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I'm desperate for a cure for this infection which has spread to all my toes on one foot! I just can't resort to taking the risk of the damage Lamisil can cause. (Kaiser doesn't cover anyway, they say it's "cosmetic"). Any help? I tried to vinegar and tea tree a while ago and I didn't notice any change. I just feel so defeated with this - I'm so tired of sanding and filing my nails down every week and painting them to cover it up. It's aweful!
In Reply to: Toenail fungus for over 5 years posted by Jami on July 29, 2003 at 14:40:06:
First things first: DO NOT USE POLISH!!! That guarantees the problem will continue! It seals off the nail so air cannot get under it, and moisture gets locked in.
Next: once you've bitten the bullet & gone polish-free, make sure you thoroughly dry your toenails after bathing. Use a hairdryer to be sure the area's gotten dried. After the nails are dry, apply tea tree oil to the entire nail, working it down under the nail as much as you can. Do this at least twice/day.It will take about 6 months to correct the problem, and meanwhile, no backsliding on the polish!
Good nail hygiene means staying out of socks & hose as much as possible, so that air can get in there.No standing around in sweaty socks after exercising. Think AIR where your toes are concerned. In winter, the same rules apply. Let those babies breathe!
Tea tree oil takes awhile, but it truly does work. If the fungus comes back, it means you were not consistent in your toenail hygiene, & have re-created the moist environment. Keep 'em dry, keep 'em plain (sorry, that's the hard part), and keep using tea tree oil. Don't go down the road to medicines you take orally, unless you don't value your liver...
In Reply to: Re: Toenail fungus for over 5 years posted by mary on July 29, 2003 at 15:21:16:
Hi,
You really need to keep at the vinegar treatment. You can use tea tree oil as well, but you need to keep at it. I have had toenail fungus for 15 years. The vinegar has not cured it but it does help. Maybe it will work for you. Try to keep your feet free of all encumbrances - tights, socks. Let the air get to them as much as possible and dry them very well after washing. I also use tea tree oil powder if I really have to wear tights. Powder your toes liberally. Good luck!
In Reply to: Toenail fungus for over 5 years posted by Jami on July 29, 2003 at 14:40:06:
I know exactly how you feel. I'll share my experience and
hopefully it might work for you. I have had an infection in my pinky
toe nail and in half of the toe nail next to the pinky for years. I
started the vinegar treatment about 4 months ago and notice on
the nail that was half infected it's now growing out clear. Keep in
mind that nails with the infection grow EXTREMELY slow (at least
mine do) and because I had half nail infected I could see this and
the clear side would grow twice as fast as the infected side. My
pinky toe is getting better but much slower than the other. It
sounds like you're like me and want to just keep them painted
over. I love wearing cute sandals in the summer and will not let my
infected nails show. This takes some extra time, but what I do is if
I'm going to wear sandals that day, as soon as I get out of the
shower I dry my feet and immediately apply the vinegar around the
infected nails and let it completely air dry (or dry with a hair dryer).
I then apply a little vicks vapor rub as well and let that sit while I'm
getting ready (I figure it can't hurt and might help!). Then I use a
one coat nail polish and paint over the infected nails really quickly.
Before I go to bed at night I take off the nail polish on the infected
toes with a Q-tip and remover (so I don't soak the nails with
remover) and once again apply the vinegar and vicks. I try and
sleep with my socks off at night to keep my feet dry. I've been
doing this since I started the vinegar and it's working even with
putting on nail polish almost every day. I'm not completely cured,
but have noticed the nail base in my one nail growing out totally
clear and it hasn't been like that for years. The key is not to go too
long with the infected nails painted and without putting the vinegar
on the nails. And keep up with it. I've heard that it took some
people a year before they saw clear nails. Hang in there. I know
how awful it is living with this, but hopefully the vinegar will work
for you if you stick with it.
In Reply to: Toenail fungus for over 5 years posted by Jami on July 29, 2003 at 14:40:06:
one application of cayenne pepper in salt water stopped
mine. Hot sauce should work since and it has vinegar in it.
In Reply to: Re: Toenail fungus for over 5 years posted by My Experience on July 29, 2003 at 16:09:55:
Thank you so much! I'm now re-inspired and just have to be patient and diligent (sp?) about doing this treatment. How do you apply the vinegar? How much a day? Do your toes require filing on the top to keep it somewhat normal looking. Mine is pretty thick and yellow and I use a battery operated filing tool which works pretty good. This really sucks during the summer because I'm always in sandals - you're lucky it's just 1 1/2 toenail. I did just have one toenail infected for the longest time, then it spread to the remaining 4.
In Reply to: Re: Toenail fungus for over 5 years posted by Jami on July 30, 2003 at 00:14:08:
Jamie,
I had nail fungus in all 10 nails...now I have it in 9. They are SLOWLY SLOWLY SLOWLY growing out, but I've had the fungus for 8 years so I guess I can't expect a quick fix. Once my one nail got clear, I noticed it grew a lot faster than the infected ones. My big toe nails are so bad and so thin and brittle that I don't even have them any more...just putting my foot in a shoe would rip off the nail. So...I'm painting my skin for the summer! Probably not the best thing to do...but I'm not walking around nail-less for the summer.
As far as polish. I've been purposely leaving a little gap between the polish and the end of my nail near the cuticle. I'm only covering the affected area...the clear nail that's growing out is left unpolished. It seems to be working fine, I haven't seen any setbacks from it yet. Like you, my nails are lifted off the bed so I have to paint the ends of my nails as well to cover it. As the fungus is growing out, the nails are getting closer and closer to laying flat.
Just remember--2 drops of distilled vinegar MORNING AND NIGHT EVERY SINGLE DAY at the cuticle. If you miss even one dose you're in jeopardy of having to start all over again. Take my word for it.
Best of luck, nail sistah! :)
P.S. I file my nails down just to make them look more attractive in the summer, but the other months the polish and the filing go away for the year!
In Reply to: Re: Toenail fungus for over 5 years posted by Michele #2 on July 31, 2003 at 18:59:18:
Thanks, Michele #2.
What a great idea! Painting only the affected part of the nails and being careful to let the gradually growing out normal nail free of polish is a ploy I have not thought of.
If you are careful not to touch any of the normal appearing nail you might get away with this trick.
Congratulations! I guess this is what is called: "Necessity is the mother of invention."
Walt
In Reply to: Re: Toenail fungus for over 5 years (Archive.) TESTIMONIAL posted by Walt Stoll on August 01, 2003 at 14:11:12:
Hey thanks!
Wow, I actually contributed something rather than taking away. Ha ha.
So far, I have not seen any setbacks...and I even find that it helps me stick to my vinegar routine better because I can just glance down and see how far my clear nail has grown out.
Others are much more forgiving of nails that look like they've just grown out since the last polish than they are of unsightly nail fungus...can we blame them?
In Reply to: Re: Toenail fungus for over 5 years posted by Jami on July 30, 2003 at 00:14:08:
Yes, patience is definitely needed when doing the vinegar treatment, but as soon as you see the nails getting better you'll be so happy as if they were completely cured! The way I apply the vinegar is with a little dropper bottle. I drop about two drops to the base of each infected nail and rub it in just a little bit. I do this AT LEAST twice per day and within no more than 12 hours of eachother. I don't usually file the top of my nail that is just 1/2 infected, but my pinky nail definitely needs to be filed down on top since it gets thick. However, I just recently notice healthy nail growth in that nail also and it doesn't get as thick now that I've been doing the vinegar - especially at the base. Like Michele #2, I try and not put polish too close to the base (even though I take the nail polish off at night anyway). I also NEVER miss my vinegar application. I also rub a little vicks on the top of the other nails that aren't infected (just in case!)
I really hope the vinegar works for you. It's extremely frustrating and embarrassing to live with this so I know what you're going through. Just hang in there, and be sure to post any updates on your situation. I'd love to know if it works for you.
In Reply to: Re: Toenail fungus for over 5 years (Archive.) TESTIMONIAL posted by Michele #2 on August 01, 2003 at 16:46:52:
Very true! I also try and not paint too close to the base, but I still take the polish off at night - just in case.
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