Taking antifungal pills for two months can cure an infection under the fingernails. Usually three months of treatment cures a toenail fungal infection. Antifungal pills, however, can cause side effects. Your dermatologist will watch you closely.
Soaking your feet in a vinegar foot soak daily can treat black toenail fungus. The ratio can be one part vinegar and two parts of water. If the infection is extreme then a heavy soak is required to reduce the infection.
Fungal infections are another common problem that can cause black toenails to form. Typically, a fungal infection causes a white or yellowish discoloration. However, debris can build up near the infection, causing the nail to appear black.
“Applying Vicks VapoRub to fungus-infected toenails can clear up the notoriously hard-to-treat condition. Michigan State University clinicians found that applying the product daily to the infected nail cleared the condition in 32 of 85 patients, though it took anywhere from 5 to 16 months…”
As the fungus advances, the color may change from yellow to brown. In some cases, a really nasty nail fungus case may even turn black and start to crumble.
Black toenail is often the result of trauma to the nail in which the injury bleeds and the blood pools under the nail. It should resolve on its own as the nail grows out. There are other causes for black toenail, including fungal infections and ingrown toenail.
I tried Vicks VapoRub and it has worked! It takes several months for the black nail to grow out of course. I put Vicks on at night mostly and mornings when I was not going out.” Anyone who would like to learn more about this and other nail fungus treatments may be interested in our book, Quick & Handy Home Remedies.
When used topically, tea tree oil is believed to be antibacterial. Tea tree oil is commonly used to treat acne, athlete's foot, lice, nail fungus and insect bites.
Oral antifungal drugs.
These drugs are often the first choice. One option is itraconazole (Sporanox). These drugs help a new nail grow free of infection, slowly replacing the infected part.
It can take between 6 and 18 months for the appearance of the affected nail to return to normal, and in some cases the nail may not look the same as before the infection.
Best Overall
We chose the Lamisil Terbinafine Hydrochloride AntiFungal Cream as our top pick because it works to address a variety of infections, including toenail fungus. The prescription-strength cream comes highly recommended by Dr. Lipner because it can treat athlete's foot before it spreads to the toenails.
Although it is very rare, a more serious cause of black toenails is malignant melanoma. Since early diagnosis and treatment of melanoma improves the chances for a good outcome, it is important that all black toenails be evaluated by a qualified foot and ankle surgeon to rule out this cause.
The shade can be a light yellow, brown-tinged, or even canary yellow. When you see red, brown or black toenails, it's often a subungual hematoma – or collection of blood under the nail – which may result from acute or chronic trauma.
Black Fungus or mucormycosis is a rare but dangerous invasive fungal infection caused by a group of molds called mucormycetes. Black fungus commonly affects the sinuses and lungs but can affect skin and brain. People can get infected when they inhale the mold spores or touch the mold spore.
Mucormycosis, also known as black fungus, is a rare but dangerous infection. It's caused by a group of molds called mucormycetes and often affects the sinuses, lungs, skin, and brain.
Black fungus infection or Mucormycosis is a serious disease but rare fungal infection, it can become fatal. 50-80% of patients could die with it if not diagnosed and treated quickly at early stages.
The best type of vinegar to treat toenail fungus is apple cider vinegar, a very acidic and strong solution that destroys toenail fungus at the source. To take full advantage of this, mix one cup of apple cider vinegar with at least 2 cups of water – this will dilute the vinegar so that it won't burn your skin.
If your fungus doesn't clear up at home, you should check in with a dermatologist (a skin, hair, and nail specialist) or podiatrist (a foot doctor.) They may gently scrape under your nail to get rid of some of the fungus or send it to the lab for diagnosis. They can also prescribe stronger medicines.
Baking soda works by removing excess moisture from your feet, a common cause of toenail fungus. While this home remedy has been shown to reduce fungal growth, it doesn't completely get rid of the fungus.