How many times have you read about tea tree oil for nail fungus as a valid treatment when you need to get rid of a fungal infection under the nail?
Search in Google “tea tree oil for nail fungus” and you will find more articles than you can read in a lifetime!
To make a long story short, we will look in this article at tea tree oil for nail fungus from all necessary angles to assess the reliability of this nail fungus remedy.
What is Tea Tree Oil Good For?
Tea tree oil comes from the leaves of the tea tree, proper name melaleuca alternifolia native to various parts of Australia. In its native land tea tree oil has been utilized to treat a wide range of skin ailments including burns, abrasions, infections and fungus. This natural remedy was first discovered in the 1920’s but it would be several decades before commercial production really took off.
It should be noted that while the tea tree was first used for extracting this essential oil it has since been successfully extracted from multiple melaleuca plants and trees. Tea tree oil is a natural antiseptic and anti-fungal essential oil. It is meant for topical application only as it can be fatal if taken internally.
Toenail Fungus Is difficult to Treat
Fungi of all types are readily available in the world around you, for the most part they leave us alone and we leave them alone. However, there are a few Fungi that find places on the human body to be quite pleasant. What starts as a small yellow or white patch at the end of the nail can quickly spread to the rest of the nail.
Toenail fungus can result in thickened, chalky, splitting and even foul-smelling nails. This problem is not one that will cause you serious medical issues, but who wants to go around with cracking, thickening or smelly nails? One of the biggest problems with this disorder is the fact that it buries deep within the nail bed, beneath the nail itself making it rather difficult to apply topical treatments. It is often after a few failed attempts with traditional medicine that leads to testing out tea tree oil for nail fungus.
Toenail Fungus Treatment Options
You have likely already examined many treatment options for fungus. As previously mentioned it can be difficult to get topical treatments to the area where they will do the most good, under your nails in the nail bed. This is one reason several prescription options were created.
Toenail fungus is quite frequently treated with an oral anti-fungal such as Lamisil or Sporanox. These medications go directly to the blood stream and work from the inside out to eradicate fungus. Oral anti-fungal drugs tend to work more quickly than topical options. This is one reason why they are so commonly prescribed by doctors.
Unfortunately, oral medications like these can have serious side effects, from mild rashes to serious live issues. Generally, you will be required to have regular testing for liver output while you are taking these medications. All in all, it can take 4 months or more for the toenail fungus to clear entirely, and if you are suffering liver problems, heart failure or taking certain medications your doctor could refuse to prescribe them.
This is yet another reason individuals will turn to nature for their solutions, hence tea tree oil for toenail fungus!
Laser treatment has recently been approved for treating nail fungus, but don’t be fooled by the shiny new treatment option. Laser use in this area is brand new, which means the effectiveness of this medical procedure is yet unknown. It should also be pointed out this option is more painful than generally advertised by podiatrists.
Applying Tea Tree Oil For Nail Fungus
So how do you use tea tree oil for nail fungus effectively?
Proper preparations are required. Begin by trimming your nails carefully, remove all the dead nail but take care to avoid clipping the skin around your nails. Next utilize a coarse nail file to whittle down the thickened areas over your nail bed. A medium grade file is perfect for this task. Finally soak your nails to ensue both cleanliness and soften the nail for application of the treatment.
You can apply tea tree oil for nail fungus directly on the nail or use a cotton ball to thoroughly coat the area. If you want to make sure the oil gets deep in the nail bed a toothbrush can be quite helpful.
Some will soak their feet and nails in a water/ tea tree oil 4-5 drops in warm water. From start to finish this entire application process should take approximately 15-20 minutes. Start and end your day with a good foot soak and tea tree oil treatment! Keep in mind you will need to do this several days per week, preferably daily, and over an extended period of time if you want to see positive results.
Tea Tree Oil Adverse Effects
While tea tree oil for toenail fungus is a viable option, it is known that some people develop an allergic rash (contact dermatitis) when they apply tea tree oil on their skin so pay special attention of the following:
- Swelling
- Rash
- Itching
- Burning
- Stinging
- Redness
You should always test it first on a small unobtrusive area of your body to make sure you are not allergic.
Does it Work?
The real question of the day is does tea tree oil for nail fungus really work?
You can find many claims of people who reported positive results with it. Unfortunately, you can also find as many people who claimed that tea tree oil didn’t work at all for them. Even those who reported some results mentioned that it took a very long time (6 to 12 months) and that the improvement was in most cases temporary. The nail fungus often recurred because tea tree oil didn’t address the root problem.
Alternatives To Tea Tree Oil For Toenail Fungus
Blending tea tree oil with other ingredients could be all the boost your treatment requires.
Emoninail and Funginix are effective natural alternatives that offer a blended treatment in proper therapeutic dosage. Both make an optimal use of tea tree oil for toenail fungus by using of tea tree oil anti-fungal properties along with other ingredients that prevent skin irritation.
EmoniNail was specifically created to penetrate the nail bed (one of the biggest barriers to treatment efforts) and to eliminate the fungus. This treatment contains the FDA-recognized Undecylenic Acid anti-fungal agent combined with a powerful blend of plant extracts and essential oils. It offers today one of the most effective nail fungus treatment options. Emoninail claims are backed up with a 60-day money back guarantee!
Funginix is another effective OTC treatment that utilizes both natural antifungals such as tea tree oil and Undecylenic Acid along with additional ingredients such as essential oils, camphor, glycerin, propolis, and many more.
So, what’s the best alternative to tea tree oil for toenail fungus?
Tea tree oil itself but blended with other ingredients and formulated in therapeutic dosage for effective topical treatment!
Preventing Toenail Fungus
If you have come this far in the discussion talking about prevention is probably a moot point, however once you clear your current infection don’t you want to know how to maintain your healthy nails?
Keep nails trimmed and clean: A regularly changed nail brush is perfect for keeping dirt, debris and fungus from gathering under your nails.
- Socks: Make sure your feet get good air circulation, particularly if you sweat profusely. Damp socks of sweat is a fantastic place for fungus to get a toehold (pun fully intended!)
- Protective Shoes: If you are going to a public area where bare feet are common, pool, gym showers etc… make sure you have a proper pair of shower shoes or protective sandals.
- Shoes: One final word about your shoes concerns their fit. In order for your feet to get proper circulation your shoes should fit well and not be too tight.
- Dry: The key to preventing fungal infections of all kinds is keeping potential problem areas dry. This means never putting socks on damp feet, carefully towel dry your toes (don’t forget between) after showers or swimming.
Final Thoughts
Tea tree oil for nail fungus is a possible treatment, but you should be aware of possible adverse effects and allergic reactions some people might experience when using it alone.
It should be noted that tea tree oil for toenail fungus rarely addresses the root problem. The nail fungus often recurs and all the months of treatment were wasted for nothing.
So, should it be part of your toenail fungus treatment?
Yes, but combined with other ingredients!
Tea tree oil is a natural antiseptic and anti-fungal essential oil that works best when used with other anti-fungal agents and ingredients that prevent skin irritation and allergic reactions.
So why use it alone?
You may simply need a better proprietary blend to get the job done.
Emoninail is a natural treatment that makes an optimal use of tea tree oil for nail fungus. Its formulation is designed to penetrate the nail bed and eliminate the fungus definitely. With careful adherence to this treatment you can get rid of toenail fungus once and for all.
