Toenail fungus can be improved (although rarely cured) with this technique too, although you need to increase the concentration: one part vinegar to two parts water. Vinegar creates an acidic environment which is unfavorable for the fungus. Make sure to dry your feet thoroughly after soaking them.
Generally, using 1-part vinegar to 2-parts water is a good ratio. If you're tolerating the diluted vinegar soaks, and not noticing any difference, you can use a stronger soak. While the soak will smell strong, the odor will dissipate after the vinegar dries from your feet.
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.
Apple Cider Vinegar and Epsom Salt
Apple cider vinegar (also known as ACV) has a number of healing and antibacterial properties if it's organic, making it a go-to for many homeopathic treatments. Mix and soak your toes/feet for at least 30 minutes every day.
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. You typically take this type of drug daily for 6 to 12 weeks.
To soak your feet using vinegar, mix two parts warm or hot water with one part vinegar in a tub or bowl. Soak your feet for 15 to 20 minutes once a week. What are the health benefits of vinegar? Vinegar has natural antibacterial properties, so bacteria have a hard time growing on your skin.
Soak for 15 minutes. Then rub the pumice stone over your heels and wherever else feels dry. Rinse clean and enjoy your baby-soft soles.
“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…”
It can help control infections, neutralize bad odors, soften the skin, hydrate feet, and calm itching. Apple cider vinegar is rich in acids and antifungal ingredients that can help regulate the pH balance of our skin. Simply add a cup of vinegar to a bowl of warm water and soak your feet for 15 to 20 minutes.
The fastest way to eliminate the infection is through toenail laser treatment. Laser nail therapy specifically targets the microorganisms under your nail while leaving the keratin intact. In just a few treatments, the infection can be entirely eliminated.
The results of the study show that apple cider vinegar is the most economical product to treat Candidiasis and other fungal infections.
Mix a half-cup of baking soda, a half-cup of Epsom salt, and one-fourth cup of hydrogen peroxide (3%) in four cups of hot water before adding one-fourth cup of white vinegar. Soak for about ten minutes, and then wash with clean water and thoroughly dry your foot/feet.
Effective products include efinaconazole (Jublia), tavaborole (Kerydin) and ciclopirox (Penlac). All require daily applications, and it may take as long as a year to see noticeable improvement. These products may work for early, superficial fungal infections because they kill fungi on the surface of the nail.
One common thing that comes up are products that contain menthol. So Vicks VapoRub is a common nail remedy for nail fungus. It probably won't help. But it won't hurt anything either.
A 1994 study found that tea tree oil applied directly to toenail fungus is as effective as clotrimazole cream. Clotrimazole is an antifungal cream available on prescription or from a pharmacy.
Dr. Ioli, who is chief of the podiatry service at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women's Hospital, suggested that daily applications of Vicks VapoRub might be at least as effective as most of the topical treatments for toenail fungus that are available by prescription or over the counter.
Dilute vinegar soaks can help with mild cases of foot fungus (tinea pedis). Both white vinegar and apple cider varieties will work. Add about one cup of vinegar to each gallon of water and soak your feet for 15 minutes per day until the symptoms improve.
Apple cider vinegar is a popular remedy for toenail fungus due to its antifungal properties. If you want to treat your fungus using ACV, you can soak your feet in a mixture of warm water and the vinegar for about 15 minutes, twice a day.
Whether you're looking to ward off pesky athlete's foot or simply looking forward to a relaxing night in, an apple cider vinegar foot soak is an essential way to keep your feet at their best. This remedy has many benefits including fighting off bacteria and fungus that cause odors.
Vinegar, while typically used as a cooking ingredient, is very useful in remedying dry and cracked heels. One part of white vinegar, when mixed with two parts of warm water, can be used as a soak for the feet. A pumice stone can be used to scrub the dead skin after soaking for 20-25 minutes.
But, saving a buck by reusing your soak water is a recipe for disaster. Since vinegar isn't a 100% disinfectant, some of the debris, bacteria, and fungi from your feet will stay in the soak. That's why it's best to throw out the water after ever every soak.
Epsom Salt Treatment for Callused Feet
Mix together 4 parts water, 1 part apple cider vinegar and 3 tablespoons of Epsom salt. Soak your feet for 20 minutes. Afterwards, apply castor oil, tea tree oil or eucalyptus oil to your feet and exfoliate with a pumice stone.