Alternatively, you can take a shower to soften your nails and trim them as soon as you’re finished. If your nails still feel hardened or tough after 10 minutes, try soaking them for up to 30 minutes.
Filing the surface of your nail will remove some of the infection, but it won’t completely kill the fungus. However, thinning your nails can help make other topical antifungal treatments more effective. If you have extremely thick toenails, you can try sanding down nail fungus with an electric file. Gently press the file against your nail to shave it down. Just stop using it if you feel any pain. [5] X Research source
Avoid rounding off the corners of your nails prevent ingrown toenails.
File in the same direction instead of moving it back and forth so you’re less likely to weaken your nail.
Antifungal medications kill fungus on the nail surface and the nail bed, but they don’t usually penetrate through thick nails.
Menthol cream works as an antiseptic that kills germs that cause the fungus to spread.
Add more water to the solution and use it every other day if your skin gets irritated from the solution.
Tea tree oil has astringent properties and antibacterial properties which can help clear up fungus.
Snakeroot is related to sunflowers and it has natural antifungal properties that have similar effectiveness to over-the-counter medications.
Alternatively, you can sprinkle garlic powder on your nail. Garlic has some natural antimicrobial properties that can kill and prevent fungus from spreading between your nails.
Your doctor may advise you to see a podiatrist or dermatologist for severe cases of toenail fungus. Even if nail fungus isn’t causing pain, you can still talk to your doctor if you’re concerned about the appearance of your nails. See a doctor right away if you have diabetes and develop nail fungus. Foot injuries or infections could lead to diabetic complications if you leave fungus untreated. Your doctor might take some nail clippings or scrape nail bed tissue to figure out the best solution or rule out conditions like psoriasis or infection. [16] X Trustworthy Source Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human Services Go to source
Terbinafine and itraconazole are the most common and effective oral medications. Typically, you’ll take a daily pill for 12 weeks to clear up toenail fungus. [19] X Expert Source Mark Co, DPMPodiatrist Expert Interview. 21 April 2020. Ciclopirox (Penlac) is a topical nail polish that’s less effective than oral medication, but it may work for a mild to moderate infection. You’ll typically paint layers of the polish onto your nail for 7 days. After that, you’ll file off the polish and apply new layers for as long as your doctor recommends.
Your nail may or may not grow back. If you’re concerned about the appearance of your nail, ask if there are any other alternatives you could try.
Wash your feet more frequently if you sweat a lot or if your feet are damp for other reasons, such as walking in the rain. Cleaning your feet helps get rid of germs and fungal microbes that could affect your nail.
Alternate which shoes you wear every day so they have time to dry out between uses. You can also sprinkle antifungal powder into your shoes when you aren’t wearing them to stop fungus from growing inside of them.
Avoid sharing clippers with anyone else. Use a separate pair of small clippers for your fingernails. That way, you’re less likely to spread the fungus.
Wash your flip flops with soap and water once a week so that they don’t carry any fungus organisms.
It is more difficult to get rid of fungus if you don’t have other medical issues under control. Closely follow your doctor’s instructions about diet and taking medications for other conditions if necessary.
