Vinegar to Cure Nail Fungus

You can treat fungus on the toenails, also called onychomycosis, with medication or home remedies. Some nail fungus is very hard to get rid of. Using vinegar to kill off nail fungus is a popular home remedy treatment.

Features

Toenail fungus usually begins with little spots on the nail, typically white or yellow in color. As the fungus grows, the spot gets larger and the nail may thicken or become brittle. The nail can become dark and even separate from the nail bed.

Causes

Nail fungus is common, about 1 in 10 people get fungus on the toenails, according to toenailfungus.org. This type of fungus is usually caused by fungi on the skin, called dermatophytes, or from yeast, which is a microflora that grows in the body. Most cases of nail fungus occur after damage to a nail or from having feet in a warm, moist environment too often.

Apple Cider Vinegar

According to Earthclinic.com, soaking an infected toe in pure apple cider vinegar twice a day for 30 minutes each time should help to get rid of nail fungus. Additionally, saturate a small cloth or paper towel in vinegar and lay it in on the nail as often as possible to help speed up recovery. The length of time to get rid of fungus varies; you may see results quickly or it may take months. Patience is important when trying to get rid of any fungal infections.

Distilled Vinegar

Instead of apple cider vinegar, some people prefer to use distilled, or white, vinegar to treat nail fungus. If you do not get results with one type, you may try the other. When using distilled vinegar, mix a solution of half water and half vinegar and soak nails for at least 10 minutes a day, according to Nailfunguscure.org. You may soak longer if you like, as with the apple cider vinegar. You can also mix the solution in a spray bottle and spray the nail repeatedly during the day.

Other Remedies and Solutions

Most doctors prescribe antifungal medications to treat nail fungus. You can take prescriptions like terbinafine (Lamisil) and itraconazole (Sporanox) orally, or use an antifungal nail lacquer containing ciclopirox (Loprox or Penlac). For reasons not understood, Vicks Vaporub is effective in helping get rid of nail fungus, according to Mayoclinic.com.