Home Remedy for Nail Fungus

The traditional home remedy for nail fungus went something like this: trim the affected nail as much as possible and immerse the hand or foot in a solution of one part bleach in 100 parts of water (or pure household vinegar) for 30 minutes each day until the infection is gone. This method may be effective, but for most of us, it's extremely difficult to find the time, especially when you consider that fungal nail infections typically take many months to go away unless they are in the very early stages when treatment is begun.

Hand nail fungus is particularly difficult: it's easier to sit with your feet in a basin while you are doing something else than to have your hands immersed for a long period of time. However, for the determined individual who decides to try this type of home remedy for nail fungus, there are some things that you can do to increase your chances of success. First, file the nail - not just to keep it as short as possible, but also to keep it as thin as possible. This means filing and trimming away any loose crumbly bits and also filing down the thickness of the nail from the top. Many nails with fungal infection are distorted, thick, and fairly soft. This is because the fungus is actually growing through the layers of nail. Filing some of this thickness away will not only remove some of the fungal growth but also ensure that the soaking solution comes in contact with the fungus. File as much as you can without damaging the nail bed under the nail.

When using the bleach or vinegar cure toe nail fungus will only be affected by the treatment while you are soaking. (The same is true for hand nail fungus). To add an extra boost to your treatment, try painting the affected nail with some other preparation between soaks. Here you have a choice of many things, either commonly found in most households or readily available over the counter or from an internet source. You might use hydrogen peroxide, Vicks VapoRub ointment, Listerine mouthwash, Tea Tree oil or any of a number of essential herbal oils or oil blends available from natural healing providers. All of these things have been said to be an effective home remedy for nail fungus.

Whatever you choose, be aware that foot and hand nail fungus typically takes a long time to go away because nails grow very slowly and because treatments take time to penetrate a tough thick nail. Even prescription drugs take a long time to cure the problem, and like a natural healing or home remedy for nail fungus, they don't always work. Many people claim that bleach and vinegar cure toe nail fungus if you are patient and persistent - natural remedies like Tea Tree oil also have a lot of anecdotal support (and some scientific support) and are somewhat easier to use.