Hi Linda_6: Dirty tools can spread fungal and bacterial infection. Two cheap things that kill both fungal and bacterial infection: Clean with hydrogen perioxide (50 cents), and apply apple vinegar cider ($1.29). Google anti-fungal properties of both and you'll see.

I had been plagued with reddish & horrible itch & peeling skin on my right hand for years. Nothing helps, not even prescribed cream or MehylPREDNISolone prescribed by the doctor. Abstaining from nuts didn't help. I spent one day researching on eczema and many folks reported solving it 100% through apple cider, iodine, or hydrogen peroxide. All 3 agents kill fungal and bacteria, with Iodine listed as the best antiviral, antifungal, and antiseptic.

I dunk my entire right hand in hydrogen peroxide since it's cheap at 50 cents per bottle. I also dunk my right hand in apple cider bottle ($1.29). Vinegar has antibacterial and antifungal properties. Hippocrates, the father of medicine, thought vinegar was a powerful elixir and used the vinegar-mother to fight common germs. After that I smeared Aquaphor to heal.

Rash gone, redness gone, no more itching for 1 week. It's a miracle to wake up and NOT scratching my right hand until it bleeds. I googled "athletic foot" and my right-hand rash looks exactly like that: fungal infection, since it's ONLY ON my right hand. I also drink 1 cup of Kefir everyday, and use Aquaphor to heal the blisters.

My hard-well & very alkaline water has a lot to do with eczema, both with my kid when she was a baby, and now my right hand. Probiotics like Kefir help because those bacteria helps to regulate my body's pH, making it more acidic to promote healthy bacteria flora, plus suppressing pathogenic fungi. Here's a government-document from PublMed on the best pH for skin surface: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18489300

"It is demonstrated that skin with pH values below 5.0 is in a better condition than skin with pH values above 5.0, as shown by measuring the biophysical parameters of barrier function, moisturization and scaling. The effect of pH on adhesion of resident skin microflora was also assessed; an acid skin pH (4-4.5) keeps the resident bacterial flora attached to the skin, whereas an alkaline pH (8-9) promotes the dispersal from the skin."

That's in contrast to my water pH of near 8.9, more alkaline than baking soda (pH 8.5).

Read more: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/vinegar-kills-bacteria-mold-germs.html#ixzz3XrzCOdqk

" Vinegar has been reputed to have strong antibacterial properties. One test by Good Housekeeping's microbiologist found that 5% vinegar is 90% effective against mold and 99.9% effective against bacteria,[57]"

Here's how vinegar helps with fungal infection, either from dirty garden gloves like my case, or dirty tools or floor like athletic foot.

" Toenail fungus, also known as onychomycosis, is a very common problem. The fungus tends to thrive under certain conditions, such as abnormal pH levels of the skin, continuous exposure to a moist environment including sweaty shoes and socks, poor hygiene.

White vinegar

Vinegar is one of the oldest and effective home remedies for foot fungus, athlete’s foot , foot blister and other infectious skin disease. Soak your foot in white vinegar and water mixture solution for 15 minutes. Make sure to rinse foot and dry well after using this remedy.

Vicks Vapor

According to Mayoclinic, many individuals have been reported on the effectiveness of this remedy although no clinical study has been done yet. First soak your foot in vinegar for a few minutes using hot water and trim nails before that. Then dry your foot and rub some Vicks on infected area especially between the toes."

*** From Straw: Hydrogen perioxide works well against BOTH fungal and bacterial infection, without the burning of apple-cider-vinegar. I used both, I prefer hydrogen perioxide, full-strength for rash.

Thank you for you very well informed comment. I will pass this on to my hubby.

Also, maybe small amount of PURE, ORGANIC --- virgin coconut oil. Raw honey (can be costly) is very healing to skin too.

I think we are all showing signs that we cannot take the chemicals we are bombarded with constantly. Just my opinion. But the chemicals we eat, slather on our skin, breath deep into our lungs all go through liver/kidneys,etc. Some end up as rashes on our skin.

To be covered up or put to sleep with modern meds/drugs. NOT CURED. NOT DEALT WITH as some beginning of something. Just looked at as a nuisance. Drug it away. Cover it up and go about becoming even more loaded down with toxins.

I believe this. For I lived it. Couldn't even stand a runny nose - had to run to the doctor and come back with four prescriptions to stop. NOT CURE. Or even find why. Just drug after drug after drug that never helped.