6 Natural Remedies to Deal with Nail Fungus

Try these home remedies for nail fungus to get the pretty feet you've always wanted.

By Hallie Levine, Prevention

That pedicure you shelled out big bucks for may have left you with an unwelcome gift: onychomycosis, otherwise known as nail fungus. Or maybe it's a souvenir from the shared showers at your gym or your barefoot walks around the public pool.

Although it starts innocuously enough, as a white or yellow spot underneath your finger or toenail, your nail can begin to thicken and even crumble as the fungus penetrates deeper and deeper. Ick. And fungus is more likely to appear and persist in your toenails because your tootsies are often confined in the warm, moist environment of your shoes, where these little buggers can thrive.
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If you see a dermatologist about the issue, you'll most likely get a prescription for a topical treatment, like Kerydin, which can take up to a year to work. Or, you may be given a prescription for an anti-fungal oral medication such as terbinafine (Lamisil) or itraconazole (Sporanox), which can be expensive, don't always work, and carry side effects ranging from skin rashes to potentially toxic liver damage. "That's not pleasant, which is why so many people look for a drug-free alternative," says pharmacologist Joe Graedon, an adjunct assistant professor at the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy at Chapel Hill and author of The People's Pharmacy.

The thing is, there are a lot of so-called natural remedies for nail fungus out there and not all of them actually work. Here are some of Graedon's go-to solutions that will give you the beautiful nails you're looking for:

Vicks VapoRub

Vicks VapoRub contains known anti-fungal ingredients such as camphor and eucalyptus oil, Graedon says. In a small study published in the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine, 83 percent of people who used a cotton swab to apply a small amount of Vicks to an affected nail at least once a day reported improvement, with almost 20 percent getting rid of the infection entirely.

How to use it: Follow the study participants' lead and use a cotton swab to apply a small amount of Vicks to the affected nail once a day. For best results, apply the solution when you have time to let it dry before putting on socks or shoes.

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Listerine and white vinegar

 

The mouthwash has ingredients such as thymol and menthol that have anti-fungal properties, and the vinegar is acidic, which makes an inhospitable environment for fungi.

How to use it: Combine the two in equal portions and soak your toes in the solution, ideally for 45 to 60 minutes daily.

Tea tree

Tea tree oil has been used for many years to combat skin conditions, especially fungal infections, says Graedon.

How to use it: Dab a few drops of oil on the affected nails twice a day.


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Cornmeal

"We've heard from a few readers that this has gotten rid of fungus," Graedon says. Cornmeal has long been used as a way to banish black-spot fungal disease from roses, so it does have some sort of anti-fungal properties.

How to use it: Pour cornmeal into a shallow pan, mix it with water hot enough to dissolve it into a paste, let it cool, and then soak your feet in it for an hour a week.

Pau d'arco tea

 

This inner bark of a South American tree contains antifungal compounds, and laboratory studies suggest that it's as effective as antifungal prescription meds.

How to use it: Soak your feet twice a day for 20 minutes in an infusion made from two pau d'arco tea bags.

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Oregano oil

Oregano oil contains thymol, which has anti-fungal properties.

How to use it: Put a few drops of oil on your affected nails twice daily.

See more at: Prevention