Self-Care Oh, No! Nail Fungus

What is nail fungus? Typically caused by microscopic organisms with the sweet name of “dermatophytes,” nail fungus manifests as discoloration and a thickening of the nail, most commonly the toenails. When you’ve got it, sandals are out because the nails are unsightly, and as they thicken, nails also become deformed so wearing shoes can be an exercise in torture, and the nails can separate from the nail bed.

What causes nail fungus? Dermatophytes (such as Candida) love dark and damp locations. Experts say we can pick up fungus in places like locker rooms or in puddles around pools. (I developed a robust case years ago because I would jump out of the shower and immediately put my damp feet into sneakers which I wore the whole day. I created a warm, moist environment the fungi loved, and they burrowed under my nails big-time. And when I used to cook in our store’s kitchen, wearing plastic gloves all day did the same thing for the nails on my hands. Didn’t help that I ignored the problem for years.)

What else can cause nail fungus? Wearing shoes that are too tight so the nails can’t breathe, or wearing the same shoes everyday. Nail polish doesn’t let the nails breathe either. Wearing socks that aren’t clean may invite fungi. Trauma to the nails may lead to nail fungus. But for the most part, the trick to preventing nail fungus is “Keep your nails clean and dry!”

Can what we eat make a difference too? Yes, and we’ll talk about that in a bit.

If you have nail fungus, how can you get rid of it? There are prescription creams and prescription oral medications, but these are expensive and may come with significant side effects. If they do work (often they don’t), these meds take from 9-12 months to affect change.

There are alternative treatments which also take 9-12 months, cost much less and don’t have side effects. For starters, file your nails straight and keep them short. Smooth any rough edges. Yes, “file” as opposed to cut, because it’s virtually impossible to cut a thickened nail infected with fungus.

Treatment protocol: While there are choices, I’ve found it most effective to mix and match solutions in order to keep the fungi, which are smart living organisms, guessing. For the quickest and best results, soak your feet as described below. If you don’t have time to soak, dry your feet and then apply the strong-smelling oils such as tea tree, neem, rosemary, oregano or thuja. Another topical option is liquid grapefruit seed extract. All these are powerful fungicides. They all have antiseptic, antibacterial, antiparasitical, antiviral, analgesic and antifungal properties.

Another oil you might include in your mixture is essential oil of lavender because it smells good, helps fight the infection and prevents skin irritation.

Do you need to use all these oils? Of course not. You can choose just one if that’s your preference. I like to mix a few in a bottle and apply with a brush (such as the kind you get with nail polish). My brush came with a ready-made tea-tree solution I originally purchased years ago – we still sell it and it’s made by Thursday Plantation. The brush is easier to work with than a Q-tip or cotton ball (these two absorb the solution, which means you waste a fair amount). If I didn’t have my brush, I’d use my finger to apply.

Topical solutions should be applied twice daily, morning and before bed. If you miss a time, don’t worry. Start again.

I always add some 12% hydrogen peroxide solution to my mixture. (FYI: hydrogen peroxide bubbles around the nail and may turn the skin white for about 10 minutes. This is normal and no cause for alarm.) It’s that bleaching effect which gave me hope during the long months the other stuff was slowly working.

Yes, you can speed up the process by soaking your toenails for 15-20 minutes in basin full of warm water and raw apple cider vinegar mixed in equal proportion. Or make a boric acid powder solution, which was my grandmother’s favorite remedy. To make a boric acid powder solution: In a pot large enough so you can put your foot in, bring water to a boil and then stir in a few tablespoons of boric acid powder. Cool mixture slightly (optional: add a few capfuls of hydrogen peroxide). Soak feet for 15-20 minutes. When done with either soak, dry your toenails thoroughly. Apply your favorite topical mixture.

With regard to the boric acid powder solution, I found I could use the soaking solution multiple times instead of pouring it down the sink. I stored the pot, warmed it up each time and soaked. It’s awful to look at, but the mixture still worked fine.

We all want a quick fix. It isn’t going to happen here, but as mentioned above, you can improve the appearance of your nails fairly quickly by bushing them with a 12% solution of hydrogen peroxide (which also helps kill fungus). Try and brush some under the nail bed and over the top of the nail.

What you eat is important. If you have nail fungus, include more probiotics like acidophilus in your diet. The good bugs will help fight the fungus. Yes, yogurt and kefir are good sources of probiotics, but eat those plain, unsweetened, because the bad bugs and fungus feed on and love sugar. Which means every time you indulge in sugary desserts or white pasta that turns into sugar, the Dermatophytes throw a party. No one says you shouldn’t have an ice cream cone, but just know that your war against the bugs will take longer to win.
It’s also said that fungus loves us best when our systems are too acidic. So eat more green veggies and more whole grains and beans. Eat berries instead of bananas. Eat less red meat. You know the drill! If you don’t, write me.

If you’ve spent years developing a good case of nail fungus, you’ll need a good year to get rid of it. If you stop treatment before the fungus is completely gone and before a new and healthy nails have grown in, chances are survivor bugs will infect the nail all over again.

Better safe than sorry is my motto here, and I still treat my nails each morning by brushing them with my solution of the moment. Today my little bottle happens to have hydrogen peroxide with some grapefruit seed extract and a little lavender.

Self-Care 2010. Keep me posted as you battle nail fungus.