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Fungal infections such as toenail fungus are very common and could be very challenging to treat. It spreads very fast and quite easily. It takes a few months to cure these infections yet has a high rate of recurrence. The effective treatment options include medications, over-the-counter products, as well as home remedies which include the use of essential oils.

Essential oils and how they work for toenail fungus

Essential oils are rich in antibacterial, antiseptic, and antifungal properties hence they are regarded as one of the best home remedies nail fungus. They are natural oils mostly applied externally to treat nail fungus hence are 100 percent safe, unlike some other treatment options which could even affect body organs.

Let’s look at a few essential oils that have been proven beyond any doubt to work effectively in curing toenail fungus.

Tea tree oil

This usually comes up as my number one essential oil as far as external fungus treatment is concerned. Tea tree oil, gotten from the ancient Australian tea tree, is highly therapeutic. Almost 100 percent of people around me and online testimonies testify to the effectiveness of this oil in permanently curing toenail fungus. Tea tree oil is very powerful hence should not be used directly on your body without proper dilution with a carrier oil such as jojoba oil and coconut oil.

To see how your body reacts to this oil, a skin patch test is advised. Dilute a drop of tea tree oil with 5 or 6 drops of the carrier oil you chose, then apply a very thin layer of the diluted oil to a tiny portion of your forearm. If after 24 hours you do not notice any irritation, then it is not likely you will see any irritation if you use it for toenail fungus treatment.

Note: make sure you dilute tea tree oil properly and apply only a very thin layer.
Before using any essential oil for the treatment of toenail fungus, it is imperative to adequately prepare the affected nail(s). This allows you to get the best result from the use of essential oils which are mostly topical solutions.
  1. Trim and file: the very first preparation is to trim the nail very well though not excessively. Cut away the infected part of the nail as much as you can, then file the nail very well especially in the case of a thickened nail which is one of the symptoms of toenail fungus. Use a long-handled nail cutter or scissors to avoid infecting your fingernails.
  2. Wash thoroughly: following the trimming and filing of the infected nail, particles of the nail will definitely be on the surrounding skin or even in the corners of the nail. Wash the nail and the surrounding skin thoroughly with warm water and soap.
  3. Dry adequately: when you have properly washed off all debris, dry the nail gently and thoroughly. When these processes are completed, you can then apply the essential oil.

Clove oil

Clove oil is also a very popular essential oil. It is widely used owing to its powerful antifungal properties. Clove oil treats toenail fungus safely and effectively with zero chance of reoccurrence. This oil is also meant for external use and should be diluted with a carrier oil.

After diluting the oil, prepare your nail as described above. Then apply a few drops of the diluted oil to the affected nail and leave it for 10 minutes. Thereafter, scrub the nail and the adjacent skin with a soft brush. Do this daily until the total replacement of the infected nail with a new and healthy nail.

Oregano oil

This essential oil also treats toenail fungus effectively. It contains thyme which helps to defeat toenail fungus by its amazing antibacterial properties. It also contains terpenoids and terpenes which are similar to a key part of tea tree oil, terpinen. This oil can be used externally as well as internally.

Lavender oil

  • This essential oil fights toenail fungus by destroying the cell walls of the fungus.
  • Other essential oils include lemongrass essential oil, thyme essential oil, cinnamon essential oil, etc.
  • Note: when buying essential oil, make sure you get those that are 100 percent pure, organic, and the key ingredients in the right proportion.

Conclusion

Proper nail hygiene is fundamental to the treatment and prevention of toenail fungus. It does not matter the effectiveness of the essential oil, if you do not observe and maintain healthy nail hygiene, it won’t make much difference. Even if the fungus gets cured, it will most likely reoccur. Hence, make sure you keep to proper or healthy nail hygiene. These include keeping dry feet, not walking barefoot in public places, proper cutting of the nail, etc.