Nail fungus

[highdesertgirl]

My friend is looking for an effective treatment for nail fungus that is on his toenails and now a thumbnail. He wants to avoid the heavy drugs suggested by standard MDs. Anyone know of effective alternatives?

[Ambergris]

Soak in Pau DArco tea.

[Grace&Violets]

I've heard that a good soak in apple cider vinegar can help.

[Violet]

Tea tree oil ! It works and is recommended at the diabetes ed. clinic I went to . I had to use it on a toenail once and it worked. My doctor said to get some stuff in the drugstore. It did not work, but the tea tree oil did. I always keep it here at the house.

[ScrubbieLady]

After cleaning, rub each nail and around the nail with Vicks VapoRub. Repeat twice a day if you can or at least before going to bed. My SIL had a finger nail eat up and awful. She started doing this twice a day and then would cover the nail with a bandaid. Took a while but in a couple of months, she had a healthy polished fingernail.

 

 

[RLM]

A 5 minute soak in white vinegar each morning after showering cleared mine up.

[MamaHill]

I tried *everything* to get rid of the toenail fungus I contracted while getting a pedicure.

 

I even tried Lamisil for months, and didn't do anything. (Only works in 85% of patients, BTW...)

 

Finally, I went to a podiatrist and this was his treatment: He took off my toenail, but left my nail bed so the nail would grow back. I kept it covered with a bandaid a couple of weeks just for protection. And now I have a beautifully pink, healthy nail again. It took several months to grow back completely, but I am so glad that I did it.

 

Personally, I tried everything - the tea tree oil, the Vicks, freezing my shoes, etc. None of it worked for me unfortunately. Removing the nail was the only thing that did.

[Gunplumber]

I got a creepy crud on my toenail in the jungle back in '86. It is still messed up.

It took ten years before the splitting stopped, and another 10 years for it to grow back sort-of contoured right. But the side that was messed up is still thicker than the other side and "crumbles" when I trim it.

 

But it doesn't hurt and doesn't stink, so I don't pay much attention to it.

 

My farrier uses a substance on hooves to fight fungus - thrush is common in the rare wet weather we have here in the desert.

 

It is acetone and something violet from wallmart and I think something else. I note that OTC antifungals use acetone as a carrier. MAybe something to that. I'll ask him later what the third ingredient was.

 

 

[Ambergris]

Gentian violet?

[Gunplumber]

Gentian violet?

 

yep, that's it!

 

It may work by itself. I suspect the acetone was to penetrate the hoof wall, as water is less likely to do.

 

Gentian violet

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Gentian violet

Other names

Andergon, Aniline violet, Axuris, Badil, Basic Violet 3, Brilliant Violet 58, Crystal violet, Gentiaverm, Hexamethyl-p-rosaniline chloride, Meroxylan, Meroxyl, Methylrosanilide chloride, Methyl Violet 10BNS, Pyoktanin, Vianin, Viocid, and Viola Crystallina

 

CAS number 548-62-9 YesY

PubChem 11057

MeSH Gentian+violet

Properties

Molecular formula C25H30ClN3

Molar mass 407.979

 

Except where noted otherwise, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C, 100 kPa)

Infobox references

 

Gentian violet (crystal violet, methyl violet 10B, hexamethyl pararosaniline chloride) is a bactericide and an antifungal agent, the primary agent used in the Gram stain test, perhaps the single most important bacterial identification test in use today, and it is also used by hospitals for the treatment of serious heat burns and other injuries to the skin and gums. Typically prepared as a weak (e.g. 1%) solution in water, it is painted on skin or gums to treat or prevent fungal infections. Gentian violet does not require a doctor's prescription (in the US), but is not easily found in drug stores. Tampons treated with gentian violet are sometimes used for vaginal applications.

 

The name "gentian violet" refers to its colour, being like that of the petals of a gentian flower; it is not made from gentians or from violets.

 

 

 

[Gunplumber]

Gentian violet?

 

yep, that's it!

 

It may work by itself. I suspect the acetone was to penetrate the hoof wall, as water is less likely to do.

 

Gentian violet

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Gentian violet

Other names

Andergon, Aniline violet, Axuris, Badil, Basic Violet 3, Brilliant Violet 58, Crystal violet, Gentiaverm, Hexamethyl-p-rosaniline chloride, Meroxylan, Meroxyl, Methylrosanilide chloride, Methyl Violet 10BNS, Pyoktanin, Vianin, Viocid, and Viola Crystallina

 

CAS number 548-62-9 YesY

PubChem 11057

MeSH Gentian+violet

Properties

Molecular formula C25H30ClN3

Molar mass 407.979

 

Except where noted otherwise, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C, 100 kPa)

Infobox references

 

Gentian violet (crystal violet, methyl violet 10B, hexamethyl pararosaniline chloride) is a bactericide and an antifungal agent, the primary agent used in the Gram stain test, perhaps the single most important bacterial identification test in use today, and it is also used by hospitals for the treatment of serious heat burns and other injuries to the skin and gums. Typically prepared as a weak (e.g. 1%) solution in water, it is painted on skin or gums to treat or prevent fungal infections. Gentian violet does not require a doctor's prescription (in the US), but is not easily found in drug stores. Tampons treated with gentian violet are sometimes used for vaginal applications.

 

The name "gentian violet" refers to its colour, being like that of the petals of a gentian flower; it is not made from gentians or from violets.

 

 

 

[jeanettecentaur]

I'm with Violet on this one...

 

Tea Tree Oil kills fungus, period! Just a drop on your toenail...spread it around, and in the ridges. I recommend it to everyone, but most go straight for the drugs/sprays.

 

Here's my story about a different fungus:

 

Years ago found a kitty that totally gave me ringworm. Too many face snuggles.... . Talked to a pharmacist who said my best bet was to get rid of the kitty, because ringworm is so contagious. I refused, of course, and went a holistic route. Applied Tea Tree to myself and my kitty. Washed all linens/clothes. It was gone from both of us in just over a week.

 

 

Good luck!

 

 

[jeanettecentaur]

I'm with Violet on this one...

 

Tea Tree Oil kills fungus, period! Just a drop on your toenail...spread it around, and in the ridges. I recommend it to everyone, but most go straight for the drugs/sprays.

 

Here's my story about a different fungus:

 

Years ago found a kitty that totally gave me ringworm. Too many face snuggles.... . Talked to a pharmacist who said my best bet was to get rid of the kitty, because ringworm is so contagious. I refused, of course, and went a holistic route. Applied Tea Tree to myself and my kitty. Washed all linens/clothes. It was gone from both of us in just over a week.

 

 

Good luck!

 

 

[Pixie]

Wow! I was JUST looking this up because my BF has toenail fungus in his little toes! I found a great site, and came here to share it, and lo and beholds I see this thread! lol Here is what I found, I am ghonna try the oils and the exfoliating scrub on him. Let me know what you end up trying, and I'll let you know how it goes for us! Now all i have to do is convince my BF to let me at his feet. LOL he has a few issues that we are all dealingwith at once, athletes foot and a few plantars... He has such beautifuly shaped feet, but he hasn't taken care of them! although, he does let me paint his toenails.