★★★★★
Source (2006): https://patents.google.com/patent/WO2006088790A2/en
Abstract
A method for treating nail fungus by soaking the infected nail(s) in a dilute solution of chlorine dioxide in water.
It has been discovered that an effective way to treat fungal nail infection comes from applying chlorine dioxide topically, so that it penetrates the nailplate and inactivates pathogens residing in the nailbed— for example, by dissolving chlorine dioxide gas in water, permitting the patient to soak the infected fungal infected nail in the solution for a period of time and for a series of successive treatments to improve the aesthetic appearance of the nail, destroy the fungal infection and to promote healthy nail growth.
Therefore, in a first aspect the present invention is a method treating nail fungus comprising the steps of: preparing a solution of chlorine dioxide in water, and soaking the infected nail or nails in the chlorine dioxide solution for a period of at least 45 minutes, once a day for a minimum of three days.
In another aspect of the present invention the method incorporates soaking the affected nail(s) along with the entire foot, in order to destroy pathogens thereon and help prevent reinfection of the nail by pathogens residing elsewhere on the foot.
In another aspect of the present invention the method incorporates protecting the solution of chlorine dioxide and water from ambient light during the treatment to prevent premature destruction of the chlorine dioxide by photolysis. In another aspect the present invention comprises using a solution of chlorine dioxide in water containing a minimum of 80 parts per million chlorine dioxide as the treating agent.
Chlorine dioxide gas, dissolved in neutral-pH solution at ambient temperature, in a concentration of approximately 80-100 parts-per-million, was administered to several patients suffering from toenail fungus. The chlorine dioxide solution was administered as a "foot soak", under low-light conditions. Treatments were for up to 1 hour/day for up to 7 days. In each case significant improvement in nail appearance was visible early in the protocol or treatment process. New nails reportedly grew in normally within several months, with little to no evidence of the original infection.
