Toenail Fungus Treatment, Causes of Toenail Fungus

Toenail fungus is a very annoying problem and not one that is easily solved. One of the biggest issues with the fungus is that it does not live on the surface of your nail but down in the nail bed. This makes it very difficult to reach when using any kind of topical solution.

Toenail fungus is caused by a small parasite called a dermatophyte.  These dermatophytes live beneath the surface of the nail so it’s not always easy to reach them with topical solutions.  One of the steps that is recommended is to try and keep your nails trimmed short.  This will reduce the area and food for them.

Though natural treatments for toenail fungus abound, you are still advised to visit your physician even if you do plan to treat your toenail fungus without using prescription medicines. First of all, you should make sure that you are properly diagnosed with onychomycosis which is the scientific name for toenail fungus. Using treatments for onychomycosis when in fact you have another disorder can worsen your condition.

Treatment for fungus nails can vary from traditional medicines and creams to various holistic type options.  Ultimately, you will have to decide which option fits you best.  Some of the oral medications for nail fungus can be quite expensive and many come with significant side effects.

Another factor associated with time and toenail fungus infections is that, should you stop treatment before a new and healthy nail has grown in, you run a pretty good risk of becoming infected again by any surviving fungus under your toenail. The dermatophyte responsible for toenail fungus infections is a hardy little guy. It only takes one surviving spore to repopulate the colony under your nail and you’ll find yourself right back at square one with the clock reset to zero.

Using Tea Tree Oil:Tea tree oil is used as a one of the source for the toenail fungus treatment. It’s a powerful anodyne and fungicide. You have to clean the toe using cotton dipped in the tea tree oil. Follow this twice in a day, morning and before your sleep.

You can avoid getting toe nail fungus by avoiding warm and moist environments such as locker rooms, public showers or spas etc where the chances of catching toe nail fungus is high. The idea is to try to keep your toe from making contact with the floor at these places. So wearing shoes, sandals or flip flops can help a lot.

If you are certain that you have toenail fungus, treating it starts with the daily care and hygiene of your feet.  One of the most important steps is to make sure that your feet are kept clean and dry.  Using a good antifungal soap is recommended and you can follow that up with a foot powder to keep your feet dry.

Many people find that when it comes to treating nail fungus Listerine and vinegar combined offer even faster results. Fungi do not do well in an acid environment, so adding vinegar to Listerine may give your home remedy a little extra punch, combining the acidic vinegar with whatever is in the Listerine (presumably the disinfectant) that kills the fungal infection. Some people have had good success mixing a half-and-half solution and just painting it on the infected nails several times a day