How Do I Use Tea Tree Oil For Toenail Fungus
Using tea tree oil for toenail fungus is a common home remedy. Many people prefer using the oil over prescription medicines to avoid potential side effects. Tea tree oil can be purchased from alternative medicine stores and homeopathic suppliers. Before using tea tree oil for toenail fungus, put a drop of the oil on your inner arm and wait a bit to see if signs of any potential allergies appear.
Tea tree oil, which is for topical use only, should be applied up to three times daily, until the fungus has completely disappeared. The infected area should first be washed and dried, and using tea tree soap during this cleansing step may help to speed the healing process. Tea tree oil can dry out the skin, though, so use of the soap should be discontinued if dry skin becomes an issue. It is still acceptable to continue using the tea tree oil for toenail fungus, even if you dont use the soap.
Once the area has been cleaned, place several drops of tea tree oil on a cotton ball or cotton swab. Rub the oil on top of and underneath the nail, as well as on the area surrounding the infected nail. The entire area should be saturated with the oil and then allowed to air dry.
Can I Put Tea Tree Oil Directly On My Toenail
According to a 1994 research, tea tree oil used directly to toenail fungus is just as efficient as clotrimazole lotion in treating the condition. Clotrimazole is an antifungal cream that may be obtained through a doctors prescription or from a drugstore. A research published in 1999 looked at whether an antifungal cream containing tea tree oil may be effective in treating toenail fungus and other fungal infections.
Findings From Studies Involving Humans
Two earlier studies investigated the effects of tea tree oil on nail fungus in humans.
A found that tea tree oil applied directly to toenail fungus is as effective as clotrimazole cream. Clotrimazole is an antifungal cream available on prescription or from a pharmacy.
A study published in 1999 investigated whether an antifungal cream containing tea tree oil could help manage toenail fungus. The researchers used tea tree oil alone as a placebo. Participants applied either the combination cream or the placebo for 16 weeks.
The combination cream completely cured the nail fungus in 80% of the participants. However, none of the people who used the tea tree alone saw any improvement. This suggests that tea tree oil alone may not be an effective treatment for nail fungus.
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How Long Does It Take To See Results
If youre going the natural route be prepared to be consistent and patient.
It can take anywhere from several weeks to months to completely recover from toenail fungus.
Dont skip any treatments or applications.
If your toenail fungus is causing you discomfort, you can pair EOs with over-the-counter medications.
Will Toenail Fungus Grow Out
Many people can get rid of nail fungus with treatment. When the fungus clears, your nail may look bad until it grows out. A fingernail grows out in 4 to 6 months and a nail can take up to a year to grow back to its original size. If your nails look infected, its time to see a doctor.
Your doctor will ask you questions about your health and lifestyle, such as how long youve been wearing nail polish, how often you wash your hands, and whether you use nail varnish or polish remover. You may also be asked to take a swab of your finger to check for infection. If youre not sure, ask your doctor or dermatologist.
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What Is Tea Tree Oil
Tea tree oil is derived from the leaves of the evergreen Melaleuca alternifolia tree, native to Australia. Also called ‘melaleuca oil,’ tea tree oil can be colorless to pale yellow while giving out a fresh camphor-like odor.
Tea tree oil is one of the important essential oils that are made from plant extracts and used to boost well-being. The term ‘essential oil’ denotes the fact that the ‘essence’ of the plants is captured in the oil through steam distillation methods.
In Australia, tea tree oil has been used as herbal medicinefor centuries by the aboriginal people to treat colds, coughs, wounds, and skin infections. It is also used to complement conventional treatment in burn care, surgery, and dental care.
How To Use Tea Tree Oil For Nail Filing
Carry on with this method for approximately 1520 minutes more. These treatments are most effective when carried out either in the morning or in the evening. It is vital to apply tea tree oil to the nail at least twice a day in order to maintain its effectiveness. If you want the greatest results, you should repeat the filing operation once or twice every week.
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But Should Tea Tree Oil Be Used On Fungal Nails
Tea Tree Oil has 15 components that are potential skin irritants. These irritants increase in strength with exposure to air and light. This means the risk of allergic reactions increases when the bottle is being constantly opened for daily application.
The essential oil needs to be kept in a tightly sealed dark bottle and kept away from heat and light. Bottles should also be disposed of after 12 months from opening.
A study by found that dermatitis and allergic responses occurred when using concentrations of 10%, 25% and 50%. The results strongly discouraged the use of Tea Tree Oil in preparations stronger than 5%. This is particularly concerning when data shows that preparations under 10% are ineffective.
It should also be noted that studies showing anti fungal properties of Tea Tree Oil have almost always focused on the fungal infection, Candida albicans. This is despite the fact that the most common source of fungal skin and nail infection is Trichophyton dermatophytes.
Although there is a lot of data supporting the antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties there is still a lack of clinical evidence to show its efficacy against bacterial, fungal and viral infections.
In summary Tea Tree Oil should not be used for the long term use of fungal infections. This is because preparation under 10% are deemed ineffective and preparations over 10% have caused dermatitis and allergic responses.
Nail Fungus Sufferers: What Works And What Doesnt
Are you tired of suffering from stubborn and ugly nail infections? Do you long for letting your once beautiful toes see the sunlight again? Do you wonder what its going to take to get rid of the fungus?
Over the years weve had the opportunity to collect testimonials from people who left comments on ToenailFungusTreatments.com, who have used different types of nail fungus remedies. After analyzing them, weve created some useful suggestions for those who want to eliminate nail fungus.
Of course, nothing is ever 100% guaranteed, but if we can learn from others with similar problems, we have a better chance of crossing off one more problem we have from the list that seems to accumulate many problems as we age.
How Doctors Heal Patients
In fact, I was thinking about doctors and how they learn. I know that if you ask any doctor who he or she learned the most from, they will say their patients. In the practice of medicine, a doctor who pays the most attention to the results that their patients are receiving, and makes appropriate adjustments is often the most successful both with people and against disease.
Recognizing this feedback loop was very valuable, we started collecting reports on remedies from our readers and have been able to create some basic guidelines for anyone with nail fungus problems who wants to use these treatments to get clear nails again.
Guidelines From Our Readers about Nail Fungus Remedies
Ugly Toenail Transformed to Beautiful and Perfect
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How To Get Rid Of Toenail Fungus With Tea Tree Oil
Nail fungus is genuinely a difficult situation to deal with. Also known as Onychomycosis, nail fungus is a widespread problem among many people and is often caused by the trapping of moisture in warm conditions where the fungus thrives in. Some people are more prone to attracting fungus as habitual actions like swimming, followed by sweating, may often lead to the growth of fungus.
A nail fungal infection will most probably begin as a white or yellow-colored spot beneath the tip of your finger or toenail. It is said to occur when fungi infect one or more of your nails. This may lead to the decolorization and thickening of nails, which can be a painful problem. In extreme cases, this may even affect a persons ability to use his feet or hands.
Leaving them untreated may lead to the cracking, splitting, and even complete loss of the toenail. But it is curable and can be treated easily at home without spending a lot of money. Many natural home remedies are capable of curing this, and tea tree oil is one among them.
Prepare Nails Before Applying Tea Tree Oil
Before you use a product with Tea Tree oil as an ingredient on your nails, it is important to first prepare your nails. Imagine trying to shampoo your hair without first having to wash it it would not work, and neither will using Tea Tree oil on your nails
Step 1. Trim the areas of your nail which are affected by nail fungus.
First, you need to remove the areas on your nails that are heavily affected by this fungus. That is if it can be easily removed. Think of this like trimming your nails. You should remove as much of your infected nail as is safely possible.
Step 2. File down remaining areas of your nail which are affected by nail fungus.
Once you have used clippers or nail scissors to remove areas of infected nail, you should now use a nail file to remove the last remaining areas which can be safely filed away. The aim is to remove as much of your nail infection as is possible before treating it with Tea Tree oil.
This helps any treatment you apply after to have maximum effect.
Step 3. Wash your nails thoroughly to remove affected nail fungus dust.
Now you are done the cutting and removing infected areas of your nail, it is time to wash away any debris. You might not be able to see it, but it is almost definitely still there. Wash carefully with tepid water and a skin friendly shower gel.
Step 4. Carefully dry your nails taking care not to irritate them by rubbing vigorously.
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Look For Pure Tea Tree Oil
Using high-quality, pure tea tree oil will ensure you get the best results. Here are some things to look out for when buying tea tree oil for nail fungus:
- 100 percent pure – This means there are no preservatives, fillers, and chemicals used in the therapeutic grade essential oil.
- Cold-pressed -the oil is made by crushing the leaves of tea tree oil at room temperature without using heat or chemicals. This helps preserve the bioactive elements of tea tree oil.
- Plant-based and cruelty-free-Most consumersprefer natural, plant-based skincare products because they are safe and effective.
- Amber packaging – This type of packaging helps prevent any contaminants, including harmful bacteria, from entering the essential oil.
Wow Tea Tree Essential Oil ticks all these boxes to offer 100 percent pure, cold-pressed tea tree oil that is fast-absorbing and chemical-free.
Check out Wow Skin Science’s curated range of single and blended essential oilsthat are pure, cold-pressed, and therapeutic grade.
Nail fungus is a common condition that affects millions of people. It is imperative that you identify and take care of this condition in the beginning itself. The best way to take care of it is with the help of tea tree essential oil. Now that you know all the benefits tea tree essential oil offers and how to use it, you can keep your nails healthy, always.
Does Tea Tree Oil Work For Nail Fungus
There are many natural home remedies that can be used to treat nail fungus. One such effective remedy is using tea tree oil. Multiple studies over the years have proven the age-old remedy of tea tree oils for nail fungus. This includes a 2013 study that proves that tea tree oil successfully reduced the growth of the Trichophyton rubrum virus, a virus that commonly causes infections such as nail fungus and athlete’s foot in just 14 days. In 1999, a study was done on people suffering from toenail fungus where they consistently used a medicated cream that contained tea tree oil and butenafine hydrochloride and as a result, they did not have any fungal infections or relapses.
Other studies have shown that tea tree oil has strong antifungal properties which make it effective in the treatment of nail fungus, without recurrences.
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How Often Should I Soak My Feet In Tea Tree Oil
Place your feet in the bowl, add hot water that is not too hot, and then pour approximately a quarter of a cup of tea tree oil foot soak into the bowl. After soaking them for around fifteen to twenty minutes, pat them dry with the towel, and then apply some moisturizer. When used as an antifungal therapy, repeat once a day when used as a preventive precaution, repeat once a week.
Tea Tree Oil And Olive Oil
As per few studies, olive oil contains hydroxytyrosol, an antioxidant which is effective in killing the fungus, yeast and molds associated with toenail or fingernail fungus. Olive oil also helps to speed up healing process of skin surrounding the affected nail.
- Mix equal quantities of tea tree oil and olive oil.
- Using a cotton ball, apply the mixture on nails and allow to dry.
- Rinse with water and pat dry.
- Repeat the process regularly.
Note: You can use olive leaf extract oil or ozonated olive oil instead of virgin olive oil.
Alternative: You can use lavender oil instead of olive oil and follow the same process. Lavender oil possess antiseptic properties and volatile compounds that fight against the fungus.
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When To See A Doctor About Toenail Fungus
If you are experiencing persistent toenail fungus or pain is present, you may need to see a specialist. A dermatologist or podiatrist may be able to assess your symptoms and send a small sample of the affected toenail or flesh to a laboratory to be analyzed as there are various types of fungi and yeasts that cause onychomycosis. Knowing the specific cause of your foot fungus can help identify what route to take to treat your condition.
Nail changes can also be caused by underlying conditions, like psoriasis and diabetes, so its important to seek professional medical advice if your condition persists or worsens. Bacterial and fungal infection of skin in diabetes patients often result in hospital admissions, and in severe cases, can result in amputations. If you are at a higher risk for infection, you should skip home remedies and seek professional medical treatment.
What We Looked For In A Brand:
Strength of Money-Back Guarantee: A money-back guarantee shows the manufacturer is so confident in the product that theyre willing to put their money where their mouth is. Theres simply no reason to trust a product that doesnt offer a money-back-guarantee.
24 Hour Customer Support: A 24-hour customer-support service shows a manufacturers commitment to their customers, because 24-hour support isnt cheap. With any remedy, youre likely to have questions, and those questions can arise at any time of the day or night 24-hour customer service offers a peace-of-mind knowing the answers are only a phone call away.
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Ways To Use Tea Tree Oil To Get Rid Of Nail Fungus
Almost 10% of U.S adult population suffers from nail fungus or onychomycosis. It occurs when fungus or mold grows underneath the nails which gradually make them brittle, weak, discolored and distorted.
Warm environments, spending a lot of time in water and injured nail are the main reasons for the fungus development. However, people who have weak immune system, athleteâs foot, diabetes are more prone to the risk of developing fungal infection.
As per American Academy of Dermatology, toenail fungus is the more common than fingernail fungus. Why? As the blood circulation is less, our immune system cannot readily detect and combat the infection in toenails. And another reason â feet are usually confined to shoes and fungus thrives in warm environments.
Nail fungus can be effectively treated at home using ingredients with strong antifungal properties like tea tree oil or oregano oil. In this article, let me provide you more information on why tea tree oil is effective and how you can use it to treat nail fungus.
How Long It Will Take To Recover
Using the oil consistently will give you visible results. Depending on how severe your infection was, to begin with, it may take anywhere between a few weeks to a few months for your nails to heal completely.
After a few months, you will grow a new nail that is free from any fungal growth. However, it is advised to continue the tea tree oil treatment to ensure that the fungus does not return.
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