Nail fungus is considered as one of the most common types of fungal infections. This disease grows in warm, dark, moist environments, and could impact fingernails and toenails. It begins as white or yellow spots on one or even more nails. If left untreated, this problem results in extra discoloration, the crumbling of fingernail or toenail edges, or pain.
There are a lot of external and internal home remedies for fungal infections, yet apple cider vinegar seems to be widely accepted as an effective method. Before learning how to use apple cider vinegar for foot fungus and other types of fungal infections, you should acknowledge common symptoms of foot fungus, which are:
- Brittle, thickened, ragged toenails
- A distortion in the toenail shapes
- Dull-looking toenails
- A darkening of toenail color
- Separation of the toenail from the nail bed in severe cases
- Pain associated with infections (occasionally)
- A foul odor
- Small white or yellow spot in the nail tip
How Apple Cider Vinegar Works For Toenail Fungus
Once fungus develop under your toenails, it will change the pH levels of your skin so that is will be more alkaline than the usual pH level of the skin. Thanks to the acidic effect preventing fungus from developing, apple cider vinegar can help treat foot fungus in a natural way. Also, ACV fights bacteria, germs, and other micro-orgasms causing nail fungus. It consists of anti-viral, anti-fungal, and anti-bacterial properties that can help prevent potential fungal infections. Also, the acidity of ACV relieves itching and pain.
A vinegar soak for toenail fungus can also help other problems with the feet, such as foot odors, athlete’s foot, dry skin, cracked heels, etc.
Now, it is time to learn how to use apple cider vinegar for foot fungus. Take a look from Wikiyeah.com!
1. Apple Cider Vinegar & Water
- Mix ACV and water as the ratio of 1:1
- Soak your infected nails in that solution for 30 minutes
- Wash thoroughly and let your nails dry completely
- Repeat this routine everyday in 4 weeks
2. Apple Cider Vinegar & Cotton Swab
- Take a cotton ball and dip it in 1 tablespoon of ACV
- Apply it over the affected nails, wait till it dry out
- Repeat the routine 3-4 times per day
MORE: 14 tips to have healthy nails
3. Apple Cider Vinegar & Rice Flour
- Add 2-3 teaspoon of ACV to a proper amount of rice flour to create a good paste
- Apple this paste over your infected nails, scrub gently to eliminate dead skin cells
- Leave that paste there for several minutes, wash it off, dry the nails thoroughly
- After that, you can apply antifungal ointment
- Repeat this routine regularly to get the best result
4. Apple Cider Vinegar & Baking Soda
- Mix water and ACV with the ratio of 1:1
- Soak your infected nails in the solution for 15 minutes,
- Remove and let it dry
- Mix water and baking soda to create a good paste
- Soak your infected nails into the paste for 15 minutes
- Repeat this routine twice per day
5. Apple Cider Vinegar & Copper Sulfate
Copper sulfate is helpful in preventing the proud flesh and kills nail fungus effectively.
- Mix 20 gr of copper sulfate with 40 ml of apple cider vinegar
- Stir them well, pour it into a spray bottle and then top off with fresh water
- After that, spray the solution on your infected nails to help kills fungus
- Repeat this routine regularly
MORE: 8 home remedies for an ingrown nail infection
6. Apple Cider Vinegar, Hydrogen Peroxide, Hot Water, Borax
- Add 2 tablespoons of borax to the hot water, allow it to dissolve
- Add water and ACV with the equal quantities
- Add 3% hydrogen peroxide before stirring them well
- Soak your infected nails into for 30 minutes or so
- Repeat this routine every day till your fungus disappears
7. Apple Cider Vinegar Foot Bath
- Mix water and ACV with the same ratio, but make sure that you have enough liquid to submerge the toes
- Soak your toes for about 30 minutes before drying out them thoroughly
- Massage your toes for several minutes with the tea tree oil mixed with a certain carrier oil of your favorite.
- Repeat this routine 1-4 times per day
- Alternate between cold and warm water foot bath in order to get good results
8. Apple Cider Vinegar & Epsom Salt
- Mix 1/3 cup of Epsom salt with 1/3 cup of ACV, and 2 cups of hot water, stir them well
- Soak for 30 minutes or more to get better results
- Repeat once or twice per day
9. Apple Cider Vinegar & Listerine
- Mix lemon juice, Listerine, and apple cider vinegar together before stirring them well
- Soak your toes for 15 minutes
- Remove your foot, scrub the toes for several minutes, dry completely
- Repeat once or twice per day
Thanks to the antiseptic properties of Listerine, it helps kill bacteria, fungus and germs.
10. Apple Cider Vinegar Only
- Pour several drops of ACV onto your infected nails directly
- Allow it to dry out
- Repeat this routine twice per day
When it comes to tips on how to use apple cider vinegar for foot fungus, using ACV internally seems little-known, but if you combine ACV with Manuka honey, you could cure foot fungus from inside naturally.
Length Of Treatment
After learning how to use apple cider vinegar for foot fungus, you might wonder how long it takes to see positive results, right? Toenails develop at a slower rate in compare with fingernails, about 4 times slower than the finger ones. This rate even varies from person to person. In order to make sure this infection is eradicated entirely, you should keep using those home remedies till the whole diseased nail has been replaced with the healthy one. This could take a few months to even a year, depending on how fast your toenails grow.
Prevention Tips For Foot Fungus
- In order to prevent the presence of nail fungus and decrease its reoccurrence, you had better follow the tips below:
- Avoid going barefoot in the public pools, lockers or showers
- Wear synthetic socks to keep your feet dryer (not cotton or wool socks)
- Keep your nails dry, short and clean
- Avoid picking the skin around the nails
- Avoid using nail polish or artificial nails to cover up your infection as it can trap moisture and make the infection even worse
- Ingesting probiotics as well as natural herbs regularly can be helpful for your nail fungus
Risk When Using Apple Cider Vinegar For Foot Fungus
It is very crucial to be cautious that upon using ACV for foot fungus, if you suffer from peripheral vascular disease, diabetes, or other conditions which negatively affect blood circulation to the feet and lower legs. Those conditions could result in foot injuries to heal much slower, increasing the risk of further infection.
In addition, vinegar is acidic in nature, and could aggravate your skin. If this happens, you should dilute ACV with more water. Or, you could reduce the frequency of using this ingredient and consult a healthcare provider.
