How to Cure Toe Fungus With Vinegar
Toe fungus, while not life threatening, can be lifestyle threatening. Toe fungus is unsightly as well as irritating. The nail bed can become discolored, the nail itself will become thicker and sometimes even change colors. If the fungus is advanced enough, the nail will become raised off the nail bed with fungus growing under the nail. There are some pharmaceutical solutions, but they can be costly and ultimately may cause liver damage. Fungus can also grow under fingernails, although this may not be as common. Because vinegar is an acidic liquid, it is an effective cure for toenail fungus, which cannot live in an acid-based environment.
Instructions
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Wash feet and/or hands thoroughly with warm water and soap. Be sure to dry them afterward, paying special attention to any areas between and under toes where moisture can be trapped, providing a warm, moist home for fungus to grow. Pat the toenail (or fingernail) dry. Trim the nails and clean out as much of the material underneath the nail as possible.
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Prepare the bowl by pouring one part warm water and two parts apple cider vinegar into it. If soaking the feet, place bowl on a towel on the floor and soak feet for 15 to 20 minutes twice a day. If soaking hands, place bowl on a table and soak hands for the same duration and frequency.
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After soaking, be sure to dry the hands or feet thoroughly, again paying attention to areas between and under toes. Rub the nails as dry as possible, cleaning out the softened material under the nails. Keep the affected nails as dry as possible until the next time they are soaked in the vinegar solution.
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Soaking the affected areas twice a day for as little as six weeks, depending on the severity of the infection, will show results. Once you start to see improvement in the nail bed, reduce the soaking to once a day until the fungus is gone, possibly as long as a year. It will take about a year for a new, healthy nail to grow in, pushing the old, infected nail out. Sometimes the old nail will fall off, leaving the nail bed exposed while the new nail is growing in. Keep the nail trimmed as the new one grows in.
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Tips & Warnings
Soak the toe or fingernails just before going to bed. This will give the vinegar more time to 'work' on the fungus while you are sleeping. Wear cotton socks during the day to absorb as much moisture as possible. Dry feet with a blow dryer after bathing or showering to remove all moisture.
Do not use nail polish on the affected nails. The polish will trap moisture under it, promoting the growth of more fungus.
References
- Photo Credit http://www.everystockphoto.com/search.php?initialSearch=true&sField=nail+fungus&sBool=and&sSource=&sLicense=&sPortrait=on&sLandscape=on&sSquare=on&sMinW=&sMinH=&safeSearch=1&sDispRes=on&sDispLic=on&sDispSrc=on&sDispRtg=on&x=22&y=13
