The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
Garlic
Posted by Sharon (Chicago, Illinois, USA) on 07/06/2007
★★★★★
To treat my tonenail fungus, I followed J. Riley from Honolulu's advice to first trim back all the dead nail with a cuticle trimmer. Then I applied fresh garlic (I read recently that it has antifungal qualities). I chopped the garlic finely and added a little coarse salt to help grind it into a paste. Sensation is returning and all the skin appears to be tightening up and becoming healthy. The chopped garlic keeps well covered in the refrigerator and I apply it once or twice daily when I can walk around barefoot for an hour or two.
Fresh Air
Posted by Bob (San Franciso, CA) on 05/06/2007
★★★★★
Guaranteed Cure: I used air to cure my fungus. I just didnt wear shoes for a whole year (even in business meetings!) and sure enough it worked!
Iodine
Posted by Laurie (East MeadowN, New York) on 04/25/2007
★★★★★
decolorized iodine has cured a fungus I Had under my nails. It works wonders, but it is very hard to find
Lemongrass Essential Oil
Posted by Danette (San Jose, California) on 04/23/2007
★★★☆☆BETTER BUT WITH SIDE EFFECTS
4/22/07 Maddi, I have been applying the lemongrass oil on my toe nail fungus for about a week now. Yes, it did change color over night, not quite black (mostly brown). When will I see a completely clear nail? I am assuming the nail with fungus has to grown out and be cut off. Is this correct? The nail at the base is white with a tinge of yellow. Any suggestions?
Lemongrass Essential Oil
Posted by Suzanne (San Jose, CA) on 04/21/2007
★★★★★
I used lemongrass oil for my toenail fungus. Obviously works but what do I do now? Do I apply daily? Is it better to use at night or is it ok to apply then wear shoes? Any help from successful users would be really appreciated.
Manuka Oil
Posted by Ann (Middlesbrough, UK) on 04/07/2007
★★★★★
On 9/19/2006, I wrote about my use of Manuka Oil. As 6 months have passed, I thought I should update you with my progress. I have fungus on 2 toenails, the large toenail and the middle one but both are affected differently. The large toenail was separated from the nail bed from about a third across. I would cut the hollow part off but it would always grow back in the same way. The middle nail was thick and yellow on one side. I could not cut the affected part off so would file it flat. That was basically how I dealt with it. I have been using tea tree oil and manuka oil on alternate days. Instead of using an eyedropper, I cut off the cotton buds on a Q tip resulting in a narrow plastic straw and use this as a dropper. I am pleased to report some success. The big toe nail has grown properly and is no longer separated from the nail bed. It may be a coincidence but when I ran over my foot with an airline trolley, I bruised the big toe nail quite badly but only the hollow part filled up with blood. When the bruised part grew out it was no longer separated. (I do not suggest that you hammer your nails. That would be silly.) I have not been so successful with the other nail. I had been consistently filing it down with an emery board and applying manuka oil. I know that it is a long process but find it difficult to see how progress can be recognised within a few days. I stopped filing the nail but continued with the application every day. The nail grew but grew back thickened and yellow. I am now using coconut oil, tea tree oil and manuka oil and every now and again I put a few drops of surgical spirit on it. This is war! I think that I have not made much progress with this nail because I have been wearing boots and shoes for the past 6 months. For the next 6 months, I intend to wear open toed sandals until the Autumn kicks in. I hope to update you then, meanwhile I think I shall get some lemongrass oil. It must be very satisfying to see the fungus turn black, yeah! turn black and die you fungus!
Cornmeal
Posted by Ellen (Redwood Shores, California) on 03/26/2007
★★★★☆
To Allen regarding Cornmeal: For several months last summer, I used the same cornmeal treatment. I made progress and got lazy. I probably used it about 10 times. 7-10 days apart. Now I am doing it once again. I started a month ago and have used it 3 times. My toenails never fell off. You used it only 3 times??? I have a 35 year old infection. I do know it works, it's just keeping up with the weekly soaks-- it takes so much time!
Cornmeal
Posted by Allen (Fort Worth, Texas) on 03/24/2007
★★★★★
Toe nail fungus that I experienced was cured by soaking my feet in a yellow cormeal solution. you need a footbath and a small bag of yellow corn meal. Empty bag into footbath and add enough water to cover cornmel. Let cornmeal soak for i hour. after one hour add about one and a half inches of water and soak your feet for two hours..I had yellow nails and nails fell off with fungus. I was cured after three treatments two weeks apart..good luck
Lemongrass Essential Oil
Posted by Joan (Stony Brook, US) on 03/24/2007
★★★★★
I tried lemongrass on my toe fungus, and yes, it turned black overnight. My question is, what next? I used it full strength with no ill effect so far. Do I continue to use it, if so, how often and for how long? Thanks so much.
Tea Tree, Lavender, Rosemary Oils
Posted by Val (Grand Prairie, TX) on 08/12/2014
Where can I buy the red rosemary oil? I can find the rosemary oil, but not RED rosemary oil. Hope to hear from you soon.
Thanks, Val
Natural Mineral Springs
Posted by Jim (San Matero, CA) on 01/24/2007
★★★★★
Best cure I found for toenail fungus was camping on a river with a very hot natural mineral Springs that I walked in each day cured fungus I had been trying to cure for a year with over the counter. My Dr. says do not use the prescription on tv for any reason as only works on 60%, and causes liver damage in about 1/4 of healthy individuals using the products...said it was very risky even with blood tests.
Oregano Oil
Posted by Charles (Hillsdale, New York) on 01/08/2007
★★★★★
I would like to add this note to my previous note: I did not/do not have severe toenail fungus. My input should be used for mild cases, to keep from becoming severe Because the oil of oregano did NOT seen to completely eliminate fungus, only "kept it at bay" Same with wearing sandals--it keeps the fungus "at bay" A quick look at toenail today shows clean new growth under small spot of toenail fungus on big toe that used to be 3/4 covered--I'd say 1/8 covered now; next toenail down was damaged; this one still looks like there is fungus but not as bad as it used to be; perhaps half gone; I attribute this reduction to the constant sandal wearing as well as good exercise and diet as I stopped oil of oregano last year and only occasionally use it now So I will try antiseptic mouthwash and get back to you about results. Thank you!
Sea Salt
Posted by Antonious (West Cov, CALI USA) on 02/21/2009
how do you use it? would soaking the feet in water with salt work?
Mouthwash
Posted by Charlette (Plano, TX) on 11/16/2006
★★★★★
Soak feet once a week in an antibacterial wash. Found cure on Diva's Home Remedies. I purchased a large cheap bottle of mouthwash mixed half with water in foot tub. After a couple of weeks the fungus will disappear. Do not purchase dark colored mouthwash as this puts a tinted color on skin. I'm sure if you had a fingernail fungus you can put mouthwash in a cup and soak finger once a week and be cured.
Vicks
Posted by Connie (New Haven, Connecticut) on 03/20/2012
My podiatrist cut off the infected part of my big toenails which had disconnected from the bed and told me to keep my feet dry and apply Vicks (or cheaper store brand) to my toes twice a day. At night I put on white socks and as I am a barefoot person anyway, I did not need socks in the day. It did not take long for the new nails to fill in and they were healhy. It has been over seven years now but lately, sinceI have taking to walking with sneakers and my feet sweat, I noticed the same thing beginning to happen. For the last two days I have been using the Vicks and have not seen results yet but believe they will be the same.
Vicks
Posted by Eric (Houston) on 10/10/2006
★☆☆☆☆
Vics = nothing, but bleach toenail fungus if it could penetrate the nail (See below). I have fungus -- 3 toes on one foot, and two on another and I tried the vapor rub fairly diligently with no success for several months. I gave up and wasn't putting anything on it for a while then the big toe nail got bumped on a couch and came completely off, so I tried some bleach on all toes for several months. The big toe is about 80% grown in looking healthy, while the others nails don't look any better. I concluded that the bleach absolutely works, but doesn't penetrate the nails well. So I think the next step will be to file off as much of the other nails as I possibly can and see what that does.
Manuka Oil
Posted by Ann (Middlesbrough, UK) on 09/19/2006
★★★★★
I have been using Manuka Oil for 3 weeks. Manuka Oil is New Zealand's equivalent to Australia's Tea Tree Oil. I was using Tree Oil before that and the nails seemed to be improving slowly and steadily however I read on the web that Manuka Oil is 10 times more potent than Tea Tree Oil for fungal problems. It is too early to say if Manuka Oil is a miracle cure and matters were not helped when I ran over the affected toes with a heavy airline trolley. The bruised nails are growing out and the areas affected by the fungus seem to be shrinking. I use an emery board to file the nails so that they are thinner and more likely to absorb the oil down to the nail bed. I have had fungal nails for at least 5 years but have only seriously started to tackle the problem a few months ago. Prior to that I hid the problem under layers of nail polish which, of course, just made them worse.
Honey and Garlic
Posted by Nadine (NY) on 09/01/2006
★★★★★
i read this in a book at the health store so i tried it take honey and garlic use them alternately on your toenail. start out with either honey or garlic and put it on your toenail and bandage the next time you change the bandage put the opposite on so if you start with garlic, the next time put just the honey and keep alternating it till the fungus is gone. do not mix the honey and garlic together. yes the honey is a little gooey, but it has some very nice properties in it that work.
