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How Can You Get Rid of Terrible Nail Fungus?

Swabbing the affected nails with apple cider vinegar twice a day for several months eventually vanquished terrible nail fungus.

Nail fungus (onychomycosis in doctor-talk) is a very common problem. Most health care providers don’t consider it serious, although some readers have told us that terrible nail fungus can make nails rough, so that they snag on socks, or make them so misshapen that it is difficult to wear certain shoes. There are a number of possible treatment options, but some of the prescription drugs for this problem are very pricey (like Jublia) or have potentially serious side effects (such as Sporanox). That’s why we are always interested in success stories about home remedies for this problem.

Urea Removes Infected Nail:

Q. I have cured my toenail fungus with 40 percent urea. After applying it and covering the nail daily for two weeks, the affected portion peeled off, leaving only the healthy area. I am surprised that there is not more information about this.

A. Dermatologists have long utilized 40 percent urea applications to treat terrible nail fungus. We would discourage self treatment with such a high concentration of urea. That’s because this compound can lead to the destruction of the nail. It often falls off, which can be alarming.

Used under medical supervision, however, 40 percent urea appears to enhance the effectiveness of topical antifungal creams (Journal of Foot and Ankle Research, April 11, 2019).  Dermatologists may use it as a pretreatment before photodynamic therapy (Archives of Dermatological Research, May 2023). When they use urea as a pretreatment, they get better results in the medium term (nearly a year).

Apple Cider Vinegar Vanquished Terrible Nail Fungus:

Q. You had a question from a person with terrible toenail fungus. The doctor recommended surgically removing the nail. You suggested that urea paste could dissolve the fungus-infected nail.

WAIT! My 85-year-old mother had both big toes infected with fungus, making them unsightly. She didn’t like wearing open-toe shoes.

We found a solution and within eight months both nails are much improved. We started with twice-daily applications of tea tree oil, then moved to twice daily applications of apple cider vinegar.

This was not a bath or soak, just applying the vinegar with a cotton swab after a shower, before bedtime and once during the afternoon. We allowed the nail to dry completely. With patience and occasional clipping, we have conquered this problem.

Why You Need Patience to Overcome Nail Fungus:

A. Patience is critical to any treatment of toenail fungus because toenails grow so slowly. Thanks for your detailed account of your successful treatment strategy. We haven’t seen any studies of vinegar against nail fungus, but we did find research demonstrating that a commercial product containing acetic acid (vinegar) with other ingredients helped somewhat to inhibit the Tricophyton mentagrophytes fungus responsible for some nail infections (Mycoses, May, 2016).

Readers who would like more details about other home remedies for nail fungus may wish to order our Guide to Hair and Nail Care.

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About the Author
Terry Graedon, PhD, is a medical anthropologist and co-host of The People’s Pharmacy radio show, co-author of The People’s Pharmacy syndicated newspaper columns and numerous books, and co-founder of The People’s Pharmacy website. Terry taught in the Duke University School of Nursing and was an adjunct assistant professor in the Department of Anthropology. She is a Fellow of the Society of Applied Anthropology. Terry is one of the country's leading authorities on the science behind folk remedies..
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Citations
  • Dars S et al, "The use of urea for the treatment of onychomycosis: a systematic review." Journal of Foot and Ankle Research, April 11, 2019. doi: 10.1186/s13047-019-0332-3
  • Alberdi E & Gómez C, "Urea versus fractional Er:YAG laser pretreatment of methylene blue photodynamic therapy in the treatment of moderate toenail onychomycosis: short- and medium-term effects." Archives of Dermatological Research, May 2023. DOI: 10.1007/s00403-022-02448-7
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