Onychomycosis affects man more than women, and is also more common in the toenails than in the hands, because our feet are constantly in socks or shoes – the perfect environment for fungal development. Whatever body part suffers from this condition it’s always a very unpleasant and uncomfortable condition, because your nails feel weak and look very unattractive. Maybe you think it’s impossible to fix your nails and get rid of this awful infection, but we advise you not to give up, the solution is just around the corner. You just need to have faith, follow our advices and be persistent in your intention. Every remedy needs time in order for the results to be visible.
Maybe you’ve never thought about it, but everything you need to cure your nails can be found right at home. The best fungal infection remedies are apple cider vinegar, home-made yogurt, garlic, lemon juice, tea tree oil and baking soda and we’re here to show you what benefits they offer and how to take advantage of them.
Apple cider vinegar
The apple cider vinegar has active ingredients which help eliminate toe and hand fungi. The acid from the vinegar has alkaline properties which affect the skin’s pH values and create an unfavorable environment for the fungi.
Application: Prepare a mixture of one part vinegar one part water and soak your hands of feet in it for about 20 minutes. After you’ve finished soaking dry your feet or hands thoroughly and apply your normal skin care product.
Garlic
Garlic has very powerful antibiotic and antimicrobial properties which destroy the fungi and bacteria and make sure you’re infection free.
Application: Blend 10 garlic cloves to create a paste and dissolve it in a bowl of warm water. Soak your hands or feet in the mixture for 15 minutes
You could also mix the garlic paste with some olive oil and apply it on the affected areas. Leave it on for 30 minutes then rinse and dry thoroughly.
Natural Yogurt
The yogurt contains active bacteria, called probiotics, which have proven to be good for the prevention and treatment of fungal infection.
Application: You could put some yogurt on your toenails, leave it on to dry out and then remove it with some warm water. It can be beneficial if you include yogurt in your everyday diet plan, in the morning and evening as well.
Tea Tree Oil
Tea Tree Oil is famous for being a strong natural antiseptic which has proven effective in the prevention and treatment of all bacterial and fungal infections. You can apply a 25-50% solution on the affected areas to soothe the symptoms and treat the infection, but a 100% pure tea tree oil can have much more effective results. Apply it twice a day and in the first three months you can see an improvement of 56 percent. If you continue to use the oil for six months your infected nails can look better by 60 percent.
Application: Two or three times a day apply a small drop of oil on your affected nail. Be advised that the oil should be consumed orally because there could be some serious side-effects, among which rash, confusion, coma and walking difficulties.
Vicks VapoRub
Although we might know VapoRub as a cold and flu ointment which alleviates the symptoms, it can also be used as an ointment for fungal infection.
Application: You must first wash and dry the affected areas and then apply a bit of VapoRub and massage the area gently. It’s important for the ointment to penetrate the skin while you massage it. Do this twice a day, and it’s advised the second time to be before you go to sleep, so that the ointment can react while you sleep.
Baking Soda
Baking soda has alkaline properties which eliminate fungal and bacterial infections quite common in nails.
Application: Mix some baking powder with lemon juice creating a thick paste and apply it on your nail. In addition, you could put some baking soda in your shoes, which will eliminate all the bacteria and fungi inside.
Lemon Juice
Lemon juice is a powerful antibiotic and antifungal remedy and is very effective against fungal infection
Application: You can either squeeze a couple of lemons and soak the nails in the juice, or you could rub the affected areas directly with the lemon.
We’ve shared some of the most effective home remedies against fungal infection, it’s up to you to decide which one you’ll use, but keep in mind to be patient and persistent, don’t give up. Whatever you decide, it’s guaranteed to create an unfavorable pH environment for the bacteria and fungi, and thus making you nails healthier and prettier as well.