Tea Tree Oil does work. IF, and I really mean IF, it is used daily after bathing for a long, long time. The entire nail must grow out. My DH used it and it worked. After all the nails on his little toes cleared up, he got sloppy and quit before the big toes grew all the way out. Those are still bad.

It will take a few weeks before he can see any difference. It will be a line of new clean growth down at the cuticle. Keep the infected nail trimmed off until this new growth gets all the way out.

Thank you so much PB!!! I put this on another forum and they said the same thing....Tree Tea Oil and not to forget to do it at least once a day.

Hugs!!

You might also do some research on vinegar and toenail fungus ~ a lot of people swear by using vinegar at the base of the nail daily. Another supposed cure is Vicks Vapor-Rub. A search on googlegroups will bring up a lot of posts regarding these treatments. Good luck.

Thanks Lydia. I did a search and most of the articles were selling something. I noticed Vicks Vapor-Rub mentioned in one but when I went into the site I couldn't find it. :-(

I ordered some Tree Tea Oil yesterday and we will try that for a few months.

PeaBee4 -- By "used daily after bathing for a long, long time", do you mean "used for a long, long time", or "after bathing for a long, long time"? I leave for work very early in the a.m. and in no way do I have time for a long soak.

I was using Tineacide which is a clear liquid in a small bottle. I'm not sure if I noticed any difference after 3-4 months of daily use morning and night. Maybe I'll give the Tea Tree Oil a try, they sell it at our local Trader Joe's.

Jen

Long....as in months. In the beginning, maybe even two or three times a day if you can. You have to apply it until the entire nail grows out. If your nails grow slowly, it will take quite a while. I think that it would be wise to continue after bathing for as long as you can. It's easy to forget to do this type of thing.

I am not saying that it will work in all cases, but I know that it worked for my husband. He just didn't stick with it until his big toes grew out too. So now he has eight nice toes and two great big yucky ones.

He tried the prescription medication that his doctor put him on. It worked the same way. The toenail has to grow all the way out. Both of us worried about the long term liver damage of the medicine and he quit taking it before it cleared all of his nails.

Here is a link for googlegroups messages for the Vinegar cure: http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=vinegar+%22nail+fungus%22&btnG=Search&meta= The link for the Vick's is below. No selling involved :-), although I can't vouch for all the content in the messages. Googlegroups allows free speech so you may come across some offensive language.

Here is a link that might be useful: Vicks and Nail Fungus

Thanks Lydia! Those came as clickables in my e-mail. I went over to each one and read some of them. Interesting. I'll go back and read more later.

LOL...when they are talking about their feet their language is pretty good.

Thanks PeaBee. I thought you meant "bathing for a long, long time", LOL.

I just thought I'd put on an update. My husband has been good and put the Tea Tree Oil on 2 times a day for about 2 weeks. He says that he thinks it looks better already which is good as he will keep putting it on.

My toes aren't as bad looking as his but I started it too but only once a day.

I just wanted to leave an update. My husband used Tea Tree Oil twice a day for months and his toe nail fungus is really clearing up. The doctor was amazed at how good his toes looked. The doctor said someone else was using it but didn't have as good results. I really think my DH had such good results because of using it twice a day.

Thanks again for the good information!!

At the time I asked my doctor to extract the big toenail with fungus, I didn't know about any of the rememdies except the expensive prescription I couldn't afford. But NOW that the toenail has been extracted and fungus has returned, I think I'll ask him to remove it again and try the Tea Oil. Don't you think it will work better after toenail is pulled? The fungus must go very deep. chery-va

Definitely TT oil...it is the base for most of the anti-fungal meds on the market! And yes...my significant other used it on a fingernail fungus & a couple of months later it's now almost gone.
He also has rheumatoid arthritis, one side effect are idiopathic rashes. TT oil, full stregth, clears that up in a day or two. It also works wonders on bacterial skin infections, vet-prescribed cream didn't, for one of my dogs, but the TT oil did.
I'm a big believer in that stuff, and I'm not big on herbal remedies & such. I've mixed a little in with witch hazel & use it as a facial toner. I've read it is very good for acne. I don't have acne but going through menopause I'm getting occasional break outs...anyhow TT oil is great stuff; all health food stores have it.

I had problems with itchy feet and toes a few years ago.
The doctor gave me some medicine to treat it.
But he also told me to soak my feet twice a day
in a solution of vinegar and water (1cup vinegar, 4 gallons water).
The vinegar water solution worked very well.

Pooh Bear

I used Tea Tree oil for a month and saw no change whatsoever. I went to the doctor who pume on Penlac - none of the side effects of the oral meds. You paint it on the nail every day and remove it once a week with rubbing alcohol. I have been on it for 3 weeks and see that I have clear nail growing at the bottom...it will take about 4 months for the nail to grow out. The one problem: My insurance didn't cover the prescription and it was $135.!!!

Hi Pooh Bear! I'll remember the vinegar and water for the future.

Cattnap....Every fungus is different I guess, but from the posts above you have to use it for months to see a difference not just weeks. My husband is very happy with the results but it did take months to see them. No side effects and it's cheap.

Pooh -- if you took the medication and used the vinegar treatment at the same time, how do you know which one of them worked?

Jen

Because now when I have the same problem with itchy feet,
I soak them in vinegar/water for a while and it goes away.

I couldn't tell that the pills did anything.
But the soaking gave immediate results.

My feet sweat really bad and it causes itching between my toes.
The vinegar/water soaking is the only thing that works sometimes
to get rid of the itching.

Pooh Bear

It is amazing how fast this Penlac is working - I've been using it for about 7 weeks and I have a good size slash of new clear nail on both the nails afflicted with the fungus. There are no side effects other than a little redness to the surrounding skin. If you can afford the $135, it seems like a fast alternative to living with ugly feet - I live in So. California - we wear open toed sandals here about 9 months out of the year and I'm looking dorky in my tennis shoes and slip-ons, LOL.

What??!!?? I didn't realize I look dorky in my tennis shoes and slip-ons..... I wear them 12 months out of the year! :-)

Only when everyone else is wearing sandals Jenn, LOL!

LOL! :-) Yeh, I'm sure some people do wonder....

I have to wear custom orthotics to support my bad feet so I'm pretty much stuck with dorky sturdy athletic shoes. :-)

I wish I could get custom shoes.
My ankles cause my feet to lean slightly outward.
This puts great pressure on the outside edge of my shoes.
The shoes then squish on that side and exaggerate the leaning.
It gets painful after trying to stand like this for a while.
I have to buy new shoes about every two months.
It just ruins the shoes.

Sometimes I can get more life out my shoes if I switch feet with them.
Wear them on the wrong feet and force them to lean the other way.
This works great but looks goofy.
I only do this around the house.

I need a pair of shoes that can be worn on either foot.
Then I could "rotate" them as needed.

Pooh Bear

Pooh Bear,

Have you tried wearing tall work boots? Something at least 8 inches high. That's the only thing I wear all day, and that helps to keep my ankles in line when I'm walking on uneven ground. I don't mean buying anything cheap, since poor quality boots usually don't fit well and are uncomfortable. I've been wearing Red Wing steel toe boots since 1978. The style I was buying was discontinued after 20 years and I was unable to find any Red Wings that were comfortable. I bought a work boot called Carolina Gold that lasted a couple years, and although it seemed comfortable, it caused me to require treatment for plantar fasciitus. When those fell apart, I tried looking at new Red Wing styles and found a Gore-tex lined boot that was fairly pricey, +$200.00, but has been very comfortable and has held up extremely well, so it was well worth the money. With the Red Wings, I was able to get them resoled about three times before they were tossed. With the Carolina, I didn't get one resole before they were junk. Another plus for the Red Wings; the two pair I bought that were unwearable, were returned and allowed full credit even after two years. One pair was worn for just a few days, and the other for a couple weeks. Try that with the cheap Chinese made junk at Walmart. As for the plantar fasciitus, I haven't had a problem since I got back into the Red Wings. Just make sure if you look for high boots, you take the time to try on all the styles for comfort. 200 bucks is a lot for shoes, but since I'm on my feet all day, I can't afford to be sidelined with sore feet.

GG

Pooh Bear and GG........

Pooh Bear....we have a store near us that just sells custom made shoes for people with foot problems. I have never been there but I think they are a franchise. I looked in the phone book for their name and couldn't find it. The next time I go by I will look and remember the name. If they are a chain there might be one near you.

GG...good advice for Pooh. I just put another thread on about heel spurs and plantar fasciitus. Interesting that you cured it with different shoes and I did once but it doesn't help this time.

Pooh,

I wear custom orthotics, not custom shoes. I can wear them in most shoes. They were made by my podiatrist from plaster molds of my feet to support my high arches. They are sooooo comfortable and I don't leave home without them. When I do walk without them (when I wear slippers or barefoot), I feel like I'm walking in sand. With them, I feel tall and straight. They have also alleviated a lot of hip and back pain while standing.

I would like to urge you to see a podiatrist and see if you can get custom orthotics. They are worth the $$$, believe me!

Jen

I have never been able to wear boots.
They are always too uncomfortable for me.

I have seen a podiatrist about my feet.
He Xrayed my feet and confirmed that they to tilt slightly outward.
But it was not something that shoes could fix.
When I was younger it wasn't really a problem.
My weight contributes to most of the problem now.

Now I just buy a new pair of shoes every couple of months.
I get cheap shoes from Walmart for $12/pair.

Pooh Bear

Pooh, did your podiatrist recommend orthotics??? Shoes cannot fix my feet problems... they can only help (to some degree) slow down the degenerative process. But the orthotics literally support my foot structure inside my shoes -- a totally different thing.

Talk to your podiatrist about orthotics. If he doesn't seem willing, I'd find another one.

I can't say enough about my orthotics and the difference they have made.

Jen

Jen,

Pooh would probably still need a better quality shoe just so the orthotics aren't made useless by a shoe that won't hold up to the weight and stress put on it. I mentioned above, about the Carolina boots that fell apart after a year or so, and then were replaced with the Red Wings. I kept them around for a few months before I finally tossed them. I was going to put them on just to go out on a wet day, and even though I thought they were still wearable for comfort when I quit using them, my foot shape had gone back to what it had been before, and trying to walk in the old boots made my feet sit crooked on the floor.

My wife had the orthotics made for her when she was diagnosed with PF and the shoes she had were SAS. They did help a little. She finally started wearing Birkenstocks on a regular basis, and most of her problems with PF are relieved.

Pooh,

I'm not sure if you find boots uncomfortable because of a higher top around your ankles or if your feet get sore because of a cheap insole. I've bought cheap boots from K-mart that were good for about an hour before my feet started killing me because of the hard insoles and poor design. Except for the two pair of Red Wings I returned, every pair of that brand has been comfortable for all day wear. If you can find a Red Wing store near to you, I would suggest at least trying them on, even some of the lower cut styles. Red Wing still has a good reputation for service and quality, something you won't find with a cheap Walmart shoe, and they will help you fit them properly. Good luck to ya.

GG

GG,

I definitely advocate very supportive shoes in addition to the orthotics. I wear New Balance running shoes almost daily. They cost almost $100 but they were worth it. Wearing cheap, flimsy shoes with my orthotics is only half the solution.

New Balances athletic shoes are highly recommended as supportive footwear.

Jen

Mostly I don't like boots cause I have to bend over and lace them up.
My shoes I just slip on.
And I don't like big heavy shoes.
I grew up wearing clod-hoppers.
Great shoes, wish I could still get them.
Haven't seen any for 25 years now.

My solution seems to work best.
Just get a new pair of shoes every couple of months.
Works out to be about the same cost as a new pair of good shoes per year.

Foot doctor said surgery was all that would fix my problems.
And that is would be a major surgery and wouldn't help much.

Pooh Bear

Try good ol' VICKS VAPOR RUB. It has worked on me and several friends. Just rub it in well at bedtime each night
and you will see results in about a week. Don't quit until the toenail grows out clear. Hey, it sounds weird but it works, is readily available, and smells good. Really.

Thanks Mike! I couldn't believe after 7 years this thread was still hanging around. Vicks sounds like a good idea. I will try that as I still have a problem.

There are actually different herbal remedies available for toenail fungus. Many people just overlook them, thinking that they are not effective. Here are some herbal remedies that I know and how you can use them:

You might not find this to your liking because of the smell, but this definitely works. For a potent natural remedy, cut raw garlic into pieces or into slivers, wrap it in a gauze, and wear it inside your shoes for several days. The garlic will be absorbed into the skin. You can also dust garlic powder onto your feet to address the root cause of your toenail fungus.

For a foot soak solution: bathe your feet daily in a half-and-half mixture of vinegar and water. After that, dry them thoroughly and apply pure processed oil such as olive oil to the infected areas. Or, you can soak your feet in a solution of 2 teaspoons of salt and a pint of water for about ten minutes. Do this on a daily basis until your toenail fungus clears up.

The good thing about herbal remedies is that they don't have any side effect and they can be combined with other treatments. For instance, my mom used to apply tea tree oil directly on her infected nails. After that she washes her feet and then apply an otc anti-fungal cream (ZeroFungus). Such combination is truly helpful in getting rid of toenail fungus.

For some people oregano oil and tea tree oil works. There are also individuals who use grapefruit extract as a topical treatment. A friend of mine also tried using apple cider vinegar. He heated the solution, soak his feet in it while the vinegar is lukewarm for a good half an hour or so everyday, and it appears that such a treatment works for toenail fungal infection. Or, you can try an over-the-counter product called Fungusil. IâÂÂve used it myself and it's effective and safer to use because it contains natural ingredients. I hope these helps.

Here are some herbal treatments used to clear out toenail fungus: lemon grass oil, lemon juice, tea tree oil, garlic and apple cider vinegar. Hydro Peroxide will surely be effective since it's an effective anti-fungal solution. Creams are also available like Zerofungus and some others.