Soaking in listerine, helped the nail fungus, my husband got one time. The doctor had told him to try it. It has to be the old original listerine, not the fancy ones that taste better. :-)

DHs doctor also recommended the listerine soak but said he had to do it for months. He did and there seemed to be some improvement but he let his get bad before he did anything about it so it's not like it's completely gone.

Anything you try will have to be consistent for a long long time as nails grow so slowly. A fungus is a living thing, so you have to create an environment in which it can't grow. Best thing is to walk barefoot as much as possible as a warm moist shoe is the perfect environment for them. I haven't had the problem as I walk barefoot or wear sandals a lot. DH on the other hand has had the issue for years and he's tried home remedies and Rx remedies and has only met with limited success. We've tried twice a day applying vinegar...made the bedroom smell like a deli. We've tried noxema. He did the lamisil topical, but we didn't want him taking it internally because of side effects. Now he's doing kerasol which is OTC. I'm not sure any of it works, but the one thing he doesn't do is go barefoot...he's right from slippers into shoes and hardly ever wears sandals. And for years for work he wore steel tip shoes which allowed for zero air circulation.

We haven't tried listerine soak though...I'll mention it to him.

My husband had good luck using the Footlogix product below, but it does take a long time. Probably TMI, but part of his toenail eventually fell off (painlessly) and healthy nail grew in behind it. He also started doing better foot care in general. He now often goes to a certified pedicurist at a medispa, will only wear high-cotton content socks, and often changes his socks part way through the day if his feet are sweaty.

https://www.footlogix.com/Products/Retail-Products/Anti-Microbial-Solutions/Footlogix-Nail-Tincture-with-SPIRALEEN

I used Tea Tree oil on a fingernail, once a day, took several months but it worked. Smells awful though.

I just hired someone to trim my father's toenails, he has awful fungus, has for as long as I can remember. He suggested tea tree oil. Also another option but I can't remember it, will try to find it.

I bought it at Walmart, a little bottle was about 10.00 but you put it on with an eyedropper so don't use much at a time

Thank you all. The only recommendation I haven't tried or heard of is the Footlogix, so will look into that. Forgot to mention that I've also had laser but at $100 a shot it's pricey and my dermatologist doesn't believe it works so I'm discontinuing it. I used tea tree oil before the original bout and continued once the new nails grew in but it obviously didn't prevent it from returning. I'm hopeful the UV lights along with the medication will help; I hate it SO much!

smh, with this second bout I also have lost part of my nails on the big toes (only place I have it) which didn't happen the first go around. Maybe that's a good thing? As I said, when it returned, it returned with a vengeance!

I’m sorry the vinegar soak didn’t work for you. When DM lived with me she got a fungal infection in her thumbnail. The dermatologist had her soak her thumb in a solution of 1/4 c white vinegar to 2 cups water. I think it was 3 times per day. I made up a small Tupperware bottle of the stuff and she poured a small amount of the solution into a cup and did the soaking. Keeping it dry between soakings. It worked brilliantly and hasn’t returned. Maybe someone else will benefit from this info.

I tried a few home remedies and otc kerasal, didn't really help. The only thing that helped was Vick's vaporub, or the generic equivalent. 2-3x a day. It took probably 2 or 3 months.

That is crazy that the fungal infection is so hard to kill! Another reason why I avoid going and having manicures and pedicures!

I went to the podiatrist a few months back, only because of vanity.

My complaint was that my big toe was starting to look like "old lady toenail(s)" in that, the top half of one of my big toes- toenail was white and getting thick. I was shocked Dr. said I had a fungus!

I wasn't shocked because I think I'm too good and careful to get a nail fungus, I just thought it was white because I have always had pedicures for so many years, and also that a couple of times I had a gel pedicure, which they peel off the top layer of your nail bed sometimes, which is why I rarely get gel manicures. I haven't done that for a couple of years on my nails or toenails, I only do regular manicures and polish, not gel. I didn't know what was going on, but I certainly didn't see any green that I thought fungus would look like. But, the thickness is what I was really unhappy about.

Anyhoo, he said I had three options. Laser removal-whole toenail comes off-no thank you! A prescription-don't remember the name-but there were suppose to be side effects-don't remember what they were-but I just didn't want to take medication for that long. The third option, he had some medicine he sold at his office called Clear Nails Pro (I TRY to remember to brush on twice a day) and he also said get some Biotin (to make the grow out process quicker)-this was the least expensive and least invasive for me. I have been doing this for about 5 months now, and the white part of toenail has almost grown out. I haven't had a pedicure in those 5 months-and I'm a girl who get her pedicures! He did say you could brush it over your nail polish, and it is still suppose to work?? I just left mine au naturelle, since it was mostly during the winter months, in hopes it worked better and quicker. It does look like the healthy part of my toenail is going to go back to not being thick anymore-fingers crossed.

NOW, that I'm getting close to having healthy toenail(s) again-I don't want to ruin it by going someplace and getting it again! I miss my pretty painted toes! So, I am still wondering what to do about that.

Note: Dr said at least half his patients are women who come into see him complaining they don't want "old lady toenails" and find out they have a fungus.

Boy, did this turn out long.

Glad something is working for you. Did your doc tell you to avoid nail salons? I wonder if you can even get a fungus in your nails from one, because if you could, why wouldn't ALL of your nails have them? If you actually can, I definitely find a salon with exemplary sanitation practices.

Your comment about "old lady tonails" reminds me of a time I saw David Sedaris in person. I think he mostly reads his essays, but I don't recall seeing this in any of his books. He was talking about his grandmother, I think, and related that her toes/nails looked like leftover pieces of fritos left in the bottom of the bag. So funny and so true!

Oly, Dr. didn't say to avoid nail salons and I didn't think to ask why only one toe nail had it. I just assumed I got it from the nail salon. I guess I don't have faith in ANY nail salon of their sanitation practices-I thought I was going to two of the most reputable in town. Actually, I have had it for a couple of years, so I don't remember. Could have even gotten it on one of our vacays, now that I think about it. Who knows! LOL

I think I will continue the Clear Nails Pro-even after my toe nail fungus area grows all the way out, just for precaution.

Olliesmom, thank you for sharing your experience. I think you are on the right track about continuing the Clear Nails Pro after your new nails come in. In retrospect I probably should have continued with something similar after my new nails grew in but I became overly confident that it was permanently gone which I very much regret!

The aesthetician who has lasered my nails is a huge proponent of vinegar soaks and UV light in the shoes. If I'm able to get rid of the fungus again, I will continue to use the UV light in my shoes on a permanent basis and something like the Clear Nails Pro or Footlogix on the nails.

It is my understanding that there is no real consensus as to how nail fungus develops; it is also believed it can be related to trauma to the toe. I know a runner who believes her fungus is caused from her toe constantly hitting the toe box of her shoe. I'm not convinced it's caused by nail salons; I avoid nail salons because I don't enjoy the experience, preferring to do my own, yet I still got it. As you said, who knows!!

I spoke with someone who got on top of his. He said constant upkeep and vigilance was the key, removing dead skin daily and constantly treating his toes. I try . . . The fungus treatments kills the fungus and the skin layer it is feeding on, but the fungus feeds on dead skin too, so you have to keep exfoliating. You have to put "foot care" on your daily routine just like brushing your teeth. Ugh. I need more and more routine maintenance every day it seems!

Gentian violet. Seriously. I can remember my grandmother talking about this being used for this and that on her when she was a child. Last year I took my dad to my foot dr. and he had a fungus in one of his big toenails. She trimmed the nail and painted it with gentian violet. It will stain your skin (and anything else it touches), but it does work. It's an old remedy with antifungal properties.

ipink, can you expand on removing the dead skin daily? How?

Tina, thank you....I will look into the Gentian violet. I've never heard of it!

He didn't go into detail it was just a casual conversation and I didn't really know the guy. I met him at a seminar about migraines. But I suspect a pumice stone. They make all different kinds. They also make dead skin files. I've even heard of folks using microplanes but that would be more than I would need.

I had a fungus on my big toe nail and after a lot of reading & taking medication for it, I found the solution. This is pricey but it works.

Tea Tree Oil kit

The first thing you do is file the nail down as much as you can, even the top of the nail. You want to thin it as much as possible so the oils can reach the fungus. IMO, filing is the key to a fast recovery. Use an emery board, you can throw them away.

Warning, the smell is potent! I soak my feet in a big plastic tub outside because of the smell. lol

Other than looks, is toe fungus dangerous? I believe I have it on several toes. The thickened nails don't look great but I don't think it impacts me in any other way.

Oakley, thank you! I'm beginning to wonder if different remedies don't work for different people? I've used tea tree oil religiously (along with filing the nail as thin as possible) during my first bout with fungus and since but can't say I've seen improvement due to it. The only thing that worked 100% was Lamisil but I really do not want to go that route again if I can avoid it.

I may try the kit you linked to anyway in addition to the UV shoe lights, UV manicure light (with lots of sunscreen!), Footlogix, vinegar soaks, Gentian violet (after sandal season ends!), and whatever else I can throw at it.

reff31, it is my understanding that toenail fungus isn't dangerous.

My DD has had a nail fungus for as long as I can remember --years. She has faithfully tried nearly every remedy suggested here. However since the pandemic she's working from home and only occasionally wears sneakers walking our dogs. So she is basically barefoot 24/7 and the fungus has nearly disappeared. When going into the office she always had on boots with socks because her feet would freeze in the a/c air. She also never got professional pedicures so it wasn't from that. Barefoot works for her.

I wonder if there aren't different strains of fungus, with some more resistant than others to treatment. I only wear sandals during the summer months but the fungus didn't care.

Since starting this thread I did several things and the fungus appears to be gone. First, my dermatologist put me on an anti-fungal med by mouth (not Lamisil or the like but a general anti-fungal med, the name of which escapes me). At the same time I began using Footlogix mentioned above. I also purchased UV lights for my shoes (https://www.amazon.com/s?k=shoe+uv+light+sanitizer&crid=AOBI4833CXKR&sprefix=shoe+uv+lights%2Caps%2C234&ref=nb_sb_ss_i_1_14) and have been religious about using them. I also put my feet under a UV manicure light for 15 minutes twice a week but have recently reduced to once/week. I apply sunscreen beforehand.

As I said, the toenails now look great but given the ups and downs I've had over the years, in my mind it is lurking around so I continue with UV lights and Footlogix. With few exceptions I didn't/don't get pedicures and only occasionally apply polish myself for special occasions removing it as soon as possible. My experience has shown the fungus to come on very fast so I don't want polish to obscure my ability to see it early on.

Again, I appreciate all those who offered advice!

Note: this old thread was bumped by some who has a record of posting bland remarks and then coming back days later to edit the post to add spam. Done it before, will do it again.

And there's the spam edit! Please flag and report spam when you see it.

ETA: Looks like the spam post is now gone, thank goodness!