How to Treat Nail Fungus with Tea Tree Oil

Use disposable tools, like cotton swabs, to treat a fungal infection.

Tea tree oil, a natural microbe fighter, has been used for hundreds of years to treat nail fungus and a wide range of other infections. A 1994 study published in the “Journal of Family Practice” found that cases of onychomycosis, the medical name for a fungal nail infection, responded equally well to applications of tea tree oil and a prescription antifungal ointment. Choose pure tea tree oil from a reliable supplier, and check the label to make sure that it derives from the Melaleuca alternifolia plant.

Things You'll Need

• Mild soap
• Paper towel
• Tea tree oil
• Cotton swab
• Cotton socks

Instructions

1. Cleanse the foot and the infected toe with warm water and mild soap. Dry thoroughly with a paper towel.

2. Saturate the tip of a cotton swab with tea tree oil.

3. Swipe the tea tree oil onto the infected nail. Cover the entire nail, not just the infected area, to help prevent the fungus from spreading.

4. Repeat the process at night before retiring and in the morning before you dress. Don't rinse the oil off. Wear a pair of clean cotton socks to keep the tea tree oil from staining clothes or furniture.

5. Continue treatment until the infection clears up. As a preventive measure, treat all toenails with tea tree oil once a week.

References

• “Natural Health, Natural Medicine”; Andrew Weil. M.D.; 2004
• “Journal of Family Practice”; Comparison of Two Topical Preparations for the Treatment Of Onychomycosis: Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Oil and Clotrimazole; D.S. Buck et al.; June 1994