Tea tree oil, which is derived from the leaves of a tree native to Australia, has natural antimicrobial, antiseptic, antiviral, antifungal and antibacterial properties.Not a pleasant subject, I am sure you are thinking. However, I have recently met many people who are suffering from a toenail fungus and, unfortunately, so am I.
Fungal infections of the toenails and feet (athlete’s foot) are extremely common. They can also be difficult and expensive to treat too. Some treatments I looked at in a pharmacy cost more than €40.
However, there are some natural remedies, which might not work as quickly, but many of the purchased treatments don’t work at all, so it is always worth a try.
As there are several types of fungus that could be causing the problem, it may be necessary to try more than one treatment to get rid of the particular fungus you have. Also, fungal infections are partly due to the inside of your body too. An immune system that has been overloaded and a stressed person will be more prone to these conditions.
Tea tree oil, which is derived from the leaves of a tree native to Australia, has natural antimicrobial, antiseptic, antiviral, antifungal and antibacterial properties.
One test tube study found that its essential oil inhibited the growth of 57 out of 58 of the fungi tested (J. Am. Podiatr. Med. Assoc., 1998).
It really is quite an amazing oil and can be bought as soap or other options for cleansing. The advice is to apply tea tree oil to the affected nail twice a day with a small brush. At the same time, apply one or two drops under the rim of the nail, after removing any fungal accumulation first.
This requires methodically applying for about two to three months. Even if an improvement is obvious, keep applying, as the fungus can quickly return if the treatment is stopped too soon.
Alternatively, pour a few drops of tea tree oil onto a ball of cotton wool. Fix the ball in place with tape on the affected nail and leave overnight. Again, keep doing this for about two to three months.
Lavender oil has specific volatile constituents and known antiseptic properties. It is also another effective, natural home treatment for toenail fungus (J. Med. Microbiol., 2011).
Apply the oil with a ball of cotton wool to the areas beneath the rim of the infected toenail and the nearby skin. It will help if you wear a pair of thick woollen socks. Probably not a treatment for the summer months.
We use oregano in our cooking. However, it can also help to get rid of fungal infections if the oil of the herb is used. This oil contains antimicrobial agent’s carvacrol and thymol, both of which can eliminate fungi and bacteria (Nahrung, 2002).
Tea tree oil, derived from the leaves of a tree native to Australia, has natural antimicrobial, antiseptic, antiviral, antifungal and antibacterial properties
Blend three drops of oregano oil in one tablespoon of carrier oil such as olive oil. After washing and drying the feet, apply the oil mixture to the fungus-infected nail, or area, with a ball of cotton wool.
Repeat this procedure twice a day for up to two months. As with tea tree oil, you may see results sooner, but should continue with the treatment to ensure the fungus doesn’t return. Another oil that can be used in the same way is lemongrass oil, which has potent antimicrobial and antifungal properties.
Clove oil is derived from Syzygium aromaticum and has a well-established antifungal, anaes-thetic and antiseptic properties, thanks to its high eugenol content (J. Med. Microbiol., 2009).
This is also a really useful remedy if the infection is causing pain, as clove oil also contains the natural pain-relieving chemical capsaicin. You may have used clove oil for toothache, which relieves the pain.
Apply the oil directly to the affected areas. However, if the skin is broken or sensitive, dilute it with olive oil or unrefined coconut oil.
Garlic has to be an addition to this list, as the compound found in garlic (ajoene, which is an organosulphur compound) is an effective treatment for athlete’s foot and other fungal infections.
In one study a twice-daily topical application of one per cent ajoene for one week produced a 100 per cent cure rate for athlete’s foot, compared with 94 per cent when using the standard antifungal medication with the well-known trade name (J. Am. Dermatol, 2000). Apply a warm, moist compress to the affected areas. (Heat attracts the fungus to the skin’s surface, making any treatment more effective.)
Place a well-mashed clove of garlic between two pieces of gauze, cut to fit over the affected area, tape the open sides and then tape the whole patch to the affected area.
Replace with a freshly mashed garlic clove and clean gauze every three to five hours. Continue with this procedure until the fungus clears and continue beyond to avoid a recurrence.
Alternatively, soak the feet in hot water and crushed garlic for 30 minutes or apply minced garlic in olive oil with cotton wool directly to the affected areas.
There are other remedies, but I think we have enough to be going along with for now.
kathryn@maltanet.net