Alice M. (Williston, Vermont) on 06/19/2023

I've had calloused skin around my toenails for many months and saw a dermatologist and my primary care doctor (twice), and it was at the second visit with my primary care doctor that she said I had athlete's foot. I had no itching or flaking of skin...just thick skin around several toes and some redness. I used terbinafine as prescribed for several weeks, and the redness cleared up, but the calloused skin did not. Eventually, the fungus spread to four toes, and after treating those four toes with prescription nail polish for six months, the fungus spread to all toenails! Very frustrating!

I decided to try soaking in ACV (apple cider vinegar) 20-30 minutes, twice daily for several weeks, and that helped soften and loosen the calloused skin, but did not affect the toenail fungus. I then tried soaking my feet in 50/50 ACV and hydrogen peroxide 20-30 minutes, twice daily, for two weeks, and I was seeing improvement in my toenails, but I had to stop because of chemical burns on my skin. I then prayed earnestly for help, and praise God I received it! I sat in the sun and sprayed hydrogen peroxide on my toes and let it dry (5 mins or less to dry), then sprayed again and let it dry. I continued doing this for 45 minutes or so, and noticed small areas of my toenails were changing from yellow to pink in color. I did this for three consecutive days, with some improvement each day. However, I decided to try coconut oil because I needed to wear socks and shoes and had read on this website that coconut oil could be applied to the toes and covered with socks. For the past 8 days I've done the following:

• wash feet with liquid soap and scrub around toenails with a dedicated toothbrush wearing disposable gloves to protect fingernails
• dry feet and toenails thoroughly using paper towels
• apply coconut oil liberally to toes, rubbing it around toenails and all over foot, top and bottom, because I still have calloused heels. I put on clean cotton socks and shoes. I do this in the morning and again mid-afternoon (changing socks) if possible. I repeat at night and wear clean socks to bed.
• wash athletic shoes in washing machine and dry in the sun - every 4 to 6 weeks. Spray with disinfectant after each wearing & dry overnight. I have been using Lysol spray but have ordered isopropyl alcohol spray on Amazon for future use.
• spray sandals with hydrogen peroxide after each wearing and dry in the sun or overnight

The fungus has diminished very quickly, and I estimate it is reduced by 70%. Just amazing! This has been very encouraging, and I hope this helps others. I really appreciate this website and folks' willingness to take the time to share their success stories. Praise to God!

Rob (Kentucky) on 11/21/2022

Applying a capsaicin-containing liniment to toenails will eliminated nail fungus. I’ve been using Watkins “Red” liniment on my feet and legs for temporary relief of my RA and minor aches and pains. Red liniment uses the counter-irritant camphor in a 3.5% solution and Capsaicin “red peppers”.

A few months ago, I started using this liniment with capsaicin for sore muscles and joints, but I thought I’d try it on my toenails and nail folds. I applied it twice a day, after my morning shower and before bed. After four weeks and less than $25, the fungus was undetectable on my toe nails.

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Birch Oil for Nail Fungus

Susan (British Columbia) on 10/07/2022

I tried everything under the Sun for fungus on my fingernails (bleach, hydrogen peroxide, rubbing alcohol, fennel oil, Vicks etc.). Purely by chance I discovered Birch Essential Oil when I was using it with coconut oil to help with cellulite! I would put approximately one Tablespoon of coconut oil in my hand, add 1-2 drops of Birch essential oil (too much is not a good thing!!! ) and rub my hands together until well blended. Then I would massage it on my legs, butt and belly after my daily shower. After a month of this I realized I no longer was getting inflammation under and on my cuticles and my nails were growing out. I only wish I had before and after photos to show how amazingly well this worked.

REPLY   7      

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Iodine for Nail Fungus

RB (Somewhere in Europe) on 07/31/2022

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.

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Baking Soda for Toe Nail Fungus

Natrelief (Seattle, OR) on 03/12/2022

I have been battling toe fungus on 3 toes for years. Vinegar, borax and now baking soda soaks have all slowly helped. I feel like I’m finally on the home stretch and my nails are looking healthy again.. thanks to baking soda. I wish I’d thought of this at the start! I am still soaking for 20 min daily. I alternate between straight vinegar, borax in water, or baking soda in water. All have helped. But what has really seemed to help is putting a little baking soda in the toe of my sock! I’m sure that not wearing socks and getting sun on my feet will help when the weather gets warm, but during the cold months, baking soda in your sock keeps them in an inhospitable environment for fungi all day long. I also give them a little dusting of it before I go to bed. I hope this helps! I will never get another pedicure. Now, I really prize the look of healthy natural toe nails!

REPLY   7      

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Urine Therapy for Toenail Fungus

Linda B. (Oregon) on 02/11/2022

Have you ever heard of using urine? My husband had toenail fungus so bad he literally had no nails on both big toes! I heard about using urine and finally talked him into peeing into a shallow pan and soaking his feet for a few minutes. I could only get him to do it once as he thought I was crazy but after a few months, his nails started to grow back to normal! I still can't believe it worked after only one quick treatment.

PS, it's free😍

REPLY   4      

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Cure for Nail Fungus

Frank (Thunder Bay, ON, CA) on 11/14/2021

About ten years ago, I had a nail fungus that had existed for about three years. I tried a number of the over the counter solutions and none of them worked. I talked to the pharmacist and keep in mind this was ten years ago and I don't know what's available now. At that time, the pharmacist said that there were pills but that they were only marginally effective, if at all, and there was considerable risk in taking these pills.

So, I started considering other ways I might get medication below the nail to treat it. At one point I even considered drilling a hole through the nail to try and introduce some kind of medication.

Then, having made wine for years, I was aware that if the primary fer-mentor became too warm/hot that the yeast would die in what's called a 'struck' fermentation. When that happens the must needs to be cooled down and new yeast needs to be introduced, to restart the fermentation.

I wondered, if heat can kill yeast, perhaps it could also kill fungus. So, here's what I did.

Apparatus:

I took a piece of congregated cardboard about six inches square and made a hole about a half inch in diameter in the centre. For those using metric, this would be about 15 cm and the hole would be about 1.3 cm. If you are treating multiple nails you should consider making multiple templates with different size centre holes commensurate with the size of the nail to be treated. The hole should always be smaller than the size of the nail being treated. The purpose of the cardboard is to protect the skin surrounding the nail, so that only the nail receives the treatment. One further thing I needed was a handheld electric hairdryer.

Treatment: So, each morning after I had my shower, I would hold the cardboard over the nail that needed treatment, and direct the heat of the hair dryer through to hole in the cardboard to treat the nail underneath until I felt a minor pinch. I would then wait about twenty seconds or so for it to cool down, and then do this two more times. I originally intended to do this for seven days, but in the end, just to be sure, I did this for a total of ten days.

I then just allowed the nail to grow out. The nail grew back and there was no more fungus. That was ten years ago and the fungus has not returned.

I hope this is of help to anyone out there that's needing this solution.

Regards,

Frank

REPLY   18      

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Lemongrass Essential Oil for Nail Fungus

John B (Pahoa, HI 96778) on 10/21/2021

I used lemongrass oil after beginning a probiotic a month earlier. The lemongrass oil killed the fungus and infected nails. I used it until it irritated the surrounding skin. Two months after taking the probiotics I can see new healthy nail growth at the cuticle, the old dead nails are like scabs. I expect the combination is the answer as I had an appendectomy in 1970 and the fungal symptoms started in the mid 1990's.

REPLY   2      

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Apple Cider Vinegar forToenail Fungus

Suzanne (IN) on 10/08/2021

I took a shot of apple cider vinegar in the morning and at night to help with losing weight. It works and the wonderful side effect was beautiful new toenails. I had tried everything and anything for years. Nothing worked. When I noticed my toe nails were growing out healthy I cut the infected part off. It wasn’t pretty but I kept them trimmed. It took awhile to grow out the new healthy nails but it has been years and my toenails are still beautiful! The apple cider vinegar killed the infection from the inside out. I wish you the best.

REPLY   43      

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Tea Tree Oil for Nail Fungus

Michael (New Zealand) on 10/08/2021

For a fingernail fungal infection, I have recently used Tea Tree Oil with great (but gradual) success every night for the past three months!! It's a bit like watching paint dry but in slow motion.

As an aside, I always have this product in the house and it has served me well over the years, including the adding of one or two drops to a steam inhaler when dealing with sinus complaints in the winter..

If I remember, I also slap a few drops of neat oil on in the morning. But the night time application has the virtue of it being kept on the nail and surrounding skin for many hours whilst asleep, so allowing for sustained penetration.

To get rid of the fungus, it is absolutely necessary to persevere for months but TTO DOES work if you keep at it.

I wouldn't horse around with anything else, with the possible exception of Milk of Magnesia, which I have never tried but a previous poster's post to that effect sounded most interesting.

TTO is very popular here in New Zealand where it is appreciated for its curative properties. Order some on line - a small bottle will last you a long, long time-have some on hand in the medicine cupboard.

As for the obligatory, associated story, which I know you will be eagerly looking forward to-but this one is especially gory and violent, so is not for the squeamish or faint-hearted (parental guidance is advised): well, I had the misfortune to have a splinter of wood drive up under my index finger nail whilst sorting and stacking firewood for the winter. Yep, you guessed it, it was quite painful. What was also painful was my bathroom surgery, which consisted of my driving a sterilized needle up alongside it in order to dislodge it!! The things we do!

I think I ought to invest in some gloves from now on!

Cheers from Down Under

P.S. Would Manuka Honey help the person dealing with a recent case of MRSA possibly- just a thought?

Yet another New Zealand product worth considering.

REPLY   9      

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Coconut Oil for Nail Fungus

Rakaia (WA) on 07/21/2021

NAY

Coconut oil did not help my toe fungus infection. In fact I felt it exacerbated the problem.

REPLY   7      

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Coconut Oil for Foot Fungus

Julie (Hollywood, FL ) on 06/09/2021

Coconut oil for foot fungus:

After washing and drying your feet, apply liberally, 2 to 3 times a day, with a pair if cotton socks. You will see definite results in less than 10 days. The infected area will start to feel hard and the dead skin will eventually peel off.

REPLY   8      

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Hydrogen Peroxide for Toenail Fungus

John (Pahoa, HI 96778) on 05/20/2021

I recently began treatment with hydrogen peroxide after having lived with chronic toenail fungus for over 20 years. I used 6% H202 to soak my feet for 20 minutes each night for a month. As the fungus was killed off the damaged part of the nail softened and peeled off painlessly. I switched to borax soaks, and the nails are thinner and clearing. I still soak on alternate days and apply Kerasal and now the nails are normal except for the length in only 2 months!

REPLY   9      

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Ben (Boise, id) on 07/31/2019

I am a type 1 diabetic who has suffered from nail fungus for several years. I have applied coconut oil to my nails for the past two weeks, and my nail fungus has almost completely disappeared! This after using pharmaceutical products for years that didn’t work. Amazing!

REPLY   10      

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Allyson (Colorado Springs) on 02/27/2020

I cannot stand the smell of ACV, plain old white vinegar works just as well, I would spray it on the 3 toes 2x a day, waited til the entire toenail bed grew out, no more toenail fungus, rah! Just put the white vinegar in a glass bottle so no plastic uglies leach into the vinegar. It really, really works!!

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Laura T. (Catonsville, MD) on 01/19/2019

10 Undecyclinic Acid for Nail Fungus: We used 1 in am and 1 pm on empty stomach and it cleared up my husband's toe nail fungus that he had been trying to get rid of for years!

REPLY   2      

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