Nail Fungus and Herbal Remedies
Nail fungus (also known as onychomycosis) is supposedly one of those medical conditions that doctors immediately give up on, much like my warts. It’s very hard to get rid of simply because the fungus lives comfortably underneath the hard and well-protected nails. It’s moist, warm, and for toenails, dark, all of which are perfect conditions for fungus proliferation. Ironic how the very thing that’s evolved to protect humans also turns out to be the best defense system for the fungus.
Unfortunately one of my toe nails got infected somehow, and the stupid fungus just keeps spreading under the nail, making it thick and flaky, sometimes even powderish. Apparently there are a few high tech and a couple of low tech solutions to remedy the situation…
Lamisil
One hi-tech solution is taking Lamisil tables once a day for, oh, 8 months or so. But this is probably the most stupid method. Lamisil is known to severely damage the liver beyond recovery. That’s why the stupid thing needs a prescription and close monitoring from a doctor with periodic liver check ups. It gets expensive with the pills, doctors visits and liver tests. This is an example where modern medicine does more harm than good to mankind. I can’t believe Novartis got the drug approved by the increasingly useless USFDA. I mean, who in their right mind would allow a company to market a drug that could potentially kill a patient for a medical condition that’s not even remotely close to fatal? FDA should be sued for this. It’s been said that the rate of curing onychomycosis is only roughly 30%, obviously not high enough to risk one’s life on. And because of its potential danger, only the young and extraordinarily healthy are recommended for this drug.
Anti-fungal Creams
Enough about Lamisil and FDA’s increasing incompetence. The next hi-tech solution the anti-fungal creams like Nizoral, Leucatin, or Tineacide, or you can try the cream version of Lamisil. What the hell… Lamisil cream? So there’s more than one way Lamisil can f*ck with your body?
Apparently anti-fungal creams are among the least effective form of treatment on nail fungus; they simply drive the fungus deeper into the nail bed. But even this is better than gambling with that stupid Lamisil.
Surgical Removal
The last hi-tech method that I am aware of is by removing the infected nails completely. But of course, this is a bit over the top for such pesky creature. Every surgery comes with its own risks. And it seems the fungus is not worth the risk. Even then, the odds of surviving a surgical removal, I’d bet, is still better than Lamisil.
Enough of hi-tech.
Now let’s move on to the low-tech remedies that actually work surprisingly well. It’s been said (in various forums and articles) that natural remedies are by far the most effective ways to treat the condition without giving away your right arm (or liver).
Vinegar
Some people claim that applying distilled vinegar twice a day on the infected nails changes the pH levels of the nails for 12 hours in each application. The acidic vinegar is soaked in the nail; the change in pH level makes the fungus disinterested in inhabiting in the nail. But because vinegar doesn’t actually kill the fungus, any laziness in application will allow a lapse in the pH level and gives the fungus that much more time to be around. It’s said that after about 7 to 8 months of diligent application, the infected nail will be completely grown out. That’s when you get to enjoy a fungus-less life.
I tried the vinegar. The down side of this is that it stinks (figuratively and literally). The nails change color after a few days because of the changes in the pH level. This is by far the cheapest remedy though… However, it is at the expense of your social life… It’s probably not worth it if you don’t want people to think you smell funny every time they are around you. If you can cleverly cover up the browning color of the nails and the pungent vinegar smell, this may be for the budget-minded you.
The Magical Tea Tree Oil
The last remedy, which is also highly recommended by many people, is using an oil extract from a tree native to Australia. Tea tree oil naturally possesses an anti-fungal property in its chemical make up, making it the natural choice to treat nail fungus. And because of its potency and strength, applying it twice a day, many people have reclaimed their nails in as little as three months! It can also be used to effectively treat athlete’s foot.
I started on tea tree oil today. Hopefully I will be able to blog about my success in a couple of months. A bottle of 1-fl. oz/30ml of tea tree oil costs about $10 at Whole Foods. And it smells very nice… No more stinky vinegar! My added twist to the remedy is that I actually took a nail filer and filed the nail down to as thin as possible to increase absorption of the stuff into the nail bed. I also took a blade to carve a small marker at the root of the nail so that I know when the last portion of the infected nail is gone.
My conclusion is, nature provides so much in terms of disease control without the unnecessary side affects that modern medicine usually (and almost always) comes with. People should take advantage of the proven successes of certain alternative medicines. Some people argue that such remedies do not have enough studies to quantify their effectiveness. And besides, they are not regulated by the FDA. What? Did you say the FDA? The FDA has more ties to the drug industry than George W. Bush has brain cells. Who is to say that whatever FDA approves is safer than thousands of years of trial and error with herbal medicine. In the case of Chinese medicine, every use (or combination uses of as well as their side effects) are well documented. One document in particular, is Ben Cao Gang Mu (《本草綱目》), or “The Compendium Materia Medica” (more info here) is complete with descriptions and pictures for the properties of each herb. I mean, the FDA only approves drugs after certain success rate in human testing in a given number of years. Herbal medicine has been human tested for thousands of years. And yet we doubt its effectiveness? That’s not to say that any kind of herbal remedy should be taken lightly. But to write it off completely is just plain silly.
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December 8th, 2005 at 12:29 pm
Sorry, but how come you get all sort of crazy things growing on you? Haha..
Yeb, very true. FDA can’t be trusted blindly. How about the array of other different drugs that FDA has had approved on but had to be later pull off the shelf?
December 8th, 2005 at 1:44 pm
More preciously, nothing under the Bush Administration can be trusted. Period.
Look at the Justice Department’s pursuit of Microsoft’s monopoly practice under Clinton? They were ready to prosecute Microsoft to the fullest extend of the law. But as soon as the Bush/Dick team came along, they basically just slapped the software giant on the hand and said, “You bad bad bad boy. Yes you are. Now give me reelection funding a kiss.”
I mean, what’s not so obvious for the American voters to see just how fraudulent and crooked this Administration is? But then again, I am not surprised they won the re-election. They rigged it. There are only a few companies in the U.S. that makes voting machines, all of which have close Republican ties. I will find the proof to support this later in another blog entry.
I don’t know man… Better than having obscure and survivable stuff like this than terminal illness I guess.
December 8th, 2005 at 7:39 pm
I have that fungus. Or at least a similar one. Except on my fingers. I tried several creams. (I have a really long list…) No one will let me try the oral meds (there’s a new one called “Sporanox” that’s not as potent as Lamisil.) because they fear for my liver. I tried vinegar also. Man, that hurts in open wounds. See, mine has gotten tired of my fingernails and moved up my fingers… it hangs around my finger joints now. Then the skin cracks and bleeds and doesn’t heal quickly.
*sigh*
I started a new cream this month with a new doctor. He says with regular application twice a day the skin will be permeated enough that the fungus will give up and then application can be reduced to once a week or so. Most importantly, he said that the fungus will never go away. even if oral medication is used. See, the fungus is everywhere and there are just some people whose skin is more susceptable to it and will just have to suffer through.
Some people have said that washing dishes at restaurants helped them. Hot water with bleach in it will probably kill anything.
I guess I’d rather have my liver and live with the fungus.
December 8th, 2005 at 8:20 pm
I will keep you posted on how this miracle tea tree oil extract works. I didn’t know the fungus can live WITHIN the skin in the joints!! That’s crazy man. I have at least 3 fingers infected and a toe.
It all started years ago with one finger… But somehow I made it go away by diligently and constantly shaving the infected part of the nail off (including the flakes, dead skins and the like). Not to take any chances, I am applying tea tree oil on that nail too.
I hate this fungus thing so badly that I briefly (very briefly) pondered on having Grace slam a door on one of my nails so that it could fall off and I can do away with the stupid fungus completely… But Grace seemed a bit too eager to do it… So I chickened out on that one…
December 9th, 2005 at 12:33 am
Different from Onychonycosis. I got this Paronychia on both toes. F*cking hurts…
December 9th, 2005 at 5:58 pm
And I thought that “World’s Ugliest Dog” was disgusting. Yecch! Here’s to Chu for a post worthy of shock and awe.
Keep on keepin’ on, you WiredAtomic bastard…
December 18th, 2005 at 1:59 pm
I have had fungus on my toenails since I was very young about 5 or so and nothing in the last 28 years has worked as well as miconazole nitrate. I have seen more dermatologists in my life than I care to count. I have even done the Grisofulvin treatments. They were mildly successful but I could not understand why the Doctor would not give me prescription long enough to completely kill the infection. One refill and I have to return for another visit and another presciption and pay for another doctor visit. I got tired of the merry-go-round.
I recently found a topical cream at Wal-Mart of all places that has worked well for me. I began using it twice daily but only use it once daily now. Along with the nail infection I had tenia pedis that I would consider severe and totally involved the soles of both of my feet. I knew through years of consultations that I had to cure that problem first. I saw marked improvement in approximately one week. No cracking, itching, burning or dry flaking skin. I have been using it now everyday since April. It has been a slow battle with the fungus, but I am satisfied with the results thus far. I even bought sandles for the first time in my life this summer and wore them out in public. It sounds like a small thing but it was very liberating for me. I have noticed that my nails have reduced in thickness and several of them are almost clear and present relatively normal. If you didn’t know what they looked like before you’d never know. The cream is called “Clearly confident Fungus Treatment” and claims to be military strength. It’s produced by Ganeden Biotech and costs about $14.00 for a 1 oz. tube.
I’m ready to close this long episode in my life and have written what I have to ask if anyone else has used this product with absolute success. I’m now interested in information on long term usage of this product. I have scoured the internet looking for any information or personal experiences but to date have found none. More to the point, I am interested to find out if anyone has experienced any reccurance after an extensive period of use. Please contribute your experience and best of luck to those effected.
July 2nd, 2007 at 10:29 pm
i need a detailed note on the method of extraction and processing of antifungal nail infection extracts ,….
i’ve also need the name of plants … and the accurate configuration of herbal extract with numerical value….
i hope u’ll intimate the information soon…
thank you,
your’s truthfully,
ganesh.b
July 16th, 2007 at 2:37 pm
I have been getting my nails done since I was thirteen years old and about six months ago a fungus showed up on two of my finger nails. I tried everything to get rid of it. I heard about a supplement on Doug Kauffman’s show called Caprylic Acid at http://www.pionair.net . I purchased this anti-fungal supplement and after a few weeks the yellow look in my nails was gone. My nails are now clear of fungus and look healthier then they ever have. I have use all kind of fungal treatment and this has been the only one that works.
February 26th, 2008 at 9:03 am
Two FDA Registered products manufacturered by Almell Products, Ltd. under the brand Poshe’ in Dallas, Texas, USA — http://www.poshenails.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=25
One is a nail polish — it stays on the nail. The other is a cuticle oil which soothes the surrounding tissue which tends to become irritated. Effective in treating and preventing fungus, mold, yeast, and bacterial infections. These products are very popular professional products, are used extensively in Salons and Spas, and are also recommended and sold by Medical Professionals. They worked for me.
April 14th, 2008 at 5:27 am
Thanks to exercising in too-tight gym shoes, I have had a toe nail fungus for more than a decade. I tried Lamisil three times and it didn’t work. (the second time, it suppressed my appetitie so much that I lost 15 pounds, along with some of my hair — gasp!) I tried Penlac, the prescription nail polish. Didn’t work. A nail tech recently suggested a fungus killer that includes miconazole nitrate. It cost me $10. I am praying for results! I am encouraged by the post above. As a woman, I can polish my nails and still wear sandals. But oh how I wish I could go au-natural! I started the new strategy this week, will report back soon!
April 25th, 2008 at 6:44 pm
True, many of the leading medicines are toxic. For all natural, safe remedies, choose a guide to walk you through the process to have success like others who have finally found relief after suffering for decades, follow this link: toenail fungus treatment review and comparison
May 5th, 2008 at 2:19 am
In this site we can find scientific information about herbs, their use in pregnancy and many other things
http://herbalinformation.awardspace.com
June 12th, 2008 at 10:45 am
I had this nail fungus for over 20 years of my life. Basically I have tried every treatment known including everything natural as well as prescription drugs. The Rx drugs almost cured me but then I ran out of Lamisil, the one nail that was still infected spread to the rest of the nails and I was right back where I started! Be extra careful when taking anti fungal drugs like lamisil, when I was on it I notice a ton of hair loss and also had heart palpitations.
July 11th, 2008 at 12:10 pm
Well, how about an update. Did the The Magical Tea Tree Oil work? Are you now free of nail fungus?
Anyone try: “Clearly confident Fungus Treatment” by Ganeden Biotech
Does it work?
I read somewhere about water-picking your nails with Listerine. Anyone try that and have good luck with it?
August 4th, 2008 at 1:03 pm
I used tea tree oil on nail fungus, and found that it helped. I added an equal amount of tincture of myrrh, and found that more effective. (Myrrh is a natural astringent, and has natural antibiotic properties, and, according to Traditional Chinese Medicine, promotes healing.) I found the combination to work faster, you still need to wait for the nail to grow out to get rid of the yellow. Trying to work the mixture under the nail (not so much that you hurt yourself) also speeds things up.
Also, taking some herbs to tonify the immune system may help, I personally recommend mushrooms like shiitake, reishi (ganoderma), maitake, and cordyceps, alone or in combination, each of these mushrooms seems to improve immune response.
August 21st, 2008 at 12:55 am
I am a Foot Doctor (podiatrist) who firmly believes in “Fungasoap” for treatment & prevention of all types of skin & nail fungus. It works beautifully on skin simply by using as a daily wash. You see and feel a difference right away. More importantly it prevents re-infection.
Lets face it folks; fungus in the nails is a different story. I start my patients with Fungasoap & topical tea-tree oil and then wait, up to one year. If there is no improvement, I then opt for Lamisil or surgical removal of nail plate. The latter usually takes care of the problem and as the nail grows back again (One Year) I encourage use of “Fungasoap”. The key is to understand that ANY treatment on fungal nails will take ONE year. Why? It takes one year for the average toenail to grow out completely. Nobody tells the average consumer this fact and therefore patients become discouraged and never complete treatment. And once you’ve gotten rid of the fungus you can become re-infected rather quickly after completing treatment drug. That is why “Fungasoap” shines. Regular routine showering or bathing with the product prevents re-infection 95% of the time in my office. Use it before & after your visit to the Pedicurist. It is made by Pedifix Inc. 1-800-PEDIFIX
October 9th, 2008 at 8:11 am
Two FDA Registered products manufactured by Almell Products, Ltd. under the brand Poshe’ in Dallas, Texas, USA — http://www.poshenails.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=25
One is a nail polish — it stays on the nail. The other is a cuticle oil which soothes the surrounding tissue which tends to become irritated. Effective in treating and preventing fungus, mold, yeast, and bacterial infections. These products are very popular professional products, are used extensively in Salons and Spas, and are also recommended and sold by Medical Professionals. They worked for me.
November 7th, 2008 at 9:18 am
Very useful post. where can i find more articles about treating nail fungus?
March 10th, 2009 at 6:39 pm
How goes the battle? Did you achieve victory over the fungus?
March 10th, 2009 at 9:43 pm
mixed success… i think the fungus has been contained on a couple of the nails… but it’s not showing any signs of relief on one toe nail… but then i haven’t been as diligent as i should be…
March 24th, 2009 at 11:39 am
Thank you for all the good advice. I have been suffering with this problem since I departed the military. Someone apparently didn’t tell them that it is not healthy to be in the trenches for extended amounts of time in combat boots and wet feet. Then the clencher is that they will not pay for the medicine that they claim will cure it. It costs too much. I am glad now that I did not get it because of what I have read today. I am going to try the tea tree oil and vinegar to see if one or the other helps. I also get these itchy bumps on the bottom of my feet which explode once you scratch them and the skin peels. Oh, the agony! Excruciating pain and itching! I don’t know if that is connected, but hopefully this new remedy will help.
Thanks again Maxi
April 15th, 2009 at 1:52 pm
You mentioned the vinegar remedy for nail fungus. For me, it was the single most successful treatment I ever tried. And the vinegar smell was no problem–as soon as it dried on my feet, there was no smell at all! Now…there IS a specific process in apply the vinegar correctly, and lots of ways to do it incorrectly. But if you master this, vinegar is the safest, surest way to go, IMHO.
thanks for writing this blog!
June 7th, 2009 at 12:37 pm
I just found out about the fott and nail fungus and what the dr. told me was very depressing. I am so glad to have found this site and am going to try the tea tree oil and vinegar. I also have athalets foot so I don’t know if that will help. Also have boumps on the bottom of my feet that my Dr told me we assosiated with the spider veins I have and thats what they were. This is a dermatologist telling me this. I will let you know what happens in my serach and trials.