How to Treat Toenail Fungus

You are trimming your toenails one day, when you notice, its starting to look a little different. You think nothing of it and continue on. Now, a few weeks later, here you are again, cutting and this time the nails seems to have a significant change of color. Your nails also more brittle and hard to trim. You may have a form of toenail fungus.

That sounds scary, right? Don’t be alarmed, (at least not yet, anyway). Millions of people have, had, or will get some form of toenail fungus. It can happen at any age, but is more prevalent older people. When we age, our nails can become brittle and crack. Leaving room for fungi to get in. The key to anything is keeping a watch on your feet and treating before it gets out of hand. As always, speak to your doctor before trying anything extreme or drastic. You don’t want to over do it and put your toes or feet at risk for anything.

Usually, there is no need to worry about it. However, there are times when toenail fungus can be severe and you NEED to get medical treatment. If you have diabetes, poor circulation, a suppressed immune system are all factors in how toenail fungus can go. Even small injuries can lead to big problems, so always be vigilant if you have underlying conditions.

Preventing toenail fungus is what we should all strive for. Some tips to help prevent is:

1. Always be aware of what’s happening with your feet. Sometimes, feet and toes are overlooked because, they’re covered and at the bottom of our body. You may not notice immediate changes, but if any discoloration is there and it gets bigger as time goes on, you want to keep paying attention to it.
2. When you trim your nails, always go straight across, never curve like your toe. Curved cuts can lead to ingrown toenails, which can be more painful than the fungus itself. Always clean your tools when your done also!
3. Wear socks that absorb sweat. If your feet are wet when you workout or run, then you need better footwear that are breathable on your feet.
4. The most important thing, if you’re in a public setting, such as a pool or shower, please wear shoes. Athletes foot can appear when you don’t wear footing around those areas. Athlete’s foot can lead to toenail fungus and spread to other nails.

Now to the most important part. How do you treat toenail Fungus? There are many of them out there and we are going to go over a few here.

1. People are really into the whole essential oil thing nowadays. It seems relatively harmless (if done correctly), so why not try it. The one I have heard of most, is Tea Tree Oil. You can search to find the best treatment that may work for you. You do need to dilute many of the essential oils, as using them full strength could cause burns or skin issues. Use a type of oil such as coconut, olive, or Jojoba.
2. Next is vinegar. White vinegar or Apple cider vinegar can be tried. Try using 1 part vinegar and 2 parts warm water to soak your feet. Do that for about 15 minutes.
3. There are certain items on the market that can be used. Many have to be prescribed by your doctor, but you also can go through different mediums.
4. Keravita Pro is used to treat toenail fungus. It is a Vietnamese Rice tonic that was inpsired by Vietnamese rice workers.
5. Listerine! Yes, you read that correctly. Soak your feet in this mouthwash for about 30 minutes a day. (That sounds weird when you say it out loud)