatophytes are the fungi most commonly responsible for onychomycosis [13]. The most common dermatophyte species that causes onychomycosis infections is Trichophyton rubrum [15].

Onychomycosis can be picked up form the outside environment in a number of ways, but some of the most common factors that can lead to a infection include: an injury to the nail or skin near the nail, getting a manicure or pedicure with utensils that have been exposed to an infective fungi, having moist skin for a long time (for example, wearing closed-in shoes for an extended period of time), walking around in moist environments that harbor the fungi (for example, a gym locker-room) or having a nail deformity or disease. Essentially, fungi prefer warm, moist environments. Therefore, lengthy exposure of the nail to these conditions can increase one’s chances of picking up a fungal infection from the outside environment.

An onychomycosis infection begins as a small, white spot of fungi underneath the fingernail or toenail, typically in a region of the nail called the hyponychium. This is the part of the nail immediately under the nail plate but above the nail bed that is located at the tip of the finger or toe, and is the most common location for initial nail infection. The fungi responsible for causing onychomycosis reproduce and increase in numbers by making copies of itself – a process called clonal reproduction [15]. This process can happen very quickly. As the fungal infection multiplies, it can invade deeper layers of the nail, and can eventually involve virtually any part of the nail anatomy, including the matrix, nail bed or nail plate. The extent of infection can vary greatly from individual to individual.

3. How Topical Treatments Work

Topical drugs are the usual course of action of treatment of Onycomycosis because drugs can travel between cells via intercellular channels, and there exist a diverse array of topical treatments available both on the market and over the counter. Depending on the extent of the infection, these treatments must penetrate the nail and even the nail bed and matrix in order to reach the infection.

Topical treatments are treatments that are applied directly to the nail, and then soak through the nail into the nail bed and matrix. Thus, the ability of a drug to get through the nail is of utmost importance. The nail is made up of both fat-like (“lipid”) and water-like elements. Intercellular lipids are part of the barrier system of the skin; thus, it is not surprising that the stratum corneum (SC) contains a large amount of intercellular lipids. These lipids are found in extracellular space between corneocytes. It is generally accepted that these lipids play a key role in limiting the diffusion of topical onychomycosis treatments through the SC. This was a problem originally in the development of treatments for onychomycosis, as most topical fungal treatments were originally designed for non-nail application; thus, they were lipophilic and not suitable for topical application to the nail.

What are lipids? Lipids are fat molecules that have a polar head and two non-polar tails. The polarity in the head results from a molecular interaction between oppositely charged phosphate and nitrogen groups. This results in one side of the molecule being hydrophilic, or water loving, while the other side of the molecule is hydrophobic, or water hating. These molecules can bind together based on their water-hating and water-loving properties to form chains of lipids called membranes. The polar, water-soluble heads of the membrane point toward the water on the inside and outside of the cell, while the non-polar, fatty-acid tails point away from water and toward the interior of the membrane. The resulting bi-layer of lipid molecules thus contains an oily inner core. This core functions as a selective barrier that prevents water-soluble substances from moving past them.

The nail itself is comprised of approximately 7-12% water [4], and its many layers of dense, flattened keratin are considered hydrophilic (water-loving) [16, 17]. Water-soluble treatments, therefore, are much more effective as topicals than are lipid-soluble treatments, given the water-loving properties of the nail. In fact, the nail has been found to be more permeable to water than skin is [17]. Given the fact that keratin forms a hard, compressed covering over the tip of the finger, how exactly do topical treatments that are water-based get through the nail into the nail bed? There exist water-filled channels or pores spanning the membrane through which these substances diffuse.

Some exceptions to the water-fat rule do apply. For example, Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin. Although it can be “water solubilized” in the lab to help its absorption through the intestinal wall, once it is absorbed into the body it would appear to behave as a fat-soluble vitamin does. Thus, the properties of some treatments must be studied carefully to determine how they will interact with the nail anatomy when applied topically, rather than orally.

REFERENCES

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stratum_corneum
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corneocyte
[3-ed was 12] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nail_matrix
[4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nail_plate
[5] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nail_bed
[6] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nail_matrix
[7] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keratin
[8] https://www.nyscc.org/cosmetiscope/archive/tech1101.html
[9] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10344627
[10] https://www.ijdvl.com/article.asp?issn=0378-6323;year=2012;volume=78;issue=3;spage=263;epage=270;aulast=Grover
[11] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keratinocyte
[3] K. A. WALTERS and G. L. FLYNN, Permeability characteristics of the human nail plate, International Journal of Cosmetic Science 5, 231-246 (1983)
[12] https://www.cosmeticsandtoiletries.com/research/biology/130232783.html
[13] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0002306/
[14] https://www.mayoclinic.com/health/nail-fungus/DS00084
[15] https://jcm.asm.org/content/37/11/3713.abstract
[16] https://www.anacor.com/pdf/Exp%20Opin%20%20Investig%20%20Drugs.pdf
[17] https://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/72442/1/j.1467-2494.1983.tb00348.x.pdf

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The good news is that you can heal your nail fungus cheaply and naturally without much effort. Baking soda is one of the most common substances in your house, but it is scientifically proven to stop the spread of nail fungus. This will help keep it to one finger or toe, and it will stay localized to just one place on the nail. Tea tree oil is another topical medication that has anti-fungal properties to kill off the bugs in your nail. Used together, these all natural remedies provide a safe, effective way to manage a nail fungus problem.

What is Nail Fungus?

Nail fungus is often an embarrassing, difficult condition. Whether you have it on your fingernails or toenails, you can often encounter difficulties in treating the fungus. Some of the symptoms of nail fungus include nail discoloration and a loosening of the nail. In fact, your nail can even fall off because of the fungus underneath it. Your nails can become brittle and change in shape entirely due to the condition. The most common signs are a thickening of the nail itself and yellowing of the nail bed. Sometimes the yellow color can manifest as streaks. You can have crumbling to the outside of the nail or dirt that accumulates under the nail bed.

Those who tend to get nail fungus are people who have Athlete’s foot, jock itch, or ringworm. You also increase your risk by getting manicures, pedicures, having an injury to the nail, or having constant moisture around the nail bed. Closed shoes are another known culprit for nail fungus.

How Alkalizing Substances Fight Nail Fungus

Baking soda is not an anti-fungal, per se. In fact, studies into baking soda’s mechanism of action show that it does not kill off any fungus that is present. Instead, the presence of baking soda keeps fungus from growing and spreading out of control. It is fungal-static, which means that it inhibits the growth and spread of the fungus to other nails.

Part of the reason that baking soda helps control fungus is that it changes the pH value of the skin and nails. When the pH is changed from a very acidic, sweaty environment to a dry, alkaline environment, fungus cannot grow. Fungus needs the acidity and the wet environment to continue to proliferate, and if you apply baking soda, you remove these properties and help cure your nail fungus.

Baking Soda as a Solution

Since baking soda works against the fungus that is living in your nails, you can use it in a number of ways. One way to use it is to take a cup of baking soda and add it to a foot bath. You can soak your feet – or hands – in the baking soda water for 30 minutes, twice per day to help discourage the growth of fungus under your nails. This often helps the mixture get underneath the nail bed, and it is effective for nail fungus that is not treatable in other ways.

The second way to use baking soda is to make a paste of baking soda and lukewarm water, and then you apply this paste to your nail. Try to work the paste into the cuticle and under the nail bed. Allow the mixture to stay on your nail for at least 20 to 30 minutes. You can do this twice per day to help control the fungus.

The last way to use baking powder is to help control the moisture on your feet. After the two methods used above, you should make sure that your feet are very dry. You may even consider using a hair dryer to discourage the further growth of fungus. Putting baking soda in your socks before wearing shoes can help you control the amount of sweat and moisture that builds up on your feet.

After using baking soda for a week or so, you may notice your nail turning white. This is a common side effect of baking soda use, and it can help if your nail fungus has discolored your nail bed. Sometime, the nail will actually fall off after treatment, and you will see that a new nail is growing underneath. This is the main goal of baking soda therapy, but don’t force your nail to fall off. Consider seeing a doctor regarding your nail fungus if you are a diabetic.

Tea Tree Oil Solutions

If baking soda doesn’t kill fungus but helps to stop its spread, you need something that has proven action against it. One of the most powerful natural remedies for fungal infections is tea tree oil. Derived from the plant Melaleuca alternifolia and steam distilled, tea tree oil has anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties that have been recognized for centuries. Even better, this treatment is all natural and is applied topically. This is in stark contrast to the medications that doctors prescribe for you that are ingested and often have side effects that can sometimes be worse than the condition.

You can use a course of baking soda on your nails to stop the fungus, and then use 100 percent tea tree oil to kill off the fungus that already exists. You should take two to three drops and place them on the nail bed, allowing them to absorb into the skin and cuticle. You can even take a drop of the oil and direct it underneath the nail bed. With the combination of these two natural treatments, you should see changes in your nail fungus condition within a week. You can easily avoid costly prescription medications and have the nails you always dreamed of.

References

Medline Plus; Fungal Nail Infections; Linda J. Vorvick, MD; October 2010

https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001330.htm

Master Gardener; Baking soda: will fungi fail and roses rejoice?; Linda Chalker-Scott, Ph.D.; 2009

https://www.puyallup.wsu.edu/~linda%20chalker-scott/horticultural%20myths_files/Myths/magazine%20pdfs/Baking%20soda.pdf

Mayo Clinic; Tea Tree Oil; 2012

https://www.mayoclinic.com/health/tea-tree-oil/NS_patient-teatreeoil

The post Can Baking Soda Cure Nail Fungus? appeared first on ToenailFungusTreatments.com.

The two types of medical treatment are topical, medication applied directly to the affected nail or nails, or oral, taking medicine by mouth so it will get to the nail via the bloodstream. Oral medications usually have to be taken for 12 weeks, and achieve a “cure” from 60% to 75% of the time. However, these drugs have side effects including the potential for liver damage. Recurrence is common, from 10% to 50% of the time. Recurrence may be less likely if topical medicine is used on the nails; using both oral and topical medication may also improve the chance of eliminating the infection.

Oral medications are not able to actually kill all the fungus in infected nails, even if they can in the laboratory. The same thing can be said about topical medications. One idea is to combine the two to kill as many fungi as possible. For toenails, this must always be done along with cutting off as much infected nail as possible.

There are no FDA approved over-the-counter treatments available in the United States. There are creams made to treat athlete’s foot (a fungal infection of the skin) that can be used on toenails with varying success. These included Lamisil® (terbinafine), Nizoral® (ketoconazole), Mycelex® (clotrimazole), and Naftin® (naftifine), which are available without a prescription as well as with a prescription. The prescription medications are usually stronger. There are a couple of choices of topical medications FDA approved for fungal infection of the nails in the United States. These include ciclopirox lacquer (Penlac®) and tolnaftate 1% solution (called Formula 3).

A medicine used in many other parts of the world for the last 20 years is called amorolfine (trade name Loceryl®). It seems to be as safe and effective, if not more so, than the topical medications approved for use here. However, it is not FDA approved, and cannot be acquired in the United States or Canada. There are studies of its effectiveness and safety available because it is in use in Europe, the UK, and other places such as Australia. It can be ordered from other parts of the world.

Amorolfine is a different class of antifungal medication than the other topical drugs. It is active against essentially all the main classes of fungus that infect nails. Fungi called dermatophytes (meaning they like skin and skin structures like nails) are the most common causes of the infection. There are a few other fungi and mold that can cause onychomycosis and amorolfine can kill or stop these from growing in a laboratory setting. It works by damaging the membrane around the fungal cells. This kills dermatophytes like Trichophyton rubrum, the most common fungus involved. However, it does not always kill all the fungus in nails because it is very hard for it to reach every area of infection.

Amorolfine seems to be free of any serious side effects. At the beginning of treatment, some people (less than 1 in 10,000) develop some redness and/or burning that lasts only a few minutes. Usually this irritation stops happening after a number of applications. If the nail begins to separate from its base, it should be rechecked by the doctor. A tiny minority of people may develop an allergic reaction to the medication, which could cause itching and redness that do not go away quickly. Anyone with a true allergy to amorolfine cannot use it. But this is very unlikely. As of 2010, there had been so few allergic reactions that the company making Loceryl could not even estimate how often it happens.

Amorolfine comes as both a cream and a lacquer. A higher concentration of amorolfine (5%) works better than 2%. When used as a lacquer, the medication is applied to the entire nail. The lacquer does not dissolve in water, so it stays intact on the nail plate. It continues to release its medication over the site for a week at concentrations high enough to kill or damage the fungus. It does not seem to be absorbed into the system at those levels.

Amorolfine is able to get into the nails and areas under the nails. Sometimes, treatment with this alone has achieved clinical cures. A number of trials have yielded results for amorolfine that are as good or better than other topical treatment. In one such trial, after application of the 5% nail lacquer once or twice weekly for up to 6 months, 40–55% of patients with mild fungal nail infections were considered “cured” 3 months after treatment was stopped. Some experts believe amorolfine is the most effective topical agent.

In another study, testing the effect of amorolfine lacquer on infected big toenail material placed in humidified soil showed that the lacquer got rid of fungal growth in the majority of the nails. Experts believe that amorolfine may also be able to prevent fungi from attaching to the nail.

Combination therapy using amorolfine along with an oral medication has been found to be more successful than oral medication alone. Amorolfine attacks fungus in a synergistic way along with oral medications. This means that they work together to increase the cure rates because each attacks the fungal cell membrane in a different way. It should be possible to get better results more quickly, and lowering the amount of the oral agents should reduce their toxic side effects.

One study looked at using amorolfine with griseofulvin, one of the first oral medications for onychomycosis. Patients were either give griseofulvin for a year (standard treatment at the time) or 2 months of the oral medication along with amorolfine lacquer for 12 months. After 6 months, twice as many of the patients getting the combination were considered cured than those getting griseofulvin alone. Similar results have been obtained using amorolfine along with and after other oral medications, such as itraconazole.

Many experts believe the combination treatment is better, and that continuing the topical amorolfine after oral therapy can prevent recurrence.

Why is this medication not available in the USA or Canada? There is no obvious reason. A Swiss company applied to the FDA a number of years ago, but there is no evidence that any action was taken based on this application. All that can be found on the FDA website is that on 11/19/2002, SIEGFRIED LTD, was on a list of medications, which said, “AMOROLFINE HYDROCHLORIDE AS MANUFACTURED IN ZOFINGEN, SWITZERLAND.” Its status was listed as A II. The document containing this information is called “Development Approval Process /Forms, Submission Requirements/ DrugMasterFiles.” There is no other information available.

Amorolfine is safe and effective and used in many areas of the world. If you travel to another country, you may be able to get it there. It can also be ordered from online pharmacies, but not in Canada. Trade names include Curanail®, Locetar®, and Odenil®, in addition to Loceryl®. In most of Europe you need a prescription. In the UK and Australia it is now available over the counter. There does not appear to be any good reason not to use it.

References

Campbell, A.W., Anyanwu, E.C., Morad, M. Evaluation of the Drug Treatment and Persistence of Onychomycosis. TheScientificWorldJOURNAL 2004; 4: 760–777.

Choi, Sola. Manual of Dermatologic Therapeutics. Chapter 14. Dermatophyte Infections. Onychomycosis. Pages 87-90. 2007. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Philadelphia.

Flagothier, C., Piérard-Franchimont, C., Piérard G.E. New insights into the effect of amorolfine nail lacquer. Mycoses 2005; 48: 91–94.

Olafsson, J.H., Sigurgeirsson, B., Baran, R. Combination therapy for onychomycosis. British Journal of Dermatology 2003; 149 (Suppl. 65): 15–18.

Pittrof, F., Gerhards, J., Erni, W., and Klecak, G. Loceryl nail lacquer—realization of a new galenical approach to onychomycosis therapy. Clin. Exp. Dermatol 1992; 17(Suppl. 1): 26–28.

Roberts, D.T., Taylor, W.D., Boyle, J. Guidelines for treatment of onychomycosis. British Journal of Dermatology 2003; 148: 402–410.

The Merck Manual for Health Care Professionals. Onychomycosis. Last revision October 2009.

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If you want to get rid of your nail fungus, you are going to have to stay dedicated to the task and try as many different remedies as you can. Don’t give up too soon on something, though. It can take months to see any improvement in nail fungus, even with doctor prescribed treatments. With home remedies, you have to use the treatments consistently and loyally, even when it seems like it won’t work. Of course, your best course of action is to prevent nail fungus from the start.

Tips for Using Topical Nail Fungus Treatments

If you have a topical nail treatment for your nail fungus, you are ahead of the game, but you can do a few things to make that treatment even more effective than merely rubbing it on your nail and leaving it alone. Topical nail treatments need to penetrate the hard, brittle nail that the fungus has created. Unfortunately, nail is not absorbent, so if you have thick nails, that topical solution is just sitting on top of the nail and not attacking the fungus. For starters, keep your nails clean and dry at all times. Fungus and bacteria in general love a warm, wet environment. If you have sweaty feet, use an anti-fungal foot powder to keep your feet dry.

• 1. Don’t use nail polish because this only acts as an additional barrier for the topical treatment to penetrate.
• 2. File your nails down and rough up the surface of the nail with a nail file to allow the treatment to penetrate down to the tissue.
• 3. In extreme circumstances, you can have the nail removed entirely so that the medication can kill off the fungal infection. The toenail will grow back after eight to ten months. Permanent toenail removal is not often recommended for fungal infections unless they are causing a great deal of pain.

How to Prevent Nail Fungus Infections

If you do get your nail fungus under control, you want to prevent further infections. In fact, you want to prevent spreading the infection to your other nails because you will have even more difficulty getting rid of the infection if it spreads. For instance, pay attention to the spaces between your toes. They can often harbor bacteria and lead to the fungal infection spreading from one toe to the next. Keep your socks and shoes clean, as well. You should change your socks at least one per day, but change them more if you have sweaty feet. Your shoes should be well-ventilated and fit your feet well. Too tight and they can lead to moisture and more fungus growing.

Always trim your nails straight across to prevent them from pushing against footwear. This can cause trauma and an entrance pathway for the fungus. File down thickened parts of the nail to keep them clean and dry. If your hands are exposed to water frequently – such as a dishwasher – wear rubber gloves to protect your nails from fungus. People who bite their nails or pick at the skin around their nails are more prone to a fungal infection because the teeth can open up an infection pathway and the mouth introduces bacteria into the wound.

Always wear shoes in public showers or other places where bacteria may be present on the floor, and give up the artificial nails that trap bacteria beneath the nails. If you must get a manicure, be sure to go to only a reputable salon that takes proper hygienic measures. Most importantly, wash your hands immediately after working with your infected nail. Do not touch your other nails after cutting, treating, or otherwise dealing with the infected nail. Wash your hands, and then move on to care for the other nails.

Simple Home Remedies to Treat Nail Fungus Infections

You can do a great deal of different soaks, solutions, and topical applications of home remedies to help heal your nail fungus infection. One of the most common home remedies that can be used in conjunction with other treatments is the use of vinegar. You can soak your feet in a vinegar solution that is one part vinegar to two parts water. You should keep your feet soaking for at least 15 to 20 minutes to allow the solution to penetrate the nails and tissue more thoroughly. Another variation on this soak is to use apple cider vinegar. Experts suggest a 50/50 lukewarm water to apple cider vinegar bath. Again, soak for 15 minutes. You can also apply vinegar directly to the toe two to three times per day. No matter how you use vinegar, make sure you wash and dry your feet thoroughly when you are done with your soak. Any moisture that is left behind is a breeding ground for the fungus and will have the opposite effect you are looking for.

Another popular soak is to use mouthwash to help kill off some of the fungus under your nail. Wash your feet first by taking a bath, then pour antiseptic mouthwash into a basin and soak your nails in it for 30 minutes. You will need to wash your feet or hands with soap and water after your soak, and make sure to dry well, too. Disinfect the basin that you use for your soaks to prevent the fungus from growing in it between soakings. You could end up reinfecting yourself or possibly infecting other nails.

Vick’s VapoRub is another home remedy that is often used to fight nail fungus. Experts recommend creating grooves in the infected nail with a nail file to aid absorption. You simply put a glob of the VapoRub on the nail bed and let it absorb. This treatment can be used a few times a day for several days, but different references have different instructions for the VapoRub remedy. You might have to try several techniques to find something that works.

You can find several outlandish treatments for nail fungus out there, but they are worth mentioning if they help. You can make a solution that is one part pine cleaner and one part soy sauce. Using a dropper, apply this to the affected nail after washing your feet or hands. Another possible treatment is garlic. One remedy calls for sleeping with garlic cloves in the ends of your socks or using a garlic paste to apply it directly to the nail. Whatever you find to help with you nail fungus, if you start to feel pain, irritation, or redness, stop using the treatment and contact your doctor. If you cannot get any relief from your nail fungus situation and it is becoming painful, you may need to see your doctor for more definitive treatment that may include prescription medication.

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Using PurNail Nail Fungus Remedy

The product is very simple to use. You simply wash the nail thoroughly with soap and water, and then dry the nail and surrounding skin to make sure there is no moisture to interfere with the topical solution. PurNail Nail Fungus Remedy comes with a brush applicator, and you simply brush the solution onto the nail and down into the cuticle. It is important that you leave your nail uncovered for at least 20 minutes to ensure that the solution is absorbed into the skin and not rubbed off by a sock. Although it can take up to six months for this remedy to heal a nail infection, the company offers a money back guarantee if you are unsatisfied with the product for any reason. Really, you have nothing to lose.

PurNail Nail Fungus Remedy is particularly effective because it combines a unique blend of all-natural ingredients to help rid your nail of the fungus. Here’s a look at each ingredient and how it helps you:

Undecylenic Acid

Undecylenic acid sounds like it will burn you, but it is actually just an anti-fungal derived from Castor oil. Yes, that stuff your mother used to make you take that tasted horrible can produce something that can help heal your nail fungus. Undecylenic acid is effective against all sorts of skin infections, such as Candida or yeast, Athlete’s foot, jock itch, and ring worm. If you use it on your nail, it will penetrate the skin and help to kill off the fungus that is causing the ugly discoloration to your nail bed. Even the Food and Drug Administration has recognized undecylenic acid as a powerful anti-fungal, so you can rest assured that this is an ingredient that pulls its weight in the PurNail blend. The only side effects known from this ingredient are allergic reactions, such as hives, swelling, and itching that can occur at the site of application. On the whole, it is a great, all-natural remedy to fighting nail fungus.

Melaleuca Alterifolia (Tea Tree Oil)

You can choose to use the long name of tea tree oil, Melaleuca Alterifolia, but really it is too much of a tongue twister for anyone but botanists and chemists. It is much easier to refer to this powerful, plant based anti-fungal as tea tree oil and make it easy on everyone involved. Tea tree oil is all-natural and comes from steam distillation of the leaves of the malaleuca alterifolia plant. Research has found that this topical solution is effective against all different types of fungus, including nail infections, athlete’s foot, vaginal infections, and acne. It can cause some irritation to the skin when it is applied, called contact dermatitis. This is redness, cracking, or peeling of the skin that comes in contact with the tea tree oil. If you start to feel any irritation from PurNail, discontinue use immediately and find some other solution for healing your nail fungus.

Helianthus Annuus (Sun Flower Seed Oil)

Sunflower seed oil has many uses in nutrition and in medicine. It is actually a great oil to use to cook with because it is low in saturated fat and high in vitamin E. However, do not attempt to cook with PurNail. The other ingredients, such as tea tree oil, are actually harmful if ingested. Sunflower seed oil is a great disinfectant, and it will kill off any bacteria that are lurking around on the skin under your fingernails or toenails. It’s best property, though, is that it retains moisture and creats a protective barrier around the skin that it is applied to. Sunflower seed oil serves a double purpose in fighting infection and protecting against future infection. It is a powerful, all-natural remedy that has even been used in the hospital on underdeveloped infants. Those who had the oil rubbed into their skin suffered less bouts of skin infections than those who did not. It can help to cure your nail of the fungus that is causing it to look so discolored. It can also cut down on the inflammation that erupts under your nail due to the infection.

Phenoxyethanol

Phenoxyethanol is a great word to whip out at parties to make yourself sound smart. It may not sound like it is an all-natural compound, but it is actually an organic compound that helps to preserve the ingredients in the topical solution and keep them stable. Apparently, the alternative is a compound that produces formaldehyde, so phenoxyethenol is a great solution to avoid that chemical reaction from taking place on your skin. To make this compound even more attractive, it also has antibacterial effects, although it usually has to be combined with a few other ingredients for those effects to be the most potent. On the whole, though, this ingredient is used as a preservative and fixative. It helps to keep the product together so that it can effectively absorb into your nail, while also providing a mild antiseptic effect.

Ethylhexylglycerin

Ethylhexylglycerin is a derivative of vegetable oil, and it is used to bind and preserve the ingredients in PurNail. Since it is from vegetable oil, it is all-natural, although it does go through quite a bit of chemical processing to get to the end product that you will find in the PurNail remedy. This ingredient is fairly new to the market, so not much is known about it. There is very little data on what it can do for you, and there have only been four scientific studies performed on it. It can cause contact dermatitis, or redness, itching, and skin irritation, in some people, so if you experience this, discontinue use of PurNail. Ethylhexylglycerin is often used instead of the chemical parabens, which is a controversial preservative that has come under fire. PurNail chooses to use this new, all-natural ingredient to complete its formula list because it is dedicated to the very best ingredients.

PurNail Nail Fungus Remedy: Should You Try It?

PurNail Nail Fungus Remedy is a great alternative or possible adjunct to conventional nail fungus treatment. It is applied topically, and all of the ingredients are safe and all-natural. They have a proven track record for dealing with fungus problems, and the topical application keeps you from needing to take a pill everyday. The one downside is that it does seem to take a long time for the treatment to work, but you can return the product at any time to get your money back. The company has a no questions asked policy about giving refunds. With that sort of customer service and the proven ingredients in the blend, you really have nothing to lose but your nail fungus.

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Many over the counter (i.e., non-prescription) anti-fungal treatment options are available, however some are not very effective at treating true nail fungal infections. Oral prescription medications, such as Lamisil and Sporanox, can be  an effective means of treating fungal nail infections as well as tea tree oil, but treatments can take as long as four months to fully work. Other treatment options include a prescription antifungal nail polish called Penlac, however this make take up to one year to show improvement. In addition, some topical medications may be used along with a prescription medication.

Overview of Dr. Paul’s Piggy Paste

A recent addition to the market of over-the-counter nail fungus treatments is a product known as “Dr. Paul’s Piggy Paste.” This product is not touted as a means to treat the fungal infection itself, but rather as an easy way to improve the appearance of toenails that have been thickened and discolored by the presence of nail fungus.

According to an article published in May of 2010 in the Bloomington, IL newspaper Pantagraph, the physician-inventor of Dr. Paul’s Piggy Paste – Dr. Paul Kinsinger – concedes that the product cannot be touted as a treatment for toenail fungus, citing the fact that Piggy Paste has not been through the clinical trials needed to substantiate such claims. However, he does use anecdotal evidence from use in his own medical practice – as well as sales of the product – to support his assertions that the product works to improve the appearance of nails affected by fungal infections.

The concept for Piggy Paste originated from Dr. Kinsinger’s experience with the well-known historical practice of soaking toes in a solution of half vinegar (acetic acid) and half water for approximately five minutes a day for nine months, which has anecdotally been shown to clear up toenail fungus. Realistically speaking, however, most people who suffer from toenail fungus do not have the time to devote to doing this every day. So, Dr. Kinsinger simply decided to make the process easier. He worked with a compounding pharmacy to develop a product that delivers the vinegar to the toe in an easily absorbable paste. He then worked with the pharmacist to finalize the formulation for individual prescriptions. Dr. Kinsinger recruited more than 100 of his own patients who had toenail fungus to apply a pea-sized amount of the paste to each affected nail and cuticle once per day, and then cover with a bandage for a minimum of two hours. According to Dr. Kinsinger, 81 patients saw their nails clear within three to four months and new nails grew in without fungal spores.

Ingredients of Dr. Paul’s Piggy Paste

It is important to note that Piggy Paste is not specifically marketed to treat the nail fungus itself, only to improve the appearance of affected toenails and new nail growth. Accordingly, there are no conventional anti-fungal ingredients in Dr. Paul’s Piggy Paste, such as those commonly found in over-the-counter antifungal medications (e.g., terbinafine [the active ingredient in topical Lamisil]).

As listed on the product’s website, the ingredients in Dr. Paul’s Piggy Paste include: propylene glycol, ethoxydiglycol, acetic acid (vinegar), thymol (a common ingredient in mouthwash), hydroxypropylcellulose, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), menthol-USP, and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT). Acetic acid, thymol, and menthol appear to be the active ingredients, with DMSO acting to deliver the ingredients to the nail bed, and the remaining ingredients present to provide the paste-like medium.

Active ingredients:

Acetic Acid (Vinegar)
When fungus invades a nail, it alters the pH balance of the nail and surrounding skin. The acidity of vinegar helps to restore the pH balance to more natural levels, as well as to relieve the itching and pain caused by the fungal infection. Since the fungi that frequently infect nails do not like acidic environments, the vinegar essentially creates an environment that is no longer hospitable to the growth of the fungus and ultimately halts the growth and spread of the fungus.

Thymol and Menthol
Thymol is the primary essential oil from in the herb known as thyme. Menthol is an oil-based extract from mint plants. Both thymol and menthol have antibacterial and antifungal properties, and are common ingredients in over-the-counter medicated chest rubs such as Vicks® VapoRub®, as well as a common ingredient in toothpastes and mouthwashes. Their antibacterial and antifungal properties have fostered their reputation as effective ingredients in products designed to treat nail fungus.

Numerous anecdotal and layman’s reports have testified to the effectiveness of thymol, menthol, and medicated chest rubs in general, as a means of treating fungal nail infections. The scientific literature also lends some support for their use. For example, a 2003 study by Ramsewak et al. investigated the effectiveness of a medicated chest rub similar to Vicks® to prevent the growth of fungal nail infections. They found that both thymol and menthol were two of the most effective ingredients at preventing the growth of the fungi that were studied.

In Dr. Paul’s Piggy Paste, the combination of acetic acid, thymol, and menthol – with their ability to restore pH balance to the nail and kill existing fungal spores – likely work together to enable the new nail to grow out clear and free of fungus.

Inactive ingredients:

Propylene glycol
Propylene glycol has many uses; however, in the medication and cosmetics industry it is typically used to maintain moisture and is also used as a solvent.

Ethoxydiglycol
Ethoxydiglycol is a cosmetic-grade solvent that is used in many skin care preparations as a carrier for active ingredients.

Hydroxypropylcellulose
Hydroxypropylcellulose is typically used as an ingredient in prescription artificial tear compounds designed to treat insufficient tear production and other eye problems. It can also be used as a thickening agent and as an emulsion stabilizer.

Dimethyl sulfoxide
Dimethyl sulfoxide, or DMSO, is a natural byproduct of the wood industry. When used topically, it can help to speed wound healing, treat inflammation, and toenail fungus. Although it does not, however, have antifungal properties, DMSO is incredibly penetrative and helps to drive anti-fungal medications down into the nail bed and surrounding tissues. It is likely that it plays this role in this formulation of Piggy Paste.

Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT)
Butylated hydroxytoluene is an antioxidant compound typically used as a fragrance in cosmetic products.

References

https://www.mayoclinic.com/health/nail-fungus/DS00084

https://www.piggypaste.com

https://www.disabled-world.com/artman/publish/article_377.shtml#ixzz1frXECJRo

Ramsewak RS, Nair MG, Stommel M, Selanders L. In vitro antagonistic activity of monoterpenes and their mixtures against ‘toe nail fungus’ pathogens. Phytother Res. 17(4):376-379.
https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxfaqs/TF.asp?id=1121&tid=240 (Propylene Glycol ToxFaQs™)

https://www.drugbank.ca/drugs/DB00840

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Over the years we’ve had the opportunity to collect testimonials from people who left comments on ToenailFungusTreatments.com, who have used different types of nail fungus remedies. After analyzing them, we’ve created some useful suggestions for those who want to eliminate nail fungus.

Of course, nothing is ever 100% guaranteed, but if we can learn from others with similar problems, we have a better chance of crossing off one more problem we have from the list that seems to accumulate many problems as we age.

How Doctors Heal Patients

In fact, I was thinking about doctors and how they learn. I know that if you ask any doctor who he or she learned the most from, they will say their patients. In the practice of medicine, a doctor who pays the most attention to the results that their patients are receiving, and makes appropriate adjustments is often the most successful – both with people and against disease.

Recognizing this feedback loop was very valuable, we started collecting reports on remedies from our readers and have been able to create some basic guidelines for anyone with nail fungus problems who wants to use these treatments to get clear nails again.

Guidelines From Our Readers about Nail Fungus Remedies

Remedies for nail fungus are plentiful. Lamisil, a prescription and over-the-counter medication, is often recommended by medical doctors; both general practitioners and dermatologists. Home remedies such as tea tree oil, hydrogen peroxide, vinegar, or even Vick’s Vapor Rub could work. Even Star Trek technology has hit the nail fungus scene and doctors may use laser to zap the fungus into infinity. All of these remedies have good possibility of being successful.

Whatever remedy you use, remember that it’s not enough to focus on the remedy itself. You still have to clean the nail – and do it right. And you still have to thoroughly wash your feet daily.

The treatments must reach the nail bed. The fungal infection starts at the nail bed, not on the nail itself. Nail beds are composed of a thick keratin layer and your remedy must penetrate this to get those fungi predators that are lurking below the surface, knowing that they are well out of your reach. Develop a fungi killer mentality, as if you will be relentless about any of their lives!

General foot care is imperative: always trim and file down your nails. Also, don’t hide your feet, as difficult as it may be. Keep your nails and toes well-ventilated. And as much as you want to paint your toenails, don’t do it. Healing will need the area to be undisturbed.

Testimonials Give You a Breadth of Information Not Found Otherwise

With these in mind, let’s examine testimonials on each of the above-mentioned remedies and learn a little background on the fungus, why the remedies work and other great tidbits of info. Now, just for the record, I did make spelling and grammar changes just to make them easier to read.
Tea Tree Oil and Zetaclear

Have you ever thought that it’s possible that our Creator might have realized that sometime in life we could get nail fungal infections and created a natural remedy for it?

The amazing thing is that almost every culture has a different remedy for nail fungus, and all of them have the potential to work. Some of these remedies become popular and carried to other cultures; some may even make newspaper headlines, and others may even be recommended by medical doctors.

Tea tree oil is one such remedy. Patients at the Mayo Clinic often ask about this treatment, which is why they have a page about it on their website at www.mayoclinic.com However, there’s always a problem with natural remedies being recommended by doctors and hospitals who are funded by pharmaceutical companies: a natural remedy such as tea tree oil cannot be patented and doctors and pharmaceutical companies stand to lose money by recommending it.

So don’t expect the Mayo Clinic to be your source for all the positive results obtained in studies. If you received positive results you wouldn’t have a need for an office visit.

Nevertheless, the Mayo Clinic does report that Tea tree oil has been used traditionally to prevent and treat infections and has antiseptic properties. They counter this with a “lack of definitive available evidence”.

The fact of the matter is that the words, “traditionally used to prevent and treat infections”, is in itself a badge of effectiveness. This means that over decades the remedy has been used. And people don’t keep using something that doesn’t work, do they?

Zetaclear is a natural tea tree oil based remedy; it’s simply essential oils combined together for the purpose of supporting healthy nails.

Here are some testimonials on the use of tea tree oil in nail fungus infections:

Ugly Toenail Transformed to Beautiful and Perfect

“I have been using tea tree oil from Melaleuca on my toenail (great toe only) for about six weeks with amazing results! I apply it every night after soaking my feet in the bathtub. I started out by pulling the nail out so the oil would go under the nail as well as on top of it.

Now the nail is really loose in the affected areas, which I am clipping off a little at a time. A beautiful new perfect looking nail is growing up from the bottom! The toe is still pretty ugly but after watching it get worse and worse for the last few years, I am THRILLED! P.S., I went to a podiatrist before starting the treatment and he didn’t even want to discuss anything except oral Lamisil. I decided to try the tea tree oil and I am so glad that I did!”

Results Seen Over 7 Months

I have been using zetaclear and tea tree oil for toenail fungus for about 7 months now. I paint it on my nails every day, and have kept my toenails filed down thin so it will penetrate. The nail fungus looks MUCH better…”

Restored Hope that Healing is On Its Way

“Incredible!! My dermatologist couldn’t be bother & wanted me to spend big $ for the podiatrist. Vicks & OTC did not work for months! Tea Tree Oil after a month has had a positive effect. Still at it!! But hopeful now!”

Tea Tree Oil Works!

“I have had a nail fungus for several years. The fungus discolored about half of my big toenail. I have been using tea tree oil daily for 8 weeks. The discoloration has moved up the nail and the fresh nail is natural colored. I believe that it will take about 6 more weeks to eliminate the fungus completely.”

Discovered that Naked Nails are Necessary for Healing

“I’ve had fungus on both big toes and both little toes for years. Let it go for years, ignored it, and kept getting pedicures for YEARS!!!! Well, over a year ago I decided to try formula 3 which didn’t do much.

Just about 3 mos. ago I started DMSO and tea tree oil. Well, it’s working. I apply with a nail polish brush from a nail polish bottle and mix equal amounts of the DMSO and tea tree oil. My nails take a long time to grow but are finally almost grown out and what a difference.

I had a dermatologist tell me a couple mos. ago that it’s really difficult to get rid of nail fungus infections and to just forget it and get them painted. Wow, nice doctor!

The jury is still out on an absolute cure but they are definitely improving and I feel it’s almost cured! Don’t get a pedicure and get them painted. This will only prolong the infection and actually will be a waste of your time. Your nails must remain naked the whole time you’re treating them.”

Worked on Intestines Simultaneously with Probiotics

“I cut my nail down as far as I could with nail clippers, then filed the top, too. I used a metal file to clean under the nail after every shower. I then put tree tea oil on it in the form of Zetaclear. The bottle had a brush in it. I began taking probiotics and I think this is what did the trick. It is a very expensive bottle – $60 for a small bottle, but after 3 months it is gone!”

Never Give Up on Nail Fungus

“I had nail fungus for many years. I tried ALL of the remedies including tea tree oil, Listerine, oregano oil, bleach, hydrogen peroxide and others. Finally tried a product called Zetaclear. This stuff cleared my nails in only a few months. Good stuff.”

Vick’s Vapor Rub Works for More than Chest Ailments

Vick’s Vapor Rub is a unique combination of petroleum jelly and oils along with active ingredients that can fight the infection, such as menthol. Let’s find out what happened when people used it on their nail infections.

Test Between Lamisil Versus Vick’s Vapor Rub

“I’ve had toenail fungus for 25 years. My wife asked her doctor to prescribe oral Lamisil but an assistant mentioned he was doing a study on Vick’s Vapor Rub. She took the Lamisil and I decided to try Vicks. She totally cleared up hers in 3 months and so did I!

I got complacent and stopped Vicks after 6 months and the fungus returned in 6 weeks. Hers did not return. So Vicks requires a lifetime commitment.

Here’s the method of how to do it:
First, wash your feet very well.
Then exfoliate any dead skin from under and around the nails, where possible.
Apply Vicks under the nail where possible and slather on top of nails.
Whenever possible go barefoot, but the Vicks can leave grease stains, so be careful where you walk.
Apply twice a day.
Don’t stop for a day. Be committed and scientific about the process and I’m sure some of you will have the same results.”

Some Remedies Take Time and Effort

“The doctor is right. It’s the camphor in Vicks or other products that kills the fungus. But it takes work and time. Apply the Vicks to a nail that has been roughed up with a coarse emory board. Apply the Vicks with a q-tip and then put a band-aid over it; otherwise, it is soon rubbed off. Depending on the severity, this will take several months of constant daily application of replacing the band-aid daily. I’ve done it and it worked perfectly on a nail that had been infected for 20+ years.”

“For Vick’s to work you must use it everyday, it can take up to six months. Use a toothbrush to apply, making sure that you get into all the little crevices.”

Weak Immune System Can Predispose You to Fungal Infections

“I suffer from a faulty immune system and am prone to frequent fungal infections. One of the best treatments for nail fungus is to use an emery board to thin the entire nail. I try to make sure that I do it while the nail is a little damp to avoid creating too much nail dust with fungal spores in it. I do this the first time and again as needed to keep the nail thin and more permeable.

Then I begin to rub in Vicks VapoRub. Store brands are acceptable but I tend to still go for the name brand. I continue to apply the Vicks twice a day for several weeks and it works. It has all sort of natural oils in it that create an inhospitable environment and kills the fungus.

Remember to swab around the nail and all your nails just to be sure that you catch anything that may be starting up. These fungi eat keratin, the hard material that nails and hair are comprised of. A toenail infection can spread to fingernails, and even to hair. It is also very contagious and spread between family members.

I recommend having the afflicted family member wear flip-flops in the shower and for good measure I will pour a little white vinegar in the shower/tub after someone takes a shower.

Another affordable way to deal with nail fungus is to thin the nails with an emory board and using a cotton ball swab the nails with Listerine. These approaches are more affordable and less complicated than the beer method, etc. Best of luck to you all.”

Fungal Nail Infections Can Spread to Other Nails

“When I was in rehab after hip surgery, they cut my toenails, and I didn’t want to criticize them but they went from one toe to the next after trimming the big toenail that had the terrible fungus. It didn’t take long for every nail to show the beginnings of a fungal infection.

That was 4 years ago and I’ve battled it ever since… until 2 weeks ago, when I rubbed Vicks Vaporub under and over every nail. I am so pleased with the outcome. They look sooooo much better now. They aren’t totally clear, but it’s improving everyday. Please try it and report your findings on here in about two weeks. Good luck.”

Vinegar: The Kitchen Remedy that Housewives Love

Vinegar is really an acid; it’s called acetic acid. Acetic acid can destroy the dermatophytes, microbes that feed on the skin, and cause nail infections. The official term for nail infections is onychomycosis.

When using vinegar, soak the affected nails of the hands or feet in a solution of 1 part vinegar to 2 parts water for only 20 minutes a day.

This is the same procedure that you can use for Listerine; just replace the vinegar with Listerine.

Soak with Vinegar and Forget the Rest

“I wish I would have started vinegar baths WAY sooner. I let my big toe get worse and worse, just covered it with nail polish until it was just hollow with fungus underneath, and then turned black with bacterial infection.

Then I tried a holistic remedy that included oregano extracts and a lot of other agents that dried it out a lot and now it has cracked in half down the middle.

Finally I read up and discovered most chat rooms promote vinegar. I have been soaking my foot twice a day for about a month, and the three affected nails are (slowly) growing in smooth and pink. But the big toe has just a fraction of a nail right now – with the two sides of the old nail flapping over it like shutters. I am keeping it there, and tape it closed with a band-aid during the day just to protect the nail bed. My advice is to soak with vinegar, and forget the rest.”

Fungal Spores are Like Eggs Waiting to Hatch

“Apple Cider Vinegar actually changes the pH balance of the foot. This creates an environment that the fungus cannot survive in. Think of a human surviving in an environment without oxygen. Same thing.

Spores can and will survive, waiting for the right conditions to exist however; so this pH balance will have to be maintained or the fungus will once again come to life. Like eggs waiting to hatch.”

3. Hydrogen Peroxide Cleans Wounds and Fungus

Hydrogen peroxide is nothing but oxygen and hydrogen molecules together. It’s an oxidizer that is capable of being used as a cleaning agent, as bacteria is killed when it comes into contact with the peroxide.

Hydrogen peroxide is a translucent, colorless liquid, slightly more viscous than water.

Use Precautionary Tactics As Well

“I have used peroxide with great success. I have not fully gotten rid of it, but my condition is much, much better. I try to pour some on the infected nail every time I get out of the shower. After I cut my toenails, I pour some on the nails as a disinfectant.”

Remedies Combined are Better than Remedies by Themselves

“I found the best remedy for my fungus: mix a 50/50 combination of apple cider vinegar and 3% hydrogen peroxide. Apply to the nails until no more fizz bubbles come out. Then mix it in a 50/50 combination of water and bleach. If the fungus is really bad, add more bleach and soak your toes in this mixture for 30-40 seconds. Then rinse and dry your toes.

Next mix tea tree oil with petroleum jelly (vaseline) and apply it to the nail. Cover with a band aid so it’ll stay on all day long. The fungus will be gone within a week.

Quick tip: I filed down my nail to make it thinner so the mixtures would hit the fungus directly, this works faster.”

Lamisil, Doctor’s Choice for OTC & Prescription Medication

The medical profession generally uses terbinafine hydrochloride (Lamisil) for nail infections, which are technically called onychomycosis. Lamisil works by inhibiting the enzyme responsible for creating the cell wall of the fungi. Without a cell wall, fungi can’t live or reproduce.

Direct Attack on Fungi To Prevent Reproduction Works

“I have used a combination of Lamasil applied in the PM and Nail Rx applied in the AM for about 6 months on my large toenails. It is working very, very well. All of the new toenail growth is clear and appears fungus-free.

I will keep using it until all the old yellow nail grows out, which may take another 6-12 months. Lamacil and Nail Rx have different active ingredients, so I thought I would have a better shot using both patience and regularity; fungal spores are only vulnerable for a short time after they hatch, and the spores multiply only about once a month. It can take a long time to get them all.”

Push the Topical Creams Under the Nail for Best Results

I’ve been using Lamasil topical cream for my big toenail infection. While using a nail file to push the cream under the nail, 2 months later with once a day application, the nail is clear colored and there is no more curving and burrowing in the skin. Also have been using iodine and pushing it under the nail. All the topical solutions do penetrate the nail, so lift the nail up a bit with a file and push the iodine or Lamasil in there. Hope it works for you also.”

5. Laser Treatment: Is Star Trek Technology Working Yet?

“I spent nearly $600 over a 4-month period for three laser treatments on a single toe with no improvement. It was ineffective and not worth the $$. I’d recommend saving your money and avoiding laser treatment for toe fungus until more R&D is done. It did not work for me, and I only have fungus beneath one of my large toenails.”

Very Expensive Medical Treatment Didn’t Profit Her

“I have had the three Pinpoint laser treatments for nail fungus with little improvement. Some of the least infected nails have improved some but not the ones with more fungus. I know every patient is different but before you spend $1000 or more, be ready for the fact that you could be very disappointed. Spent $1000 to wear sandals but the bad nails still look bad. Save your money.”

Expensive Laser Treatment Zapped Her Wallet, Too

“I had Pinpointe Laser treatments. I had two treatments within 10 months and I thought my toenails were improving, but they are NOT. I’m so upset I could cry. The cost to me was a little over $1000 and I had to drive over 2 hours in order to have the treatment done. I feel. I think I’m just doomed to have this forever. BTW, I also purchased Steri-Shoe when I had my first treatment.”

If you use a combination of different treatments, you have a greater chance of success. This is because an individual only attacks the fungi on one level. For example, the antimicrobial effects of tea tree oil will have one specific effect on the fungus and take a certain length of time to work. However, if you added a second treatment that interfered with the reproduction of the fungi, now you’ve initiated a second line of defense against the infection.

Imagine what would happen if you added a third remedy and possibly a fourth. Attacking the fungi from four different perspectives can give you results in a shorter period of time. And that’s really what you want, isn’t it?

There is no such thing as a quick cure for nail infections. That’s because the nail is slow-growing, taking about six months to grow fully out. Any infected part of the nail must grow out. Thus, you need a lot of patience.

Once the new nail growing out is not infected, you have cured it. Below is my best treatment for toenail fungus. I want you to have it and be able to show your pretty feet to the world again!

Tom’s Toenail Fungus Treatment

1. Always dry feet and toes thoroughly after bath/shower. No pedicures at all and keep nails short. Use a fungicide powder like Lamisil or Desenex and be sure it gets into all nail corners.

2. Alternate two or three remedies and use twice a day. I like Lamisil cream, Fungi cure (paints on) and tea tree oil which is the best anti-fungal in the world. Alternating really helps because it keeps surprising your fungus with a new attack.

3. Acid footbaths (like Listerine or vinegar) help but they are no substitute for continuous topical applications, like described above.

4. The internal meds are very dangerous. You don’t need them if you are patient and keep at it. If you must take something, take acidophilus which is great for you anyway.

With all these new ideas for how to eliminate toenail fungus presented in this article, your head may be spinning with the possibility of a bright future. The best way to start is to select two or three remedies and use them together. Keep a journal of what your strategy is and your daily progress. Write the guidelines in your journal so you recall them now and in the future. Your journal can help others who have toenail fungal infections,

Since there are thousands of people suffering from toenail fungal infections, referring back to your journal for specific details can make a big difference in their lives. And that’s what life is all about – overcoming obstacles so that others may also benefit!

The post Nail Fungus Sufferers: What Works and What Doesn’t? appeared first on ToenailFungusTreatments.com.

A normally functioning immune system is typically capable of fighting an infection and controlling it, perhaps with the aid of a medication. At some point during a person’s lifetime they may experience a suppression of the immune system for one reason or another, which then allows the dormant fungus to become active causing health complications.

Onychomycosis, or nail fungus, is a gateway for fungus to cross the skin barrier. Normal health tissue is able to prevent invasion by dermatophytes or other harmful organisms, but if it is weak or compromised it opens up opportunities for the organisms to infect other areas of the body. For those that have a weak immune system a fungal infection can lead to pneumonia, septicemia and permanent organ, lung, or bone damage. In worst case scenarios, a seemingly simple nail infection can lead to death.

When the nails of an individual are infected, there is the risk that scratching the skin can inadvertently introduce the fungus into the tissue and blood stream. Scratching too hard, or accidentally scratching that annoying bug bite can have a strong health consequence.

Another big worry is that fungal infections take a long time to grow, and as such, they also take a long time to heal. This healing process is further compromised when the immune system is not functioning correctly. A longer period of recuperation means there is additional time given to opportunistic organisms to invade the body, creating secondary infections and further complicating the body’s ability to mend. Keep in mind the full period of recovery from toenail fungus for a healthy individual is 12 to 18 months, in immunocompromised persons this time is doubled.

Anyone who has an infection should be assessed by a health care provider, this is especially important for those who are immunosuppressed. The medical treatment plan should be followed carefully and until completed in full. It is often the desire of individuals to stop treatment early because they are feeling better or notice results, this is a very poor idea. The therapy required to clear a fungal infection from the body can take over a year in some cases, but is essential to limiting the negative health effects that can occur.

There are a number of different treatment options that have become available to people. Oral prescriptions and topical treatments such as lacquers, oils, and creams have been developed by pharmaceutical companies. There are also a number of natural home remedies that have gained favor with the medical profession. Once you have been diagnosed with a fungal infection discuss your treatment preferences with your medical provider to best create a plan that you will be willing to comply with. Also become familiar with how to avoid onychomycosis.

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