20 Tips to Heal Nail Fungus Faster
As someone who suffered from nail fungus for more than ten years, I once believed it wasn't possible to have healthy, clear and manageable nails again. I was almost ready to have specific nails removed when I decided to get very organized and focused about taking care of my feet. In doing so, I learned the extreme importance of keeping nails short. At the first sign of brittle or yellowing nails, you must begin filing your nails twice a week to prevent them from growing. If you allow your nails to become long or ingrown, a minor condition that began at the tip of your nail can quickly spread down to the base. You must also spray your nails with an anti-fungal agent at least twice daily.
|
1. Soak Feet in Dish Soap and Coconut Oil to Soften Nails Before Cutting
Begin monthly pedicures with a luxurious soak! In order to cut your rock hard nails effectively, you'll have to soften them. This will not only make the difficult cutting process easier; It will help you achieve more even results without ripping or tearing your nails. Many sources suggest using bleach or vinegar for foot soaks, but I've found that coconut oil leaves my feet and nails much softer than any other additive. Best of all, coconut oil is one of the most powerful organic fungal killers on the planet. It won't leave your feet looking cracked. Just add a tablespoon of dish soap and 1/2 cup of coconut oil to a dish tub. Fill with enough warm water to cover your feet. Overfilling isn't necessary, as it will just dilute the power of the coconut oil. It's a good idea to buy a dedicated dish tub for foot soaking. I prefer a nice collapsible dish tub that's easy to store.
2. Trim nails with Wide Jaw Clippers for Extra Thick Nails
I used to let my nails get too long because it was just so difficult and painful to hack at them with typical nail clippers. I avoided the task until my nails became painful and ingrown. When I discovered wide jaw clippers for extra thick nails, the cutting process became so manageable that I no longer procrastinated. Wide jaw clippers can also help you avoid painful injuries related to ripping, hacking, stabbing and splitting. If you're elderly or diabetic, a simple nail wound can land you in the hospital!
Wide Jaw Nail Clippers
3. File Nails Frequently
Don't just file after cutting your nails. File twice a week to prevent nails from growing! Frequent filing is the ultimate secret to keeping nails short and removing new fungus as it develops. I used to spend a lot of time cleaning debris from underneath the tip of my nail with a pointed instrument. That "debris" is fungus, and it becomes particularly soft and easy to remove after you soak your nails. When I began to keep my nails short through weekly filing, I no longer had a problem with debris collecting under the tip of my nail. An electric nail file helped me accomplish this task with far less effort.
Electric Nail File
4. Spray an Antifungal Treatment on Your Toenails Twice a Day
Spray your toenails with an anti-fungal product twice a day. I spray before bedtime and each time I put on fresh socks! As the infected nail grows, a clear strip of fresh nail tissue will begin to show at the base. As the weeks and months wear on, the clear part near the base will extend higher and higher, pushing the yellow part upward. Each time you cut or file your nails, more and more of the infected tip will disappear. TIP: Look for an anti-fungal spray containing hydrated silica. Hydrated silica is a common organic ingredient used in many personal hygiene products to prevent the development of mold and fungus. It's used in pest control sprays to erode the insect's exoskeleton and help deliver the active pest control ingredient into the insect's blood stream. The cosmetic industry frequently uses hydrated silica to promote superior penetration of active ingredients into hair, skin or nails.
Anti-fungal Spray with Cedar Oil and Hydrated Silica
5. Avoid Regular Lotion! Use Coconut Oil Instead.
Avoid using any type of hand, foot or body softening lotion on your feet or toes! Fungus thrives upon moisture, and most commercial lotions are designed to create a film that traps moisture under the skin's surface. Seemingly harmless ingredients such as glycerin are the worst offenders! If you feel the need to condition your feet or toes to minimize dry patches, apply coconut or olive oil. Both of these oils kill fungus. Wear clean socks to prevent the oil from rubbing off on carpets and bedding. Above all, avoid any type of commercial lotion containing vitamins. The idea is to starve your fungus, not feed it.
6. Wear Loose Fitting, Moisture Controlling Socks made of Bamboo
The goal is to keep your feet as dry as possible most of the time, unless you plan to do an overnight conditioning treatment with olive or coconut oil. Antimicrobial socks made of bamboo fibers are known for pulling sweat away from the skin to keep your feet feeling dry. Diabetic bamboo socks are even better, as tight elastic bands can cut off circulation and prevent fresh, oxygenated blood from circulating through the tips of your toes. In fact, poor circulation is a primary reason why diabetics and heart patients are predisposed to developing nail fungus. If you don't have a proper pair of bamboo socks, consider taking an extra pair of loose fitting socks to work so that you can retire to the bathroom and change them in the middle of the day. Never let your feet marinate in sweaty socks for hours on end. This is exactly how a minor problem became a major problem in the first place. You gave the fungus plenty of moisture to grow and kept shoving your feet into damp, infected shoes.
Moisture Controlling Diabetic Socks Made of Bamboo
Try Quick Dry Mesh Shoes
Again, fungus thrives in moist environments. Sandals are great for ventilation, but most folks who suffer from nail fungus don't want to show off their toes. If you prefer to hide your brittle or discolored nails as they heal, consider wearing quick dry mesh shoes with multiple holes to keep moisture from building around your feet. In general, you should avoid stuffing your sweaty feet into traditional boots or sneakers when you don't need to.
Quick Dry Mesh Shoes
8. Wash Socks in Borax
Laundry soap doesn't always kill mold, fungus or potentially dangerous bacteria such as E. Coli and MRSA. In fact, multiple studies have shown that all of these live micro-organisms can be found lingering inside washing machines. To prevent cross contamination, add 1 cup of Borax to every wash load that contains socks, underwear or baby clothes. Borax is a universally recognized product used to kill bacteria, parasites, mold, fungus and insects. Boric acid is the "secret ingredient" found in many powders sold to kill ants, fleas and roaches, but it's harmless to humans. Be sure to dissolve your Borax in warm water before adding your clothes, as it will just form clumps if you dump the granules on top of a full wash load. Borax will not stain, fade or otherwise ruin casual clothing.
9. Spray Your Shoes and Bath Rugs with an Organic Anti-Fungal Agent
Each time you slip into a pair of infected shoes, you can re-introduce fungus to your feet and nails. Help break the cycle of infection by spraying the interior of your shoes with an anti-fungal agent each time you take them off for the evening! You may also use the formula to spray bath rugs, carpets, furniture and more.
10. Consider an Antimicrobial Bath Mat
Bath mats are notorious for holding bacteria, mold and fungus. Lingering moisture ensures that micro-organisms will survive and multiply. Rugs featuring Microban technology are designed to inhibit the growth of bacteria, fungus, mold and mildew. Some things in life aren't meant to be shared! Protect yourself and your family against cross contamination.
Antimicrobial Bath Mat
11. Vicks Vapo Rub Can Make Dead Nails Crumble
Apply a generous dollup of Vicks Vapo Rub to the affected nail and wrap the area with a Band-Aid. After repeating this procedure for three nights, my worst nail crumbled. My healthier nails that were only affected at the tip did not crumble. The procedure seems to work better for nails that have become brittle from base to tip.
12. Stock up On Extra Large and Extra Sticky Band-Aids
When working with oily salves that can loosen Band-Aids, choose extra sticky "tough strips." Larger Band-Aids are easier to wrap around toes.
13. Use Toe Separators to Make Application of Band-Aids Easier
Toe separators are designed to help keep toes apart when applying nail polish. They can also be used to help separate toes when applying Band-Aids and salves.
14. Try Soaking Feet in Listerine
At the beginning of this article, I mentioned soaking feet in dish soap with coconut oil. That's a great way to soften nails before cutting. Listerine also has strong anti-fungal properties, and it's commonly used as a foot soaking agent. It won't soften nails as effectively as the coconut oil mixture, but it will certainly help kill fungus. Bleach is another popular soaking agent, but it can leave your nails ever more brittle than when you started.
15. Try a UV Shoe Sterilizer
I didn't have access to such wonderful inventions when I solved my nail fungus problem, but UV shoe sterilizers are employed by many who wish to kill odor, bacteria and fungus inside shoes.
16. Clean Bathtubs with Bleach Products
Not all cleaners are effective against fungus. In the interest of limiting the spread of bacteria and fungus, I always use Soft Scrub with bleach.
17. Try a Paste Made of Organic Sulfur Powder
Sulfur is an old school compound frequently used to battle bacterial, fungal and parastitic infections of the skin. Mix a small amount with coconut oil to form a paste. Spread the paste over your nail, and use a large Band-Aid to cover the area. Leave the treatment on overnight.
18. Take Steps to Improve Leg and Foot Circulation
Fungal nail infection can develop in people at any age, but it's far more common in older adults. Factors such as reduced blood circulation to the feet and a weakened immune system may play a role in the development of nail fungus. Diabetic adults are particularly prone to circulation and nail fungus problems. Consult YouTube for massage techniques that improve leg and foot circulation. Here's one of my favorite videos on the topic. (I did not create this video.)
|
19. Understand the Connection Between Nail Fungus and Candida Infection
Candidiasis is a fungal infection caused by the overgrowth of a specific type of yeast known as Candida Albicans. When it affects the mouth, it is commonly called thrush. When it affects the vagina, it is known as a yeast infection. In males, candida may cause excessive itching of the rectum or penis. In both males and females, it may cause chronic toenail fungus. To kill off the microbes that cause these types of infections, avoid foods containing yeast. Bread, pasta and beer are some of the worst offenders. Sugar must also be avoided, as it feeds fungal infections and causes yeast levels to rise out of control. Beware that the sugar in fruit feeds Candida just as effectively as table sugar. Probiotics and specific supplements can be used to control Candida infections, but the best way to kill Candida is to stop feeding it. Look into popular low carb diets such as the Keto diet and choose a strong probiotic with a high CFU rating between 50 and 100 Billion.
20. Explore the Power of Essential Oils
Many essential oils are associated with the treatment of nail fungus. Some popular choices include tea tree, thyme and eucalyptus. My favorite oil for nail treatment is thieves oil because it blends a wide variety of oils that are powerful against fungus. Best of all, thieves oil smells like a Christmas cookie. I don't always want to walk around smelling like tea tree or eucalyptus, especially when I plan to be around people. For this reason, I always keep a bottle of Thieves oil on hand.
Never Stop Treatment
Nail fungus can return long after visible signs have vanished. It's a lifelong problem that must be kept at bay. Keep toenails short, and apply an anti-fungal treatment twice a day.