Natural Remedies for Nail Fungus

I shoved a wood splinter under my finger nail and ended up with a fungus under the nail. After finding this web site, I started the peroxide/white vinegar/ tea oil treatment. I cut the old finger nail way nearly down to the cuticle; soaked my finger in hydrogen peroxide, then white vinegar and then applied tea tree oil/vaseline (50-50%). I did this for about 3 months and then went to just soaking with white vinegar morning and evening. This worked and the finger nail is well and nearly grown out completely and looks great. It takes time for this cure to work, but it sure does work!!

Better But With Side Effects

I suggest you guys use the "Colorless Iodine". Further, watch out for the "100% Natural Iodine", and "Lugol's Iodine", too, because the latter two will stain your nails. Further, watch out for fungus-infected big toenails, too, because if your nails gets stained, they will remain stained for many years to come, because the nail growth rate of fungus-infected big toenails is so slow that it is unbelievable.

I tried many remedies, for my nail fungus (both thumbs and an index finger) but what actually worked was filing down the nails with fungus (about once a week) and then putting a layer of decolorized iodine on my nails followed by a bit of petroleum jelly to moisturize.

I did this every night before bed until the nails grew out a beautiful pink color. I'm so happy to get my nails back! And this remedy is do cheap!

The first time I experienced toenail fungus, years ago, I tried tea tree oil without success. I eventually saw a doctor who prescribed Lamisil pills for 24 weeks. That worked. The second time I had a fungus infected toenail, over 10 years later, I applied iodine. A single drop in the morning. Probably another at bedtime (I don't recall now). Iodine worked brilliantly! Without risking liver damage (i.e., Lamisil).

My wife and I found that taking Lugols orally has resulted in clearing up both of our toe nail fungus problems. We try to take at least 5 mg /day.

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. :)

I've had mild toenail fungus for 10 yrs (only sympton is thick toenails) yet I had bunion/hammertoe surgery 2 yrs. ago and since then the 2 hammertoenails have been normal; they are flat and thin and look great. Was it the Betadine applied just prior to surgery? They were wrapped for several weeks following the surgery. What made this happen? I need to know?

I cured (and am still curing) toe and finger nail fugus using decolorized (white/clear) iodine. In combination with simply eating a banana and active yogurt (yogurt that promotes digestive health), I apply the ioding every day to my affected big toe nails, left thumbnail and right ring fingernail. I acquired nail fungus in my left big toe a year ago from a bad ingrown nail. I had a partial nail avulsion to remedy the ingrown nail and then later developed a fungus when the cauterizing had healed. I couldn't afford prescriptions at the time so I started using home remedies such as vinegar gel, over the counter topical lacquers,vapo rub and mouthwash. Everything under the sun. Then I saw this website about 6 months ago. Until I read about decolorized iodine, the fungus in that left big toe had only stabilized using other remedies. Which was good-but I wanted it gone! During that time of trying everything else, it spread to my right big toe and then my left thumbnail. This was all probably because I was not careful in cleaning in treating and spread it due to my own carelessness. Anyhow, I lost those other two nails then it started in my right ring finger. I was determined at that point to find my cure. I started using the iodine on my right ring finger and it stopped the fungus dead in it's tracks! My nail has since grown half in and healthy and is still going. As for where the fungus first started, in my left big toe-that's almost completely grown in and healthy! My right big toe and left thumbnail are well on there way, but taking a bit longer to grow in. Either way, iodine (2-3 drops) 1 or twice a day, a banana and a live active yogurt overy day have been my cure. Promoting digestive health, providing potatssium to help nails grow quicker and healthier and iodine to kill the fungus topically ahve been my miracle workers. The only down side to iodine is that it can be somewhat drying so I suggest using cuticle oil in between treatments. Do not use peroxide in combination with decolorized iodine. It will turn your skin orange! I only used alcohol to clean the affected areas before applying iodine and to sterilize the instruments I am using as well. What really sucks abou this whole thing, is I developed dyshidrosis as a secondary skin disorder from the fungus. That's a whole other story, but dishydrosis is like eczema in a way and it will resolve on it's own once the fungus is completely out of my nails and body.

decolorized iodine has cured a fungus I Had under my nails. It works wonders, but it is very hard to find

I have recommended white or clear iodine for 23 years for the treatment of nail fungus. Iodine increases nail growth while treating the fungus at the same time. Adding a few drops of vitamin e along with the iodine to the underside of the nail is helpful in keeping the area from becoming too dry. Iodine can be used on healthy nails to increase growth. In that case I wouldn't apply more than once a week.Until recently colorless iodine was hard to find in Michigan. There are expensive over the counter treatments for nail fungus which usually don't work.If purchasing these check the label to see if iodine is an ingredient.prescriptions for nail fungus,(lamisil) can be damaging to the liver and it's very expensive, often not covered by insurance. It usually takes 6 months and lots of blood work to have a healthy nail back. Try the iodine first! marilyn-the digithelper-manicurist

Iodine Tincture (2.3% solution cured 'Toenail Fungus. I whacked my infected toenails using a large hammer. In about two weeks the nails fell off and I applied iodine. When my new nails grew back, I had no more fungus.

Iodine is excellent for toenail fungus, ringworm, fever blisters, moles and skin tags, hangnails, etc. Just a few drops on a q-tip is all it takes. Use daily until the "boo-boo" is gone.

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.

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.

Hello all, Many years ago, I went to Hawaii. I walked on the beach barefoot, it was fun. I am unsure if this was the cause but, I came back home, and one toe nail started to get thick and brittle a few months later. It got so thick, toe nail clippers won't go over it to cut it, so I have to hack away at it to get it cut. The others have been totally unaffected.

One day, I decided to cut it, but then went outside and sanded it down to a slightly less-than-normal thickness out of frustration. I noticed that the outside looked normal-ish, but inside it was pithy, like old dead wood, small hollow pockets with brown streaks.

So, I mixed up some iodine I had, some hydrogen peroxide, and some 500 ppm colloidial silver. It was 60% iodine, 20% hydrogen peroxide, 20% colloidial silver. I would paint it on in the morning a few times so that it soaked in nicely, then put on a bandage over the nail or a "finger cot" (like a condom for your finger), then take it off in a few hours. Then, when I got home, I would paint it on several times again, but let it air dry.

The nail started to grow back normally from the base of it, but I moved and was unable to continue to the current living arrangement for a year. It reverted back to the old thick nail by the end.

I am now able to continue my earlier treatments, but didnt figure that you would want to wait a year or two to find out how it goes. It takes about a year for a nail ripped off to grow completely back in (dont ask me how I know ;), so if you do this, I would continue for 2 years to make sure that it was completely gone, then a periodic treatment, once a week or twice a month or so, to make sure that it doesnt come back. If it is thick, even possibly not, make sure to sand it down quite a bit, so that it can absorb down into the nail bed better, since nails arent the most porous of substances. The key is to get it into the nail, as if you put it on and then put on socks that absorb the liquid, it wont go into the nail. That is why I used something to keep the solution from drying out and not soaking in.