How To Get Rid of Toenail Fungus With Simple Home Remedies Backed by Research
The best part? These treatments cost a fraction of the price of prescription meds
Take a quick look at your toenails. If they’re thick, yellowed or flaky, you might be among the 50 percent of Americans who have toenail fungus but don’t realize it. A fungal nail infection is caused by the overgrowth of a fungus (typically dermatophyte), often between the bed of the nail and the actual nail itself. Because the fungus thrives in warm, moist environments, you can get it from walking around the deck of a swimming pool or going barefoot in a locker room. While prescription treatments help, they can cost up to $1,500. Here’s how to get rid of toenail fungus the easy—and inexpensive!—way.
How to get rid of toenail fungus at home
Fungal infections of the toenails are known for being tricky to cure, and treatment often takes several months. If you have a mild case that isn’t bothering you, your doctor may recommend simply leaving it be. But if you’d like to clear up the infected nail over time, these home remedies for toenail fungus are study-proven to help.
Blow dry your feet
After you bathe or shower, blow dry your cleansed toes with the same hairdryer you’re using to style your strands to help get rid of toenail fungus. Fungus thrives in the nooks and crannies around and under nails, as well as microscopic cracks in the nails themselves. But German research suggests that using a hairdryer on toes evaporates trapped H2O lurking in these ridges, creating an environment that blocks them from breeding.
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Spritz with ACV
Mist apple cider vinegar (ACV) over your feet and toes before putting on your socks and shoes (or sandals!). ACV is packed with acetic acid, which gently lowers the pH of feet and nails, reducing spores’ ability to reproduce. Indeed, research in the International Journal of Medical Device and Adjuvant Treatments found applying a solution containing acetic acid daily helped 93 percent of study participants clear nail fungus infection within 24 weeks.
Paint on polish
You can help get rid of toenail fungus and prevent it from returning with spore-fighting polish. Embedded with natural tea tree oil, the clear lacquer provides protection that won’t wear off for a week per application. University of Rochester research suggests tea tree oil may be as effective a cure as antifungal drugs like topical clotrimazole for those who apply it consistently. One to try: Kerasal Fungal Nail Renewal with Tea Tree Oil. Bonus: You can paint a colored nail polish on top if you’d like!
Dab on Vicks
According to research conducted by the U.S. Air Force, dabbing bare nails with Vicks VapoRub once daily killed the fungus for 83 percent of people. The best part? The treatment only costs about $24—hundreds of dollars of savings compared to pricy prescription antifungal medication. “VapoRub contains oil of eucalyptus, which has antifungal properties,” explains Dale Isaacson, MD, a dermatologist with DC Derm Docs in Washington, D.C. “It also contains thymol, which has a dry effect that produces an adverse environment for fungus.”
Tip: Repurpose an old toothbrush to work the product into the nooks and crannies under and around your toenails once daily.
Making a baking soda paste
Wondering how to get rid of toenail fungus using items you already have on hand? Pantry staples to the rescue! Baking soda can kill up to 79 percent of infection-causing spores, according to research in the journal Mycopathologia. Toenail fungus is typically acidic, so baking soda helps adjust the pH of your nails and the surrounding area, making it more difficult for the fungus to grow and thrive.
To get the best results, try soaking your feet in a mixture of baking soda and hydrogen peroxide, which may also help eradicate toenail fungus. Combine ½ cup of baking soda, 1 cup of 3% hydrogen peroxide and 4 cups of water. Soak any infected toenails, or your whole foot, for 10 to 20 minutes daily, then rinse and thoroughly dry the area.
Rub the nail with garlic
Garlic is an unexpected treatment for toenail fungus, but one proven to work The Mediterranean must-have contains a compound called ajoene, which can rapidly clear up fungus spores. According to researchers publishing in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, the sulfur extract eradicated 72 percent of fungal infections in just 60 days. Simply remove the skin from a clove of garlic and slice in half. Rub the cut side around and under toenails daily and rinse off after one hour.
Spray your shoes
Toenail fungus treatment doesn’t just involve your feet—your shoes may need a little TLC too. A Nigerian study found the toe box harbors nearly twice the fungal spores as the rest of the shoe. And since fungi can survive on surfaces indefinitely, sanitizing footwear is critical to keeping toes healthy. But this final step in treating toenail fungus is often missed, increasing the risk of recurrent infections.
“A simple antifungal shoe spray usually can get the job done,” Dr. Isaacson notes. Look for one with terbinafine (Lamisil Athlete’s Foot Antifungal Spray, for example), an antifungal medication that eradicates fungus-causing spores within 15 minutes, according to a study in the Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association.
If you don’t want to mist your nice kicks, consider zapping them with ultraviolet C (UVC) light instead. A study found that UVC killed 99.9 percent of fungi on colonized surfaces. One UVC-emitting device designed specifically for footwear: SteriShoe, which is backed by the American Podiatric Medical Association.
Cut back on carbs
If you’ve struggled with repeated bouts of nail fungus, you may have a susceptibility that’s being driven by diet, says podiatrist Robert Kornfeld, DPM, founder of the Institute for Integrative Podiatric Medicine in Manhasset, New York.
“Refined carbohydrates, such as those in table sugar and white flour, actually fuel fungus in the gut,” he says. “An overload in the GI tract results in fungal growth into the nail bed, which can lead to recurrent infections.”
Dr. Kornfeld’s advice to help get rid of toenail fungus: Swap refined carbs (like white pasta and cornflakes) for healthier whole-grain versions (like 100% whole-wheat pasta and oatmeal). It’s also smart to skip added sweeteners when possible.
Consider a bleach dip
Diluted bleach is actually skin-safe and helps brighten fungus-yellowed toenails and stop an infection in its tracks. Credit goes to the hypochlorous acid, a natural antibacterial compound found in bleach, reveals Joshua Zeichner, MD, director of cosmetic and clinical research in dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital. The compound gently lightens the keratin proteins that cause nail yellowing, plus eliminates the infection-causing spores. And soaking affected nails allows the solution to get under the nails where fungus tends to cluster.
Simply combine no more than 1 Tbs. of bleach with 1 gallon of water. Soak your feet for 10 minutes daily, then cleanse skin with soap and water. Repeat once to twice daily until any noticeable signs of infection are clear. Note: While diluted bleach is safe for most skin types, discontinue this regimen if you experience irritation or discomfort.
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