If its really a toenail fungus it is hard to treat even with medical help so if you are concerned about it I would go see a doctor to begin treating it before it gets worse. The longer it is left to grow the harder it will be to treat. OTC treatments are likely not strong enough to penetrate the nail to get to the fungus to kill it.

Hi always, a bit to unpack in your post.

Tee tree oil does nothing for nail fungus.

You don’tknow what you have, other than your guessing. IMPO, I guess I am in a minority, but I would not go to a pedicure place. Call me hyper-vigilant, but that seems like a good place to acquire a nail infection.

Keep your nails clean and dry. Keep watch and observe your nails. If the white patches are on the nail surface, that seems to me to indicate something else. If you think you have the beginning of nail fungus, I would get it looked at soon.

When I first had something odd going on with one of my big toes, years ago, I saw a doctor a Lahey Clinic who dimissively said I had an ”infection” and nothing more. I was young and did not understand and that doctor was remiss. Now I have nail fungal infection to multiple toenails. I am now unable to take that systemic oral medication and that is the only way to effectively treat/erradicate it. If he had told me, or treated the small area of the large toenail back then, it would have saved me a lot of discomfort and the spreading of the infection.

Not everyone exposed to the fungus that causes nail infection or athlete’s foot will acquire it. The condition (disease) seems to effect those with some genetics that make it easier.

I'd have it checked out by a medical professional just to be safe. Bob Marley died in 1981 at age 36 from melanoma - under his toenail.

Could be nothing. Could be something. He thought it was a soccer injury.

Kind of a bummer because I've never had any issues going to a nail salon but you hear of stories. UGH!!

I have one in my big toenail. I tried to treat it myself and it didn't work. I was prescribed Jublia, but insurance wouldn't take it so I was given Ciclopirox instead. I started taking that. The next visit to my posiatrist she had a sample for 50 treatments of the Jublia with instructions to switch back to the Cicloplex when I ran out. That helped. It's almost grown out.

I was given instructions to file the top layer of my nail every few days so the medication could penetrate. The podiatrist used a dremel. I tried a nail file, but have had better results with the metal file I have for working on wood.

Years ago someone mentioned Vicks Vaporub for nail fungus. I thought it sounded odd and asked a pharmacist one day. Her response was ”Yes, because of the eucalyptus.” However, I’ve not had nail fungus and can’t vouch for it. I’ve heard it’s hard to treat even with prescriptions. Have also heard some of the meds can be nasty.

For goodness sake, go to a doctor and then stay out of nail salons!

Chloebud, eucalyptus trees smells wonderful. Vicks or eucalyptus will not address nail fungus. Folk myth.

Anecdotally, I did personally remedy toenail fungus with tea tree oil. However, it took a lonngggggg freakin' time and I applied it twice a daily religiously. Ymmv

I had a similar problem on my big toes. In my case, it wasn’t fungus. Doctor said - and nail person confirmed - that it happens in some nails when polish is left on too long. My white patches eventually grew out over several months. So now I put polish on, wear it a week or two, remove it, and go without polish for a few weeks. But I would check with your doctor for diagnosis. I love using Kerasal ointment on my heels; it keeps them really smooth.

“Chloebud, eucalyptus trees smells wonderful.”

Not sure about the myth but they can be pretty trees. Lots of the Silver Dollar variety here. The smell’s a little too medicinal for me.

I whiffed them many years ago, they were tall so I wasn’t close. I’d about eat a tree if it would cure nail fungus.

In horrid weather (100 degrees) I forgo my daily trail hike and do 10 laps around the local mall. The busiest place there is the nail salon. I must be living in another era because this skeeves me out. Once my daughter gave me a wonderful birthday gift of a day at a fancy spa. I loved every second of it but the last thing was a manicure and polish. The minute I got home, I removed it. My granddaughter goes to a nail salon every other week for fancy treatments. I don't think she ever lets her nails breathe. It must be a generational thing. I have heard horror stories of nail fungus and it's nothing to mess with. Thankfully I have never had it.

I wonder if you have fungus at all. White marks usually mean some small bumping that damages the nail surface or it can just be dry patches from too many chemicals like polish remover. That would call for moisturizers if you care about dry patches. I think you are supposed to squeeze your toenail and if it pinks up and the mark goes away for a moment it isn't some sort of full thickness or underlying nail bed thing. It doesn't hurt to have it checked out of course.

The herbal in Vicks that is supposed to kill nail fungus isn't the Eucalyptus, If you look in inactive ingredients you will see Thymol. Oil of Thyme has verified anti fungal properties. Some people swear by it.