Home Remedies for Nail Fungus

Dealing with a toenail fungus? Find out how you may be able to tackle your problem from the comfort of your own home in St. Louis.

No one wants to deal with a toenail fungus, but it’s a surprisingly common issue. Besides the unpleasant aesthetic problems it can cause your toenail, you don’t want to just leave the condition untreated, as it can lead to further complications for your foot health. While it’s always a good idea to turn to one of our St. Louis, MO podiatrists for help, particularly if this is the first time you’re dealing with a toenail fungus, there are some home remedies that you may want to try to see if it helps you.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Sure, it’s not to most pleasant tasting or smelling remedy but it is certainly one of the best. Whether you want to apply it to the infected toenail or add it to your drinking water, organic apple cider vinegar offers some pretty awesome health benefits. If you want to soak the toenail here’s how to do it: Add one part Epsom salts and one part apple cider vinegar to six parts warm water. Soak feet two times a day for a minimum of thirty minutes at a time.

Tea Tree Oil

Tea tree oil is another amazing home remedy because it is both a fungicide and an antiseptic. Of course, tea tree oil on its own is rather strong and can irritate the skin so it’s always important to dilute this oil with some water before directly applying it to the infected nail. Once the tea tree oil has soaked in, gently scrub the nail with an old, but clean, toothbrush. You’ll want to do this every day until the nail has fully grown out.

Cornmeal

It might sound odd but organic cornmeal is completely safe for the body but can pack quite a punch when it comes to targeting the common fungus, Candida. In a foot bath, place about one cup of cornmeal in two quarts of water. Let the mixture sit for about an hour before placing the infected foot into the water. Soak feet for about a half hour or more. You can repeat this as often as you want.

Lavender Oil

If you only have a mild fungal infection, you may be able to get away with using lavender oil. Apply a couple drops to the nail every night and let the oil remain overnight. Even once the infection looks like it’s gone it’s always a good idea to continue applying the oil for a couple weeks after to prevent it from returning.

If at-home treatments aren’t cutting it, then it’s time you turned to the foot care experts at The Foot And Ankle Center in St. Louis, MO. Even a toenail fungus can be a downright nuisance to treat, but we are here to help!