Years ago, a nail fungus remedy meant soaking your hands or feet for hours in a solution of vinegar, bleach, or hydrogen peroxide, or applying some pungent slave or ointment that was unlikely to work very well. These treatments sometimes worked for the lucky and the dedicated, but for many people, a fungal infection in a toenail was a long term, if not lifelong problem, once established.
One of the reasons the home remedies remained popular for so long, and remain in use today, is that nail fungus medication simply was not available. Medicine has been slow to develop antifungal agents, and when they did start to appear, they worked much better for skin infections and even deeper soft tissue infections than they did for nail infections. For a nail fungus remedy to really work, it must be able to either reach the infection through the bloodstream and tissues, or penetrate the thick tough nail to reach the fungus.
Today, there is a range of nail fungus medication endorsed by the medical community. Most are systemic antifungal drugs that are taken orally and attack the growing fungus from within. There is at least one topical prescription drug that is applied to the nail like a nail polish. It penetrates the nail to reach the fungus, removing the need to take a systemic drug, but it can only be used in the earlier stages of infection. Unfortunately, a prescription nail fungus remedy is certain to be prohibitively expensive, placing it out of reach for anyone who doesn't have a drug plan that will cover it. The systemic drugs have also proven to be toxic and, although the newest versions come with less risk of side effects, many people are reluctant to take the drugs for a superficial infection.
The various problems with prescription nail fungus medication, and the imperfections of home remedies have quickly given rise to another type of treatment - the natural, or alternative healing preparations. A natural
nail fungus remedy is typically a plant derivative that has been found to have antifungal properties. Essential oils of various plants, as well as ointments and teas are popular. The most promising ingredient to date is probably Tea Tree oil, an essential oil of the Australian Tea Tree that has been found to have antifungal, antibacterial, and antiviral properties. Many preparations for the treatment of nail fungus contain Tea Tree oil in combination with other plant derivatives. A growing body of experience suggests that these preparations are the best alternative to date for treating stubborn fungal nail infections.
