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How can one get rid of longterm toenail fungus?
Amputate your toes?
But in all seriousness, fresh fig milk that comes right from the stem of the fruit when you pick a fig works miracles. I know people including myself who had fungus, moles, or other unattractive mutations and they got cured overnight or after only a few applications.
Get thee to a Podiatrist. The creams and sprays do not work. it is under your nails. Some success has been had, I hear, with laser treatment, but it is costly and not covered by insurance. The oral meds can cause liver damage. Wish I had a better aitzah for you.
Lamisil by MOUTH. The cream alone will not work well. You may have to take it a few times but I have seen it work. Ask your podiatrist about it and its side effects.
Fungus cream.
Get your doctor to prescribe some .
get a cream in the drugstore.
To treat the fungus someone mentioned crushed corn meal soaked in water, but not the type that has been chemically treated and not for any other fungus infection in any other part of the body.
for starters
stop going to the mikveh
Soak daily in vinegar
Need to plant a fig tree..
in all seriousness I met someone whos hands were full of warts..
a short while later I met again and they were gone. She used fig milk.
Only I dont have a fig tree..
Curiosity, is that something that you’d pick up in any fruit store? If not, then where can you pick up something like that? I can use a treatment like that too since I’m also dealing w/ toe nail fungus which I’d love to get rid of asap.
Shoot it off.
True story: I once heard them interview a woman whose toe or toenail was bothering her. Even all the booze she drank couldn’t take away the pain, so out came the shotgun.
Solved the problem, but alas it didn’t solve all her problems.
shmoel: toenail fungus is notoriously difficult to get rid of. For starters, it takes as long as the nail takes to grow out, which may take months. No overnight cure will help for toenail fungus.
I have found success with vinegar. It’s a cheap, easy way and it’s worth trying before going for something more expensive/invasive.
see my method here:
It will take a few weeks before you see results, but then you will notice the clear growth from the base of the nail. You need to be consistent and keep at it for a few months, until the nail has totally grown out.
google for more details.
Hummingbird – no, the fig sap loses its medicinal properties shortly after contacting open air. You need to pluck a fig right off a tree and apply the white sap from the stem directly onto the afflicted area. When I was a kid I had a very nasty, deep rooted fungus on my thumb and after a few applications it got smaller and then went away completely. My cousin’s girlfriend had a wart on her elbow and after one application it literally fell off overnight. Some ppl on the internet claim it even helps skin cancer, but I don’t know about that. BTW, I mentioned moles earlier, but I meant to say warts, my mistake.
Clearly Confident, most effective cream ive ever used!
Go to a Podiatrist and get Lamasil (pill). It’s a long process but it works. One must get regular blood test to check the liver. You can also have the toenail removed but that is much more drastic. Topical creams don’t work if the fungus is under the nail.
If you dont address it can spread to other toes and other people.
Here are the facts
Most cases of onychomycosis(nail fungus) is caused by the fungi T. Rubrum or T. Mentagrophytes.However, a nail culture should be taken to confirm the diagnoses.One of the reasons that treatments for nail fungus fail is that not all fungi respond to the oral treatments in the same way.Make sure to tell you doctor what medications you are taking as the antifungals may interact with them rendering them ineffective.
There are many treatments for Mycotic nails(nail fungus).Topical treatments only work in very mild cases of onychomycosis(nail fungus) and are used primarily for children .Oral medications like Lamisil and Sporonox work in most cases but you have to have blood tests to make sure the medication is not affecting your liver.
For those patients who are on other medications,or who have liver problems there is a newer laser therapy.
The doctor applies a small laser to each nail and kills the fungus.The laser is not 100% effective and it is not covered by insurance.
The doctor applies a small laser to each nail and kills the fungus.The laser is not 100% effective and it is not covered by insurance”
And it is VERY expensive out of pocket.
OOmis -“And it is VERY expensive out of pocket.”
No, it’s not. Treating toenail fungus is considered cosmetic, not medical. I’m surprised that the insurance companies pay for the oral anti-fungals.
Laser treatments cost between $400 -$800, not that expensive for cosmetic treatment -if you know how much plastic surgeons charge.
You could also use Ciclopirox nail laquer -if you don’t want to take the oral anti-fungals because of possible side effects.
I had toenail fungus. I used the Lamisil tablets after my podiatrist had me take a blood test for my liver functionality. If you’re a big person, there’s a risk of having fatty infiltration of the liver if you’re big & consume lots of fatty foods. It you’re big and taking the Lamisil pills, cut down on your fat intake drastically. It went away in some toes, but because those other toes that it never went away in, the fungus came back.
I decided to get the laser treatment. My podiatrist also prescribed the generic Lamisil pills together with the laser treatment and said that Target sells a 90 (?) day supply for $10, so I got the pills @ Target pharmacy.
You’ll feel the laser treatment will slightly burn. My podiatrist told me to tell him when this burning feeling happens. My toenails have grown very slow, but, B”H, the new growth part of the nail is fungus-free, pushing outwards towards the end of the nail. I’d recommend laser treatment if nothing else seems to work.
For those of you who have jobs with health insurance, your FSA (Flexible Spending Account) can be used to pay for treatment, since medical insurance doesn’t cover this procedure. Usually in October (open season), you’ll choose how much money to set aside annually for your FSA. Make sure to include enough money for this procedure.
In addition, I purchased a medical device shaped like a shoe tree with an ultraviolet light that fits inside your shoes. It automatically sterilizes your shoes from toenail fungi, odor-causing bacteria, and viruses. In addition, you can use your FSA to pay for this too, as long as your podiatrist writes you a letter of medical necessity for this item. It automatically turns itself off after 45 minutes, too.
I’m torn telling you not to go to the mikva, but I would recommend that you find a premium, upscale mikva that you have to pay to use. That way, there’s less of a chance of getting re-infected. I got infected in my 30s from my ex. I never had it before I got married & I always went to the mikva.
People are always referring to toenail fungus cures. I’ve found this thread helpful (especially chocandpatience – Thanks). Does the same thing apply to finger nail fungus?
weirdly enough, taking probiotic pills work. try it!
I’ve also heard of putting crushed garlic, that was not crushed or chopped by metal. I’ve heard of the vinegar, too. Soak every day for about 10-15 minutes. Also, cut down on sugar.
chocandpatience: what is synthetic vinegar?
Meanwhile. I’ll run down and try some fig sap and if it works I’ll stop complaining about the sap every time I pick figs.
If one spouse gets treated for the fungus but the other spouse does not (and has it), will the treated spouse likely get reinfected by the untreated spouse?
However you should first check with your doctor that you do not have a melanoma, has v sholom.
I have heard that the oral medication for nail fungus rarely works.
go to a doctor, silly!!
ready now -“I have heard that the oral medication for nail fungus rarely works.”
This is how false rumors start. From not being 100% effective it goes to “rarely works”.
Lamisil is about 70% effective. Sporonox about 50 – 60%.
spiral: synthetic = acetic acid, not naturally fermented vinegar. I use the 5% vinegar which is what they sell here.
By the way, you should not use the same pair of scissors to cut both infected and uninfected nails.
You can cure toenail fungus or fingernail fungus completely with a product that you can buy at most health food stores. It is called Tea Tree Oil (yes there is such a plant as a tea tree)and it comes in a bottle with a dropper or an applicator. Just put it on the affected nail top and bottom, cover and re-apply every day until the fungus is gone. It may take a month or two to completely eradicate it and to grow healthy nails, but it definitely works. We have tried it successfully several times. Tea Trea Oil is an excellent anti-fungal and anti-bacterial product. Just make sure that it is pure Tea Tree Oil and not a mixture of things. The brand we used in the USA was Desert Essence, but there are many other brands around in the store that will probably work just as well. Just be patient and use it every day (preferably at night so you can wear a sock over it).
chocandpatience: You seem to contradict yourself. You said it is not infectious but then said not to use the same scissor on infected and uninfected nails. If it isn’t infectious (and Kosher Ham related from personal experience that it is), why do you suggest separate scissors?
chocandpatience -“Englishman & KosherHam: Nail fungus is not an infectious disease, it’s a fungus.”
Technically you are Incorrect, but I understand your point of why you want to differentiate between types of infectious diseases.
Most people pick up fungus in the shower. You have to keep the shower area extremely clean to keep the amount of fungus down. Most people don’t have the patience to do this.
It takes two things for fungus to grow – 1. moisture 2. dead or dying skin cells. There isn’t much we can do about about #2.
For prevention – dry your feet very well after a shower. Use a foot powder -after the shower and everyday before you put on your socks. Try to change your socks and shoes at least once a day.
I’ve had a toenail fungus on one toe for many years. I don’t think the nail is actually infected now, just distorted. It got that way after surgery for an ingrown nail. It’s not the biggest deal, but it can spread to athlete’s foot & vice-versa.
They are coming out with a new shoe. It seems that there are shoes meant for people not to wear socks in. So this company is developing a shoe for toenail fungus. It’s abrasive on the inside -to rub against the toe/nails & it releases small amounts of anti-fungals. They are also coming out with nail polishes with anti-fungals in them.
Kosher L’Pesach white vinegar is synthetic.
More fungus factoids
Nail fungus or onychomycosis is a fungal infection involving the the nails .The fungi live off the dead skin and nail matter.More specifically the keratin in the nails and skin.Very often the nail become thick and discolored from the fungus and keratin that has collected under the nails.If left untreated in the feet it will spread to your finger nails. The causes for nail fungus are many.Such as a preexisting athletes foot infection,or being immmunocompromised just to name a two.
Home remedies for nail fungus have very little published data proving their effectiveness.There are double blind studies demonstrating the fungicidal(Killing fungi)activity of tea tree oil.
Englishman: I knew you would pick up on that. I’ve assumed that it was because if you prick the skin with an infected scissors then that would be enough for the fungus to penetrate into the skin.
Googling, I actually see a wide range of opinions from not contagious, not very contagious and highly contagious. So it sounds like I’m wrong. That wasn’t what I discovered when I researched it a few years ago and that’s not what I found to be true personally.
But I still don’t believe that toenail fungus can infect another toenail if the skin is unbroken.
Another way of infecting the toenail was as Health pointed out – if the skin gets infected that can lead to toenail fungus. *Skin* fungus most definitely is contagious.
DrG: “Home remedies for nail fungus have very little published data proving their effectiveness.”
But their low cost and risk make them worth trying. Particularly since it’s a cosmetic condition.
Dr G, is the fungus present in the bloodstream, and if so, is that the transport method that the fungus uses to infect other nails, both toes & fingers?
I used the prescription nail polish, Penlac (TM), with it’s 8% cyclopyrox (sp?) anti-fungal religiously for 6 months, too, but that barely made any difference on the most severely infected nails.
I feel that people who use the mikvah have an obligation to others to be disease-free so as not to transmit any possible transmissible diseases & infections to others who use the mikvah. Apparently, not everybody feels the same way I do about this topic.
Some people out here would rather you spend your hard-earned money on modern day snake oil remedies, sadly.
Kosher Ham -“I used the prescription nail polish, Penlac (TM), with it’s 8% cyclopyrox (sp?) anti-fungal religiously for 6 months, too, but that barely made any difference on the most severely infected nails.”
You probably didn’t use it right. Here are the directions that must be followed to the tee. Note the part about filing and/or cutting/removing diseased nail.
“To use ciclopirox topical nail lacquer:
I followed those directions to a tee.
It would’ve been more polite of you to not assume that I didn’t follow those directions and instead, asked me if I had, indeed, followed those directions to a tee, which I used “religiously” instead of “to a tee”. Don’t worry, I’m slow to get angry and quick to forgive.
Kosher Ham -It’s possible you did everything and it still didn’t work. Most people don’t do everything and that’s why it’s not so effective.
Did you also have -“monthly removal of the unattached infected nail by a health care professional”?
I mentioned above using Vicks VapoRub on nails.
I have just read that it “contains camphor which is toxic if swallowed or absorbed into the body” so use it for toe-nails but not for finger-nails.
“I feel that people who use the mikvah have an obligation to others to be disease-free so as not to transmit any possible transmissible diseases & infections to others who use the mikvah.”
Take a long shower instead, it’s the same as a mikve for a male.
LOL, good joke. How do you fully immerse yourself in shower waters all at once.
Avhaben: Cherrybim is completely correct. It does not even have to be a long shower. And you do not have to be entirely immersed at once. You just have to make sure that over the course of the shower that 9 Kabim touch you (which will definitely happen) and that water hits everywhere. This is a Gemara in Brachos that Daf Yomi will get to in less than a week.
(If I recall correctly, some Achronim are Machmir that 9 Kabim was only for a Zaken or Choleh but that wasn’t what the majority of Rishonim held the Gemara’s Maskana was.)
How much is 9 kavim in contemporary units of volume?
Sam, so why build women mikvas? They can use their shower at home.
Avhaben: No. As cherrybim said, that’s only for a man. Tumas Niddah required 40 S’ah. (Someone once told me that R’ Schachter once said that in theory a bath could work as a Mikvah for a woman, but something had to have been lost in the communication there.)
I do not believe that this can be a L’chatchila, especially if a Mikva is readily available.
From the Gemara it is obvious that this is not a L’chatchila.
Sam – I’m assuming e/o gets all parts wet directly from the shower, but what about the feet? Is standing in the wet shower good enough – if the shower doesn’t directly touch the bottom of your feet?
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