[YEA]  05/23/2007: Clark from Highland, Indiana writes: "I just wanted to say that this website is great. I searched and searched but never found any real life usefull feedback on remedy's. Iv had a nail infection for 7 years now, started with one toe nail and it spread i guess to my hands. I usually have 5 of my fingers infected at a time, some get better, than the good ones go bad. A few years ago i had 2 toe nails that were like the claws of a terridactal but they healed up in time. My fingers however are not so easy. I read about natural cures but they say to buy like 10 different things and all this stuff to cure the infection but your site has real people who cured there problems with simplicity so i am here to say iv been soaking my fingers in epsom salt and i use iodine 2 times a day and in the morning i dip them in listerine, well i belive the iodine and epson salt ( in super hot water) are really helping. My right hand middle fingers nail and digit tip was super red and looked like it was gonna burst, very swollen. Since iv been doing the remedy the redness and the constant i mean constant swelling pressure is gone. I can actually see the swelling is starting to go down and the goofy nail is starting to repair but just needs to go, lol. I am so happy i found this site and ill keep you posted. As of now I have 2 large thumbs and a still large middle finger tip, lol that sounds so gross."

[YEA]  06/04/2006: Ryan from Sidney Ohio writes: "Yellow Toe Fungi" has many names and affects different people different ways. One of the more common forms of the fungi is, "hermaphrodite" (careful, a simple misuse of Google(R) yields very "different" results). Whatever the name of the parasite, it will generally fall under the category of, "dermatophytes". These creatures are indigenous to dark, warm & moist areas - which is why the foot is a lovely place for these critters.

The "cure" depends greatly on the person and WHERE the critters are located. Because the dermatophytes have to work "under cover" or under the nail - the further back they can get the safer they are. Some infections may be close to the tip and others may be back at the root. This is usually determined by how long the infection has existed.

There are 2 top-level treatment options for an infected person - internal & external. The external option is generally safer but takes longer to cure or possibly renders no result if the infection is not reachable externally. We can take advantage of osmosis in these cases though. The internal option often yields a higher success rate but generally isn't as good for the body. The reason being is that the chemicals/solutions/items that you ingest for the nail fungi aren't so great for the rest of the body - primarily the liver. I usually recommend an external option before resorting to an internal option.

EXTERNAL OPTIONS:
1.) Twice a day (or every bathing session) rigorously was the toes/fingers with soap and water(stop if cracking or drying of the skin occurs). We do this to help keep any new infections away cause these infectious critters don't need any help.
2.) Spend time outdoors in the sun barefoot. You don't have to walk or anything, just let your feet/hands be exposed to the sun. We do this because these infectious critters HATE the light.
3.) Twice a day submerge your toes/fingers in a 50/50 Apple Cider Vinegar & Hydrogen Peroxide solution for 30-45 minutes. After done soaking let your fingers/toes AIR DRY in the sun preferably. We do this because the vinegar helps to normalize PH and the Hydrogen Peroxide helps oxygenate the affected area. Infections HATE alkaline & oxygen rich environments.
4.) Twice a day apply to dry fingers/toes DECOLORIZED iodine, completely covering the "free edge", cuticle, top area of nail & sides of the nail bed. We do this to better assist the normalization of body PH. Use iodine after consulting a licensed medical doctor as some individuals are allergic (which is a whole other topic).
5.) Before bed time each night, apply a "Vapor Rub" in liberal portions to all the areas mentioned in step 4. The Vapor Rub doesn't HAVE to be the Vicks(R) brand. You can go generic here. The MAIN ingredient your looking for in whatever you use is "eucalyptus oil". After application cover with a sock (even if it's the hand) to prevent smearing and removal.
6.) You'll need to reduce or eliminate your intake of acidic based refreshments (soda, soft drinks or pop). These type of refreshments support an acidic body PH which can decrease blood circulation (a key element to the healing process). If nothing else, your liver will thank you.
7.) Don't trim your nails too close to the nail bed(wait until AFTER you have reduced the current infection to start this practice). It's not unhygienic to have a small amount of nail overhang and it makes it harder for NEW infections to enter. The total healing time depends on the type/amount/length of infection & whether you take preventative measures to ward off a relapse. Generally speaking you should see some type of an improvement within 7 days if you follow the above instructions.

INTERNAL OPTIONS: Internal options are generally pharmaceutical options but there are some homeopathic internal options.

1.) Ingesting Apple Cider Vinegar is said to have positive effects with toe fungi. I recommend doing your own research on ACV gestation because I have never taken it internally myself and I'm not sure about quantities or dosing.

2.) Ingesting 1-2 tablespoons of baking soda every 3-4 days for 1 month. I personally have never tried this but I do know that taking baking soda in the amount/interval shown above will have wondrous affects on the body's PH balance (it brings acidic PH to alkaline and Vice a Versa). With an alkaline body PH the body is in the best possible position to fight off ALL foreign bodies and parasites.

I would strongly recommend attempting the External options I have listed first. *It is important to note that I AM NOT a licensed medical doctor and that my statements here HAVE NOT been reviewed by ANY licensed medical doctor from ANY country. My statements here are intended for EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY and I am not telling you to apply or undergo any medical treatments / procedures / applications."

[YEA]  12/18/2011: Westsound from Vancouver, Bc writes: "Hi, haven't been here for awhile but really want to share my new success story of battling toenail fungus. I have fungus on both feet, especially bad for the big toes. I believe I got that from a damaged toenail. Have tried everything non-precription for the last 6 years - alcohol, bleach, soaking in apple cider vineger, hydrogen peroxide etc. but to no avail. In July 2011 I tried decolourized iodine. I had a hard time finding it, but finally found it in CVS when I was in Chicago. I stocked up a few. I wipe all my toenails with a cotton pad soak with that, once morning and once at night, and put Vicks on it afterwards. That's all. The bad nails are shedding and showing new nails.

Finally, after so many years I see the light of getting new healthy nails. I will continue this routine for a few more months until the new nails are all strong and healthy. I should be able to wear sandles next summer. Using Vicks is important because without it my nails have these white spots, brittle and weak. I believe iodine is quite harsh for nails and strips them dry. Good luck. :)"

08/22/2009: Happy Nail from Whitefish, Montana writes: "After my immune system was lowered during recovery from surgery, a fungal infection took off in my big toenail. It started as a white mark and progressed into a nasty condition very quickly. I went to a foot doctor and he thought it was not recoverable and was getting ready to do some surgery. However, I opted first to try the medicated nail varnish. This didn't seem to do very much, so in addition to filing the surface of the nail to make it thinner and using the penlac, I started adding a few drops of lavendar oil on a fabric bandaid and would place this on my toenail every day. Very soon I could clearly see new nail starting to grow. This cured the problem! It took a long time, but the bandaid with lavendar oil was quick to do in the morning, and after the months it took for the nail to grow out, it worked and I now have a healthy toenail again :)"

[YEA]  Erica from Los Angeles, CA writes: "I have has toe nail fungus for about 4 years and it has now destroyed my toe nail on my left foot. I found a natural cure on the internet and have used it for about 3 weeks now. The cure involves adding 1 litter of water, 5 drops of lavender and half a cup of apple cider vinegar. I always soak my feet in this for about 45 minutes, each foot. After this, I put australian tee tree oil to all my nail three times a day, I also NEVER wear shoes around my house. I have noticed that this had decreased my nail growth. It also has cured the itch and softness of my feet, except for the nail fungus on my toe, my feet look great!!! This is a good cure but the main thing we need to have to cure this is PATIENCE!"

[WARNING!]  11/14/2008: Carolyn from Northwest, OH writes: "There seems to be a lot of confusion about using Lemongrass oil for nail fungus. I too decided to try it last summer. I had never used essential oils before and was ignorant about proper dilutions. I applied the oil straight out of the bottle to all my nails on both fingers and toes. I applied it twice a day for less than a month. Then I started to have a reaction: I got a very bad rash and had degloving of my fingertips. I was very discouraged because I saw my nails growing out healthy. I stopped that treatment and am now using a diluted blend of different oils (will report back if this new blend works--so far so good).

However, if you wish to try Lemongrass oil, here is how to Properly Dilute the Essential Oil:

Pick a carrier oil such as coconut or grapeseed oil. Measure out one ounce (30 mL) of your carrier oil and add 12 drops only of the essential oil. This will make a 2% dilution.

Never apply undiluted essential oils to the skin until you are sure you will not have a reaction. For nail fungus, it is common to continue applying the oil treatment until the nail is completely grown out: up to a year. So be sure you are not allergic to the oil before you commit to using it!"