Listerine for Toenail Fungus

Tonenail Fungus

Listerine and vinegar,is it the white or apple cider vineger?
Thank you for People's Pharmacy Pharmacy.

I am a dietbetic and I have a crack under my little toe and I would like to know what I could use to cure it up. I have tried almost everything I can think of.

I am about to start the Listerine soak for my toemails with long-standing fungus plus a recent involvement of three fingernails...not sure it's truly fungus there; could be just old age. I am also troubled by bunionesque calluses on my great toes. Doc gave me samples of Carmol40 which is an excellent softener, but available only through script. Any OTC suggestions? Thank you very much and I will let you know how the Listerine does for my fungi. C. Wise

I read, somewhere on the inernet, about Tree Tee Oil. I have been using this on toe fungus and it is working. Whereever I read it, said that it usually takes 3 months. It has been about one month for me and it is working.

I had problems with cracked, caloused soles and toenail fungus. I had medicine but it did not go very far....one of the items in the medicine was Urea which I believe is a by-product of urine.

SO..........I started soaking my feet in my own urine and WOW!, IT CLEARED UP THE CALOUS, THICK SOLES AND THE TOE NAIL FUNGUS.

I've had great success with tea tree oil on toe nail fungus. Like all treatments, it takes a couple of months (at least) depending how extensive the fungus is. The tea tree oil seems to stop the fungus from growing, then you have to wait for the nail to grow out. I use a q-tip and put the oil all over the affected nail and under the nail. Once or twice a day (and especially after a shower or when feet are wet)The fungus starts to dry out and flakes and falls out. I also cut the nail back into the area the fungus has been removed from. Then you just let the nail grow out (while continuing the treatment).

Editor's Note: Some people are allergic to tea tree oil. Please be cautious when applying to skin!

I had toenail fungus, and the nail was about to come off. My doctor referred me to a podiatrist, but commented that if it weren't so far gone, he would recommend putting Vick's VapoRub on it. Well, I tried it anyhow. Got results within days. Saved a trip to a podiatrist, and three years later the nail is perfect.

I have had a darkish, reddish, yellowish fungus on my big toe for several years (no cracking or pain). It seemed to get worse if I had toenail polish on, or if I would leave the polish on for a long time.

I started putting Vicks VapoRub on it, trying to remember to use it day and night, but sometimes forgetting. I got rid of almost all of the fungus after many months, maybe a year.

Unfortunately, when I used toenail polish again, the fungus returned. I'm trying over-the-counter fungus remover, but without much luck. Maybe I'll try the Listerine and vinegar.

I have been using Vick's VapoRub and hydrogen peroxide for three weeks. My nails look better than I'd ever dreamed!

I discovered I had some toenail fungus on one nail, and wanted to clear it up fast in time for a pedicure appointment at a fancy spa. After reading all the suggestions here, I decided to try the Vick's VapoRub. After just one night, the nail looked almost completely cured!

THIS POST IS A REPLY TO KAEZI posted on Aug 7, 2007......................

Hi Kaezi, I am a licensed nail technician, and what you are explaining doesn't sound like a fungus, it sounds more like just stains from the polish. Reds and darker color polishes especially tend to do that. They usually leave a light-colored tint on the nail plate (usually yellowish/reddish).

Fungus USUALLY (but not always) will have some kind of chalky-looking marks on the nail plate, as well as some sort of lifted area somewhere around the side walls.

I would suggest getting your nail nice and clear again (you could even try buffing it with a medium/fine grit buffing block) and then whenever you paint your nails, always use a base coat polish before the actual colored polish. This creates a barrier between the nail plate and the polish. See if that helps clear up the discoloration.

Also try to change the polish about every 2 weeks or so, as the longer you leave on a polish, the more likely it is to stain, with or without a base coat.

Hope this helps clear things up. :) :)

I was told by a NHS direct nurse that she used Tea Tree Oil (100%, not the mixed) and got good results. So I tried it, and it's working. I'm now taking oral meds too, because I've got two nails with it, but it's keeping it dry but supple...

I like what I see!!! GO TEA TREE!

I caught a fungus from a nail salon! I used topical presription medication for my toenail fungus for 2 years. I started using Listerine about 6 months ago, and after awhile, also hydrogen peroxide. My nails are clear but I have to keep using it. I plan to try Vick's Vaporub as a preventative. Best regards.

Ooil of oregano works great for toenail fungus and a whole slew of others ailments. Used it on infected toenails and the next day noticed a difference.

I picked up toenail fungus after a professional pedicure, and I started treating it with topical fungicides as soon as I noticed symptoms. Lucky for me, things hadn't deteriorated too much. After a few months with no improvement, I started applying Vicks VapoRub twice a day in addition to a once-daily fungicide treatment. There's been a vast improvement within two months, and my nail is close to normal again. So go Vicks!! Why don't doctors tell you this stuff?

I have had good results with wild oregano oil which I've read has good anti-fungal properties. Anyone else using this?

My husband's toenail fungus was terrible. I read your article about using vinegar and water to heal the fungus. My husband started this treatment a few months ago, soaking his feet almost every night. The toenails on one foot are completely healed and the other foot only has one toe left. We are believers in this remedy and love your column. Thanks for giving such good advice.

I had toenail fungus and I put virgin coconut oil on my feet. It is great for the skin and an anti-fungal. It cleared up my fungus! You can buy it at any organic food store. Great for all of your skin and face! Test it to make sure you are not allergic!

I was interested in the commercial for "Lamisil" and asked my doctor if I could try it. (I have classic high blood pressure/diabetes/obesity approx 70 lbs over...) My pharmacist filled the script with generic "Terninafine" 250 mgs--28 tablets per month--which I took whole for 4 months and noticed a marked change in the health of my toe nails. I reduced the dose 1/2 pill per day for the remaining year (8 months) and the fungus in my toes totally disappeared.

I now use 1/4 tablet per day as maintenance, and a side bonus is that my feet no longer have an offensive odor even if I wear shoes in sweaty situations. And a plus is I don't have any side effects with my other meds...

ps. Love your show JaroP

Nothing works for me. My primary MD prescribed Nizoral, and I was extremely allergic to it. Use tea tree oil, oregano, alcohol, nothing works to rid me of the scourge. Now that urine treatment sounds like a winner. Piss on it!
Michael

No one has said whether it's best to use apple cider vinegar or white vinegar for toenail fungus. Would someone please help me with that?

I have had very thick toenails for several years now and had one podiatrist tell me it was a fungus and then another tell me it wasn't, just trauma to my nails. I had a lab test and it came back negative for fungus. So what is causing this thickness of my toenails?

Vinegar: either white or cider. I also found that getting full strength vinegar under the nail got quicker results.

Urine: I have had dry, cracked, patchy dry spells on my hands all of my life and nothing helped long-term. Someone mentioned using my own urine, and I started peeing on the patches out of desperation--IT WORKED! The episodes are far and few between now (mostly happens in winter), and urine did it.

I've been doing the 50/50 Listerine and vinegar for about 2 months, and it is definitely working. The nails on both big toes are 1/2 perfect! Since it is/was an infection, has it been taken care of (and I just have to wait for it to grow out)? Do I have to keep doing the treatment every day?

I tried the listerine treatment a couple times, not long enough to get results. However, I just want to warn people not to use the blue listerine--it turned my feet blue, and it took over a week for the stain to go away!

I developed what I thought was a toenail fungus on my left big toe. It was flaking and calcified. I used Vicks Vaporub on it applied with a Q tip every morning after showering. It started improving after several weeks and after about 4 months it had grown out perfect. It happened again and I used Listerine in same way. The improvement was immediate and it has not returned after more than 12 months.

Once the nail starts growing in nicely, does the treatment need to be continued? Is the infection gone?

I went to the doctor today about my thick yellow pinky toenail and the one next to it on my right foot. He told me I had one of three options. I could use Penlac which is a prescription liquid you apply to the toenail directly, Lamasil, which we've all seen the commercials for but requires a liver test first! or.... VICKS VAPORUB! Yes, the doctor said Vicks! So, I'm starting the remedy today and hopefully this works! He said any of the above-mentioned methods would take about 3 months to see real results. So, I hope this helps someone from a doctor visit or expensive prescription meds!

When I needed treatment for toenail fungus, my doctor suggested I soak my toes in Listerine for 30 minutes a night for thirty days. I sent my husband to Costco for a giant jug of Listerine. He returned with the minty one. It is blue. I figured it would not really make a difference. It did. My feet turned blue and no amount of scrubbing could take the color off. My husband laughed until he cried.

After switching to the regular one, my toenail fungus did clear up, but the nails themselves were very dry.

I've been doing the 50/50 (vinegar & listerine) soak for only 60 seconds per day. It's working. You don't have to soak for 30 minutes. Maybe the vinegar is keeping the nail from being too dry. It's growing in nicely.

Thanks for the tip! I haven't tried using vinegar/listerine yet but it sounds promising. I've been using Tee Tree Oil and that's more expensive to use on toenail fungus.

I tried Crest mouthwash, and the stuff under the nail got weak and soft, so I used a steel nail filer to remove it, and then I soaked them in alcohol.

That was just today and my nails looks better than before. It's not completely cured, but it's a start.

I have a fungus on the left big toenail and tried tea tree oil on 2 separate occasions. Both times, the skin along one side of the toenail opened into a deep fissure -- about 1/4 of an inch deep!! It was not painful but definitely scary. The fissure closed within a day or so after stopping this treatment. I'm glad it works for some, but it certainly didn't work for me. Vick's salve also did not work and I tried it for about 2 months.
I will try the listerine and vinegar mixture next.

The problem with all this info is it doesn't really address the extent of fungus in the nail(s). Is this a superficial infection? Distal involvement? Total involvement? One nail? Multiple?

This is an infection. It's contagious. It has to be treated asap. By a doctor, not your nail tech.

Vicks worked for my toenail fungus, but now I have a black toenail, not the same toe. Can you give me a remedy please? Enjoy your column each week.

I am interested in the details of the listerine cure. The fungus is unsightly, so I like to keep my toenails polished. Will this cure be able to penetrate if my nails are polished!?

Thanks,

Allyson

After 4 months of applying Vicks every night before bedtime, nothing has changed except the color of the nails is no longer yellow but gray with a black outline. And the nails have begun to split on some toes. will wait two more months and then try somethng else... has anyone stated they used the Listerine and Vicks or Listerine/Vinegar and Vicks? Just curiouse since Vicks leaves nail moist.

This is all great to read, thought I was the only one with this. Was shocked to see my big toenails (after having polish removed) had lifted and yellowed. Since then have heard using Horticultural Oatmeal in a soak will cure toenail fungus, also smearing over-the-counter vaginal yeast infection medication on feet/toes daily helps to cure this too. Haven't tried either one yet. Anyone know where to find horticultural oatmeal? Thanks!

Thanks for the tip on using Scope! I had three toes with fungus. Began dabbing with Scope on a kleenex 4 days ago -- it is remarkedly better. Will report back after a few weeks. I can tell it is improving. and also thanks for mentioning about washing your nail clippers after each use. Appreciate all the tips. from: healing.....

I had four very infected nails, Penlac is a prescription that works well. It is like nail polish, trim the affected nail back as far as possible (mine were half gone) then thin the nail bed down using a small nail sanding block( this gets the medication through the nail bed), paint the nail one coat daily, on the 6th day remove it with polish remover. It is tough to get out of the edges, use a tool from the beauty supply store that has a scraping end, continue daily, and it's important to paint the nail bed where the nail used to be attached, it will grow back but can take 6 months.

My Dr said Penlac doesn't have a high success rate, but I think that's because the directions are poor. By thinning the nail, using it daily and removing it thoroughly, plus trimming growth back so it can grow in properly - makes all the difference.

Why all the comments about toenails?

The fingernails on my right hand seem to have some kind of fungus. Should what may help for toes apply to fingernails?

AH

this column recommends Listerine for just about everything under the sun. It really appears that there is some ad placement dollars at work. Isn't Listerine just alcohol menthol and eucalyptus?

PEOPLE'S PHARMACY RESPONSE:
THE PEOPLE'S PHARMACY ACCEPTS NO FUNDS FROM ANY PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANY, INCLUDING THE MAKERS OF LISTERINE. THE SUGGESTIONS FOR USE COME FROM READERS.

I've had fungus on my toenail for as long as i can remember. I've tried many treatments but nothing seems to help. Now that I'm getting older I'm embarrassed to show my feet i usually cover them up with nail polish but now it has infected all my other nails. I been using Tea Tree Oil and I'm not seeing any results. :[

I tried Vicks for a month and things only got worse. I'm trying to halt this toenail fungus' progression, and I think Vicks kept the nails too moist, encouraging fungal growth and not preventing it.

I've now switched to methods which allow the nail to be dry most of the time. A 50/50 mix of hydrogen peroxide/white vinegar for 30 mintes (sometimes twice a day) seems to be doing something good, but I'm also using 100% tea tree oil. Since hydrgoen peroxide and Listerine are both antiseptics (Listerine having more umph, I believe), I may switch to half Listerine as suggested here.

It seems to come down to:
- Some sort of antiseptic / antifungal agent (hydrogen peroxide or Listerin are the two options mention so far in this post)
- pH changing agent (vinegar to increase the acidity of your nailbed to at least hinder further growth of fungus) (On that note, it shouldn't matter what kind of vinegar you apply externally, but consuming apple cidar vinegar is an age-old remedy for lots of things - including nail fungus)

For those interested in oils, I've been reading a lot about it. Tea tree oil is a great antifungal, but apparently it isn't readily absorbed by keratin or living tissue, so it works best on surfaces like the top layer of your skin. Since we're trying reach our nailbed beneath our keratin nail, a 'carrier' oil should be mixed that is readily absorbed and that will carry the tea tree oil with it. I'm going to try dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). Also, lavender oil apparently encourages healing of skin tissue, so I'm going to add that as well. Apparently tea tree oil + lavendar is a common mixture, so all I'm really doing is adding a carrier. There many, many oils to choose from, some mentioned in this forum, but these are the ones I most commonly read about.

I'm also drinking two tablespoons of apple cidar vinegar in a glass of water per day, and eating as much garlic as I can (I'm considering garlic tablets). I feel like a hippie, but if all this solves my problem of toenail fungus... then I can deal with it. :)

I feel cheated for having contracted this. Is it a crime for wearing shoes to school, to work, at school, at work, home again, and then to slip into slippers during a cold Canadian winter? Apparently.

Thanks for this info, I have tried Tea Tree oil, oregeno oil, lamisil, rubbing alc.,files, grinders, creams,chlorine, amonnia have started listerine treatments. looking for positive results. Thanks

I've tried several home remedies over several years, including Vicks, vaginal creams, listerine solo. Nothing has worked. I'm now trying the listerine and vinegar bath several times a day along with mostly going barefoot/sandles(around the house) as often as possible.

I've read several post that say the fungus turns black when it is dead.

How do you know if what you are doing is effective? I see that the yellowish tint of the nail is now gone, and the nails look clear, but I've not seen any signs of black, or any signs of the fungus disappearing, other than the yellow is gone. Are there any other signs of progress?

If the nail grows from the cuticle up, then should you be looking for the new nail at the cuticle to be clear non ridged? Does this mean the new growth is fungus free?

As for filing the nails, is this necessary? Do you spread any fungus by filing them down? Does anyone think this works?

I feel I don't have near the fungus problem that I've seen and read about, but still having trouble determining if I am making any progress with my new regiment(1 week now).

I had a small patch of fungus on my chest. I've tried a few ointments from the dermatologist, but it continued. I recently have been applying a small amount of white vinegar to the area and there is no more red scaling spot any longer.

WOuld love to ready responses to my questions.

I have had fungus on my nails for years, it hasn't been noticible till recently and feel i need to nip it in the bud before things get worse,so I will try GOLD listerine and vicks both to see if it helps.Thanks for the warning about the blue listering,lolol.

Margaret,

On the topic of filing: I think many people who file have much worse fungus than yourself, to the point that their nail is thick and white/yellow, and anything they put on the surface doesn't stand a chance of getting to the nail bed (hence they file to make it thinner). Don’t file your nail so short that the fleshy tip gets red and agitated, because then you could (as I did) mistake it for more fungus and get into a viscous circle of filing. Your nails are allowed to have a bit of white at the tip (so I read; it's natural).

To avoid the fungus spreading due to filing, I try to keep the filing residue off of any other toes, use disposable files and ALWAYS dowse ALL my toes in isopropyl alcohol afterwards. Regular soap is NOT antifungal, it is only antibacterial! Read the fine print of anti-fungal sulphur soap before using it. I did, and now I won’t use it.

It's tough to tell what works for you and what doesn't, but a week isn't enough time. The yellow tint on my nails never turned black either, it just returned to white after a couple weeks. My one nail which is clearly very infected (thick and yellow) has never turned black, but has improved at least superficially. From what I read, you should probably keep doing what you're doing for a few weeks after everything looks normal, then do it once a week or something for prevention's sake. You can be sure that if I’m ever clear of toenail fungus, I’ll be soaking my feet in vinegar a couple times a month!

Are you fair skinned (very white)? I am, and my doctor says that we're prone to fungal infections for some reason (you mentioned fungus on your chest). My guess is a lack of sunshine, since we avoid it because we burn so easily. That would also explain why vitamin E reportedly helps against toenail fungus. Recurring fungal issues are probably a sign of an internal issue, not just an external one (straight from the mouths of an ND I’ve seen, a podiatrist and my GP). Perhaps you should read into an anti-candida dietary ‘cleans’, or just changes in your diet in general.

I think a fail-proof solution to toenail fungus is good foot hygiene. Wear sandals outside (expose your toes to sunlight!), go barefoot when you can, use a vitamin E or A cream on your feet to keep them healthy, don’t let your nails get too long (and on that note, only wear shoes that really fit), wash the insoles of your shoes at least once a month (my podiatrist says once a week!), avoid synthetic footwear... the list goes on.

G'luck!

I went to my regular spa for my 6 weekly pedi only to discover that once the polish was removed one of my big toe nails was lifting. The nail tech suggested Vicks, I have been plastering it on like crazy - only been two days but the idea of loosing a big toe nail just in time for summer sandals freaks me out. I am pleased to see that others have had results with Vicks - I am not off to the pharmacy to get Listerine - the brown one. I will keep you posted

can u reuse your vinegar and listerine mix or make a fresh batch every time?!?!?!

I have had fungus on a big toe for at least 10 years. The podiatrist I went to three different times insisted it was not fungus. The nail stopped growing out and grew in thickness instead. I never have to trim the length. Finally I went to a podiatrist who said it was fungus and I took Lamisil for the required time. It did nothing. My family doctor just says I'm basically stuck with it. I will try some of these remedies and see if it helps. Has anyone had the same luck with Lamisil that I did? It is so expensive, I feel that I was taken.

I took Lamisil several years ago, for about 3 times longer than recommended, under my internist's supervision. It did NOTHING. Recently, I saw one podiatrist who sent a piece of the nail to a lab and told me they reported "no evidence of fungus." I am now seeing a different podiatrist. He said that many of the labs simply do a microscopic examination of the nail sample. However, in order to really check for fungus, they need to do a culture. This takes a couple of weeks. I am still waiting for my results and then we will formulate a plan of action. The new podiatrist says he prefers something else to Lamisil, but I don't remember the name of it.

I have used tea tree oil with very good success, though. I think it may have cleared up the fungus, but I still have very thick nails, which are a problem in themselves. Get it at a health food store and get a dropper to apply it with. It's cheap and easy to use, the only drawback is smelling like turpentine. Try to dig out all the soft fungus stuff from under the nail - be gentle! - so the tea tree oil can get to the problem area.

Got "Colorado River Fungus" on toe nails in 1954 Yuma, AZ in Air Force. Used every medical prescription/over the counter, including internal tablets twice. For six weeks I poured Listerine on my toes (athletic socks) every morning. I stopped for a month to see what happened. FOR THE FIRST TIME great improvement. No more painful condition nor bloody toes in a trim. Have returned to the practice and now confident that I will finally succeed in a cure!

I am so glad i found this site. I am also I read all of it to be sure and not get the blue Listerine! So glad you told me about the blue feet although the way mine look it might be an improvement. i am going to get Listerine tomorrow. Will keep you posted on how it works.

Well, girls, I have tried it all. But the best solution is soaking your toenails in a mixture of hazelnut oil, lemon rind, a little vinegar and olive oil. Then, after a few minutes, rinse and wash off. Afterwards, give your toes a little whippin' and make sure the little toe doesn't sneak away and hide. Give that big toe a stern look and tell it to behave. Then take a couple of swigs of Jim Beam and remember the Alamo. Sing the Yellow Rose of Texas and salute the good 'ol flag of the USA. Tell your toe jam to split and that, my dear ladies, will cure your fungus toes for good. If for any reason you doubt this, then ask my dear friend Iris and she will tell you to add one more thing: a vacation to Hawaii and walk on the sands of Maui for a month and a half. That is all I know. God Bless.

You should always use the apple cider vinegar.

For my toenail fungus, I used CAN-SOL (CAN.-SOL) made by PURE HERBS LTD, 48312, sold by herbal practitioners. 30 drops 3x/day in water. It kills the candida which is the root cause of nail fungus. I could see a difference in 2 wks, cleared up in 3-4 months.

To Pat (4/26): I have taken Lamisil for 2 separate 3-month courses and am now trying it for 6 months. I take methotrexate for arthritis, which slows my healing a lot, so I'm sure that's not helping--but my rheumatologist said he's only seen Lamisil work on 2 of his patients (out of more than 20 who tried it). I have been using Fungoid (miconazole) tincture and have also tried VapoRub--over 1 month and still no change. Will try Listerine and vinegar.

My doctor told me I had a bad case of toe nail fungus. I got a small bowl and a bottle of listerine. I soaked my toes in the listerine every morning while doing my hair. (Approx. 5 minutes) My nails cleared up in 3 months.
My husband also used it. He soaked his nails while watching T.V. This has been a great cure and does not cost a lot. I have told a lot of my friends about this and they have also had great results.

I don't believe you should use home remedies for nail fungus. The right thing to do is go to your doc for some Terbisil, Lamisil and Batrafen.

I have what looks like a black spot under my big toenail and my nail feels just a tiny bit loose. Is this fungus?

I don't recall my toenail getting thicker or halving or cracking. It looks just like all the others.

THANK YOU!

I have had good results using the Listerine treatment... but instead of the more expensive Listerine, use the store brand equivelent. It cleared up last summer, and after using nail polish, it popped up again on the same toe. I did some research when it came back, and read that because nail polish can hold the moisture in it, it can create a good growing ground for fungus. In reading about fungus, also most sites recommend thinning the nail a bit, and keeping it trimmed short so that medication can better penetrate. I put the mouthwash in a Tupperware type container with a lid, and reuse it. Because of an immune system problem & all the other meds I take, my dr. was reluctant to put me on meds for the fungus... sure glad I read about the Listerine!