Posted by Ryan (Sidney, Ohio) on 06/04/2006
★★★★★
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.
Posted by Nancy (Westport CT) on 07/06/2005
★★★★★
I have fungus on one big toe and nothing worked . One day I decided to put peroxide let it sit dry then pour alcohol on it and it is cured and has grown back and I no longer get ingrown toenail . I had cut it as short as possible to get the peroxide etc in there.
Posted by Daisy (Elk Grove Vlg. IL)
★★★★★
My BIG toes are victims of injuries from "new" shopping carts 2 summers ago. I was wearing sandals both times. Our visiting podiatrist said that due these injuries I may have a nail fungus. But, my nails are NOT yellow. They were only bruised and the "mother cells"/half-moon seem to be helping them to grow to the "free edge." The podiatrist removed the loose nails and now the left toe "new nail" has nearly reached the "free edge." The right toe was re-injured accidentally and only has grown 1/2 way to the "free edge." My Dr. said the remedy he had in mind would be unaffordable for me. I have resorted to "peroxide" treatments and my toenails look like they are healing.
Peroxide seems to help the "mother cells" grow a new nail. I apply it once every day with a cotton ball saturated with the peroxide. Naturally it dries it out, but I do see some growth on the nail. Time will tell and I will keep in touch with the results.
I don't know if it because I have a 9 1/2 shoe size that my wonderful grand kids keep stepping/jumping on the "trying to heal" big toes of mine ..........or what. But, it certainly slows it down.
Also, my primary Dr. didn't know how to cure a "root type" ....which could be a cyst on a node on my ring finger. I used a prescribed ointment called HYDROCORTISONE CREAM USP 2.5% strength. The sac became irritated again. I use this "lightly" as directed about 3 times per day with the results that it has cured the irritation although I can still see the dried up tiny sac. The cream I use is comparable to the "off the shelf" hydrocortisone cream USP but, it has a stronger effect on the affected area.
Hope this feedback helps and you can pass it on. These are only my ways of curing and rather experimental.
Posted by Dano (Ontario) on 06/25/2025
I am thinking that combining it with DMSO would make it far more effective. I have the beginnings of a toenail fungal infection. I will report back with my findings.
Posted by Holly (Millersville) on 11/07/2017
ORH,
Sorry to be clueless here...but even if the jar is sterile and closed, the air within the jar could have spores, bacteria, etc. Kind of like when you preserve food by canning. Using just sterile jars won't work. You have to process via heat to create a vacuum and kill all pathogens first.
Thanks for your help. Holly
Posted by Sue (New Jersey) on 09/24/2017
★★★★★
I've used milk of magnesia (dry COMPLETELY) for skin fungal infections. Desitin works too.
Posted by Erika (Hawaii) on 09/18/2017
My history with fungus started 6+ years ago. The infection was acute and was on the nails on both big toes. I went to a podiatrist who removed what remained of both nails and told me to use vinegar at home. At the time I was in a residential treatment facility and had no access to vinegar for the 3 months. Now the new growth about mid-way was reinvented and for the next 5 years was this tug of war with the infection. I used vinegar soaks every night for a month with hardly any improvement. I even used straight the distilled vinegar and no success. I was using bleach soaks with moderate success and stopped after the third try. Well, guess what? It seemed like the fungus built up an immunity to bleach and came back with a vengeance! That pic is what it looks like now. I am going to try the bleach but won't stop it until I know for sure it's been eradicated. I ordered colloidial silver with a high ppm number to use that am/pm. I will update my progress ( hopefully ) and include pics. Wish me luck!
Posted by Jimc160 (Cardiff) on 03/24/2017
★★★★★
Have noticed a significant improvement over the last few weeks from using coconut oil and a crushed garlic clove mixed together, this was recommended to me by a friend who used the same treatment successfully on nail fungus.
Posted by Ruralady (Illinois) on 11/23/2024 115 posts
I tried everything to cure my toe nail fungus. I finally found a tea tree oil on Amazon which states it also cures nail fungus. I had tried TTO b/f but this one seemed to work better. I got my toenail back.
Posted by Joy (Greer, Sc) on 05/14/2016
★★★★★
I, too, have had success with vinegar for toenail fungus, even after previously battling a very advanced case for 10 years, although I still have it in one stubborn toenail. I used white vinegar. It was recommended to me to spray it on twice a day, which I think is the fastest and easiest thing to do. I used a 2 oz sprayer found in the travel toiletries section. Wasn't told to soak, but it occurred to me just a few weeks ago that maybe I should soak and saturate that nail, and it is now much improved. Hasn't come back in the other nails, either. Am so happy about this safe, easy and inexpensive treatment.
Posted by Richard B. (Oregon) on 03/10/2016
★★★★★
This may sound bad but it works on fungus between toes. Soak your feet in your fresh urine for about 20 minutes, wash feet. Fresh urine would be urine from that day. Cured mine within a few days. Investigate urine therapy
Posted by Rob (Kentucky) on 12/08/2015
★★★★★
6 year battle with toe nail fungus is finally over! After trying numerous OTC products with no success. Probably because of my lack of daily applications. I finally found a product that worked with only applications once every 3 weeks or so. And it only took 18 months. Starting out my big toe was solid black. Yuk! Now it looks normal again. I'm sure it would have worked faster if I applied it more often but its hard when your busy all the time.
Gentian violet is an antiseptic dye used to treat fungal infections of the skin (e.g., ringworm, athlete's foot). It also has weak antibacterial effects and may be used on minor cuts and scrapes to prevent infection. It will stain our toe nail (and everything else it contacts with...) but that is the working power behind it.
Apply with a Q-tip, allow to dye, put a sock on if you don't want your bed sheet with a purple streek on them from sleeping on them. Give it time, it does work.
Posted by Nanowriter (Hotspot, Texas) on 05/10/2015
Hi Tassi, what you describe makes me think you may have had a cancer that inflamed and then was dismantled, leaving a space under your skin. I say this because I have used vitamin c on my skin cancers and experienced the swelling and then tissue loss as the cancer tissue is removed. It left a definite divot at the time.
The good thing is that the tissue loss in your face will likely fill back in over time.
Posted by Cc (Slc, Utah ) on 02/01/2015
★☆☆☆☆
Two years ago I tried Lemongrass oil on my toe nail fungus and all it did was to make my nail color go black. It never worked. I had a black nail for months also the nail was curved due to the amount of fungus under the nail.
I finally got it to clear up by using Iodine and Castor Oil applied to the nail and over time the new nail grew in clear and the problem has not come back.
Posted by Js (New York, Ny) on 08/03/2014
I am following up to my post in June. I am continuing to soak my foot with a bleach solution for nail fungus twice a week. 2 of the infected nails are clear (yahoo!!! ). The big toe which was the worst of the lot, looks a lot better and has grown out halfway mostly clear. The issue is that the big toe nail is very weakened from fungus, so it looks like it can get reinfected very easily. Does anyone have a supplement recommendation to strengthen nails that have been infected with nail fungus? That seems to be what is needed to prevent reinfection. Thanks!
Posted by Om (Hope Bc Canada) on 12/18/2013
Hi John BKK -
May be you won't like my advice but I use the following daily and am a senior with beautiful skin all my life. At the moment I am using Ted's borax remedy for mites in my face. As it is very drying I alternate this with the mid stream of my own urine on a washcloth, massaging it in. However, drugs and meat and alcohol must be left aside for your own blueprint to work. It is a remedy without peer. Use it fresh so there is no odour which only develops when exposed to the elements. Om
Posted by Trudyg (Waynesboro, Va, Usa) on 06/04/2013
I have chickens. In my research for respiratory concerns, I learned of a product called Oxine AH. The AH is for animal health and is identical to the oxine used in brewing. They say it's used in municipal water disinfection because it's so safe. This stuff is supposedly stronger than bleach, kills mold, fungus, virus--all by fogging the area (the chickens are supposed to inhale the mist to fix fungal infection in their lungs). This is for animals!
I did not see any place saying use if for humans. But, they use it to clean ductwork, eradicate mold in the home--I'm thinking I personally would try it on ringworm or toenail fungus. Anyone have any experience with it?
Posted by Joylie (Solana Beach) on 04/08/2014
I googled, "Triclosan" as someone suggested. It is BAD for your health. Google and see...
Posted by Renee (Bergen Co., Nj) on 04/12/2013
★★★★★
White Vinegar for Toenail Fungus: Apply white vinegar liberally using a cottonball after every shower or anytime your feet get wet. My husband also applied it at bedtime and again in the morning. Allow it to dry thoroughly (hair dryer is good). Continue for several months until the whole nail has grown out. Otherwise, it will probably come back. He also applied Vaporub on the first night, which had a quick effect, turning it black, but he didn't want to keep using a petroleum product for months.
Posted by KT (Charlottesville, Virginia) on 03/16/2013
★★★★☆
I used grapefruit seed extraxt (citricidal) on toenail fungus which I've been fighting for about 4 years. First, I
thoroughly cleaned the area removing as much of the infected area (toenail and skin) as possible. I then applied a generous drop of citricidal directly on the area and covered with a bandaid. There is a warning on the bottle which says
"do not use full strength on the skin". I did it anyway. I'm not recommending anyone else do this; I'm just saying that's what I did. The area was sore for about a day. I've repeated this procedure about 4 times so far with about 2 weeks between each treatment. The results? So far, my toenail has been growing back and there appears to be no trace of fungus. The area is greatly improved. I will continue with this process until my toenail is restored to normal. So, the citricidal seems to be working for me.
Posted by Boonie (Waukesha, Wi) on 03/11/2013
★★★★★
Vitamin E oil for fungus nails: use a Q tip or cotton ball to massage in to your nails on both sides after your bath or shower. It may take a year to do this every day but the nail will grow out clear. It takes about a year for the new nail to grow out completely. Trim regularily and continue to oil your toe nails every day as needed. Oil all the way to the cuticle to top of the nail and underneath nail surface as much as you can.
Posted by Lian (Nairobi, Kenya) on 11/29/2012
I am saying Amen!!!!! To Oregano Oil, had Fungal that refused to go completely for the last TEN years. As we speak, my face is really glowing and am very confident walking with my head's high. It is a powerful cure.
Posted by Jc (Columbus, Ga, Us) on 07/23/2013
How long did you soak your toe nails each day, for them three days.
Posted by RB (Somewhere in Europe) on 02/23/2022 86 posts
Question for everybody: How long do you have to soak, before this thick unsightly toenail comes ovf painlessly?
What is it that I'm doing wrong?
I soak the nail in a 3% white vinegar for up to 6 hours per day, but the thick unsightly part of the nail remains hard as a rock. Neither my nail scissors nor my nail file is, or seems to be, any help.
Any advice?
Posted by zalmus (Israel) on 09/25/2023
My guess it has to be ACV, not white vinegar. Although many comments relate to White Vinegar too. Also Hydrogen Peroxide 3%.
Posted by Wolfgang (New York) on 08/07/2017
I have had nail fungus on three toes on my left foot for years. I know this happened because of poor hygiene.
It basically only hurt on the big toe. Keeping pressure off of the foot in a shoe helped but was not a solution.
I read about clorox to help this so I brushed every day and certainly there was soon less pain. My feet felt clean. It still has not gone away but now I see that Castor oil helps a lot.
I think both are good. Tee tree oil did not work for me also too expensive.
