Fighting Nail Fungus with Home Remedies

I've had toe nail fungus for years. Heard a discussion on your show a little over a month ago, finally tried using Vapor Rub and looks like it is working. Certainly a reduction in the thickness of the toe nail.

After having both big toenails removed - one twice - due to fungus, and using expensive topicals, I switched to vinegar. Applied twice daily around all sides of my nails with a Q-tip, the vinegar completely eliminated the fungus - and at substantially less cost and aggravation!

While serving in a tropical "paradise" for two years during military service, I contracted a fungal foot & nail infection (constant wet feet). No medication was effective. When I returned to the States, my grandmother learned of my problem and told me she could recommend one of two possible solutions: 1. amputate my feet, or 2. vinegar and Epsom Salts.

After a few brief moments of consideration I agreed to try Nanna's Solution Number 2: 1 pan into which both feet will fit, enough water into pan to cover feet, 2 cups white vinegar, 1 cup Epsom Salts, feet into bath and watch TV or read a good book, do this once every 2-3 days until positive results (took me almost a month). This is also a great skin exfolient. I still use the treatment if my feet start feeling "itchy".
One side-effect that produced an addiction to which I am still afflicted: I started watching 'Jeopardy' (hosted by Art Fleming) while soaking my feet. Alas, I have learned there is no 12-step program available to free me.

I had a toenail fungus (although mild) that persisted. The first summer we took our grandkids to our local pool, I spent most of the time in the water. After a few weeks, I noticed that the fungus was gone. I think it must have been the chlorine water because nothing else was different.

My elderly mother had extremely persistent and severe nail fungus problems on the nails of both feet and the nails of one hand.

Vicks Vaporub worked like a charm. It took a few months but her nails are actually fungus-free and look totally normal again, much to her delight.

I use Listerine--I brush it on my toe nails after I bathe. It does take time but it works! I will not cure this overnight--don't give up. Now that my toe nails are fully grown out--I only use it occasionally just to re-assure myself that it won't be back.

Terbinafine HCL (generic Lamisil) is on Wal-Mart's $10.00 for 90 days program. Of course, a prescription is required.

You might want to try Tea Tree Oil for toenail fungus. I have heard that may work and although I didn't use it for toenail fungus I did use it for a stubborn wart on my finger that kept coming back after my dermatologist froze it off. The tea tree oil did the trick and the wart has not returned in several years.

I got rid of mine with Vicks vaporub. Coated toenail liberally with Vicks and covered with a bandaid every night for about two months. Left the bandaid off and quit using the vicks for about a week. When I trimmed the nail, the entire nail over the infection came off. The nail came back nice and pink.

curious what people have tried that has worked.

I've been using colorless iodine, after reading about this remedy at the People's Pharmacy website last summer.

It appears to be an effective treatment, and I noticed improvement after several weeks of daily application (once or twice a day) of the iodine. Nails need to grow out, of course, so the improvement I saw was that the areas under and around the nails gradually became free of fungus. As my toenails have grown out, the new growth has been normal.

The iodine is colorless, but I'm careful with it. I use a Q-tip and liberally swab the entire toenail area, as well as between my toes. I put some paper towels under my feet while I treat the nails. Before putting on socks or shoes, I use a tissue to make sure each toe is thoroughly dry.

I will continue to use the iodine once a week as a preventive. Taking care of my toes this way is only a small addition to the time spent on everyday personal care, but the "pay off" is wonderful: nice toes!

For me, the treatment works very well; additionally, it's safe, and it's inexpensive. I do recommend it.

Urea cream works well to soften the diseased nail so it can be trimmed.
Then use the other suggestions to destroy the fungus.

What kind of vinegar? White or apple cider?

I can vouch for the chlorine. I soaked my toes in chlorine a few times per week. It worked like a charm. The fungus (it was bad) was gone in less than one month.

Did you use white or apple cider vinegar?

When you said chlorine is it just plain clorox? a specific amount? diluted or undiluted?

I had fungus on my toenails also. I had some spray Tinactin for athletes foot and started spraying it on the fungi and in about three weeks all was gone.

I recently had a fungus on my toes. I was prescribed Lamisil for one month then the doctor told me to use Coconut Oil. The fungus made my nails milky white and after using the oil for about a month or so it cleared it up. I just applied it with a small paint brush, around the nail and under the tip on the nail. I purchased the Coconut Oil at a health food store. It worked for me. :-)

Beau, thank you for your service in the military. What an addiction, Jeopardy can make you smarter, except I can't remember anything and it's all too fast for me.

What kind of vinegar... white or apple cider?

I had toe fungus on one toe. I tried OTC solutions that did not work and were expensive. A friend told me about Vicks and Peroxide. Totally did the trick. After shower in morning use a Q-tip and wipe under the toenail with peroxide. You have to keep your toe nails very short as well. Then I put Vicks over the toe nail. I repeated the same process in the evening before bed, and in about a week or so, it was gone. Totally. You have to be vigilant and do it twice a day otherwise it will take longer to work.

I had fungus between the fourth and fifth toes of one foot for years that appeared to look like a corn and that I thought was maybe from wearing high heels. The skin there just seemed to be deteriorating all the time, although it didn't hurt. I treated it with OTC athlete's foot remedies to no avail. Then one day I read that Tea Tree Oil is an antifungal. I put it on and the very next day my foot was completely healed after many many years!

On July 14, 2006 I soaked my right big toe in WHITE VINEGAR for a couple hours while working on the computer. During the next few months I poured a little WHITE VINEGAR on the toe nail two times a day (once in the morning and once before bedtime) and dried it with a paper towel. By Christmas of 2006 the toe nail had completely grown back like a normal-looking, healthy toe nail. I haven't had a problem with toe nail fungus since (5 years later).

I just got rid of a fingernail fungal infection that came after some sort of injury to the nail. I did get the Vaporub suggestion from my doctor and Internet search suggests that as well as various combinations of vinegar plus --- soaks.

I at first used 50/50 vinegar/Listerine 15 minute soaks followed by a bit of cotton ball dredged through Vicks Vaporub. I put the cotton ball over the finger nail and then covered it with an adhesive bandage (AKA Bandaid) or other adhesive tape for as long as it would stay on.

I went in in March and started my regimen. As soon as my nail looked normal for about half the nail, I quit treatment and now in early September have just a bit more nail to grow out. I condensed the information and gave a booklet to my doctor. Those anti fungal drugs take MONTHS to work and are pretty nasty. I take too many other medications to even consider taking those.

I've tried different over the counter remedies for toe fungus and nothing worked. Tried vicks vapor rub last night and couldn't believe the difference in toe nails this morning. Wow. I have no doubt that this problem and my hiding my toes will be a thing of the past. Thank goodness for your website.

Yes, I saw this remedy in AARP, told my son who has had toenail fungus several years, treating it with various OTC meds. The Vicks Vapor rub use twice a day after washing the nails with cotton soaked with white vinegar. It definitely is working he says.