If you want to know how to kill toenail fungus fast, you’re not alone. If you don’t use onychomycosis home remedies or over-the-counter treatments, it can spread to your other nails quickly. Leaving it alone in the hope that it’ll just go away is a big mistake.
The fungus is spread easily in warm/moist conditions, such as gyms, saunas, and swimming pools. This is why it’s so important to wear sandals or flip-flops on your feet whenever you use these places. Just as you can catch it from other people, you can just as easily pass it to a member of the family. This means that you have to take precautions, such as sterilizing the shower area, after you’ve finished washing.
If you get pedicures, nail fungus can be spread if the salon doesn’t disinfect tools after treating each patient. Also, women are more likely to get acrylic nails or paint their toenails. Doing so can make the situation worse unless you switch to antifungal toenail polishes.
In this post, you’ll discover how to get rid of an infection, either with the best over the counter toenail fungus medicine, or home remedies. We’ll take a closer look at what does and doesn’t work, so you’re able to make an informed decision on how you should proceed.
Table of Contents:
What Are the Different Types of Toenail Fungus?
- Distal Subungual Onychomycosis – It infects the top of the nail and the skin along the side of the nail, causing the toenail to become yellow in color.
- White Superficial Onychomycosis – The visible signs are white powdery specks on the surface of the toenail(s). It’s often mistaken for a scratched nail. The nail may become brittle, but it’s the easiest condition to cure.
- Proximal Subungual Onychomycosis – It causes yellow spots to appear on the cuticle, and it has the potential to spread quickly.
These conditions are treatable, but it’s sensible to see your healthcare provider, podiatrist, or dermatologist if you’re in any way unsure what is wrong, or if the condition has become more serious. They can rule out any underlying causes of the infected nail by scraping a piece off and sending it to a lab for testing. They can also prescribe stronger medications that we can buy over the counter, but they do have some potentially unpleasant side effects.
Consequently, they will usually advise you to use an over-the-counter treatment to kill toenail fungus fast. You may also be able to cure it with a home remedy, but OTC products tend to work better. This is because manufacturers use the best that nature in their solutions.
Best OTC Toenail Fungus Treatment
Dr. G’s Clear Nail Antifungal Treatment will get rid of toenail fungus. You should start to use this treatment as soon as possible so that it can work fast to stop the fungus from spreading. It has a patented system that works to penetrate the nail. This is a maximum-strength product.
To learn more about this treatment, read the customer reviews on Amazon or check out our Dr. G’s Clear Nail Antifungal Treatment review.
Xenna NonyX Nail Gel works fast to kill off toenail fungus. When your foot or toes’ pH balance isn’t right, keratin will cause your toenail to turn yellow and brittle. This treatment will kill the dead cells, returning your toenails back to normal.
Our review of Xenna NonyX Nail Gel goes into more depth about this product, and you can also check out the latest customer reviews on Amazon.com.
How to Kill Toenail Fungus Naturally
Several natural remedies are proven to work. Thursday Plantation Tea Tree Solution is a good all-natural treatment. Tea Tree Oil is an essential oil that works wonders to kill infections and foot fungus. The oil is native to Australia. It is used to cure toenail fungus and treat a wide variety of nail/skin conditions.
You only have to apply a small amount to your nails 2 to 3 times a day. With continued usage, this treatment also prevents the fungus from coming back. Learn more about how Thursday Plantation Tea Tree Solution can help you by reading customer reviews from people who’ve bought and used this product on Amazon.
Onychomycosis Home Remedies
Apple Cider Vinegar – An apple cider vinegar foot soak is a good remedy for killing toenail fungus. It is a mild natural acid that is both antibacterial and antifungal. This is because the fungus is unable to survive in acidic solutions.
All that you have to do is mix it and water (equal amounts), and soak your feet in the mixture for 30 minutes a day. If you have a very mild form of toenail fungus, you’ll start to see improvement in as little as 3 weeks. Much depends on how well the soak can target the fungus that’s got underneath the toenail.
Vicks VapoRub – A clinical study has been done on killing toenail fungus with Vicks Vapo Rub. Vicks contains eucalyptus oil, camphor, and thymol. The petroleum jelly is believed to help the antifungal agents to reach the bed of the nail, improving its effectiveness.
For this toenail fungus remedy to work, you have to cover the entire nail(s) and not rub it off. You can put a band-aid on it to ensure that it doesn’t come off. This method works for some people, but not everyone. There are also faster treatments for toenail fungus available.
Massage the Vicks into the affected toenail twice a day, morning and night. You have to remember to do this every day. If you miss sessions or go a few days without treatment, you’re unlikely to get results. Your nail will start to become darker. This tells you that it is working – it is killing the fungus. When the new nail grows, cut the old one with the best thick toenail clippers. This will allow the treatment to work better, as well as allowing the nail to grow through eventually.
Toenail fungus is not to be treated lightly. If you allow it to continue, the infection will worsen. Use a tea tree oil-based solution, such as the Purely Northwest System. This 3-part system will kill toenail fungus and give you healthy toenails.
