Yellow toenails… only those who have suffered them know how hideous they can really be. Quite apart from the ugliness and the social embarrassment, which are considerable, yellow toenails also indicate that there’s more trouble in the offing, chiefly in the form of a fungal infection. But don’t worry, there are plenty of cures!

So don’t freak out just yet…

But don’t jump to conclusions immediately. You see, there are stages of discoloration in your nails. For instance, a completely harmless kind of bacteria often produces a change of color in your nails, though in that case, your nails ought to turn green. Besides, there is also a fairly rare condition usually known as ‘yellow nail syndrome’, which you might have developed.

In general, though, yellow or brownish toenails indicate the presence of a fungus, and not a benign one like penicillium, which produces penicillin as well as a green pigment. No, the fungi growing in your toenails will not merely turn it yellow, but also make it brittle and crumbly, which will cause further embarrassment, no doubt.

How to determine if you actually have a nail fungal infection.

However, you will still need to determine whether it is a fungal infection that is causing your toenails to turn yellow. So the moment you spot the early signs, visit a doctor. Toenail fungus affects a fair number of people, so it should be easy to detect and deal with. However, only your doctor can tell you if what you have really is a toenail fungus, or some other condition that requires different treatment.

Of course, when I say yellow toenails I don’t mean a banana yellow color that seems painted on your nails, but more of a yellow section of the nail that looks like a streak. And yet, this could be a sign of an infection which, if left unattended, will spread to cover not only the entire nail but also, in more severe cases, the nail root.

How the infection can spread.

Typically, not all your toenails will be simultaneously affected by the fungus. In fact, it may be that only a single nail is affected, while the others are as healthy as they were. However, you need to nip the problem in the bud by attacking the first sign of a toenail fungus infection and finds a treatment for your yellow toenails. And it would be ideal if you could start the treatment before the infection reaches the lunula (which is what the crescent-shaped part of the nail near the cuticle is called).

There are various types of treatments for yellow toenails. But instead of deciding on one yourself, ask your doctor to suggest the best course. Remember, not all treatments are equally effective for everybody. For instance, you may have been prescribed an oral drug that may not agree with you, or may not work for you, at all. Besides, it may have dicey side effects.

Some natural home remedies and cures for yellow nail fungus.

Therefore, some people prefer home remedies for toenail fungus and yellow toenails. Among these remedies are a special kind of nail lacquer that you need to paint on, vinegar, tea tree oil, and even Listerine, though none of these have the backing of scientific research.

Why not simply try Zetaclear instead? I have, and it has been a wonderful experience, because Zetaclear is among those rare remedies for toenail fungus that are natural yet effective. It combines homeopathic ingredients and essential oils, and is highly regarded among all sections of users. So if you are really serious about getting rid of yellow toenails and persistent toenail fungus, why not try Zetaclear today?

One solution that I found to work wonders if the ZetaClear nail fungus remover. Check out my personal review of ZetaClear here: http://www.nastytoenailfungus.com/zetaclear-review-an-amazing-toenail-fungus-remover-works-like-a-charm/ With this stuff, it gets down to the root of the infection and attacks it from there – this is what Vinegar and Listerine fail to do.

How do you prevent toe nail fungus? Toenail fungus prevention is the best way to keep your toenails ready for those warmer months. Exposure to damp areas can increase the chance of getting toenail fungus. It can also be spread from one person to another or from one toe to another. Wearing tight shoes or hosiery can also increase the chance of getting nail fungus.

If you already have nail fungus, there are several natural remedies for toe nail fungus that will help to rid your feet of this fungal infection. One of the natural remedies is tea tree oil. This natural remedy is known for being an antiseptic and fungicide, which can help to treat the fungus that you are dealing with. All you have to do is mix undiluted tea tree oil with olive oil and apply it to your toenail, apply the tea tree oil to your toenail and rub it in several times a day, or mix equal parts tea tree oil and lavender oil and apply it to your toenail.

A mix of equal parts warm water and apple cider vinegar is another treatment that you can consider. Soak your toenails in this mixture for 15 to 20 minutes and dry your feet thoroughly after done. A hairdryer can be used to further absorb the moisture to ensure that you will not cause any further damage.

Two drops of Oregano essential oil with a teaspoon of olive oil can be used to treat the toe nail fungus as well. Oregano essential oil is a natural antiseptic, antibacterial, antiparasitical, analgesic, and antifungal that has no side effects. Apply the mixture and rub it into the toenails for maximum effect.

Other natural remedies for toe nail fungus include soaking your feet in Listerine, using alpha-hydroxy acid creams, applying Vicks Vapo-rub to the toenails, using lemongrass essential oil, and more. Some people use a combination of treatments to help make the toenails healthier.

If you are tired of covering your feet during the hot summer months, try one or several of these natural remedies for toenail fungus. Even though this problem is common, it is not something that you have to live with. Consider one of these natural remedies for toenail fungus.

Need relief from toenail fungus? Find out more about the home remedies that people have used to successfully cure toenail fungus!

Some of the toenail fungus homes remedies are after taking a bath, water through the affected nail in distilled vinegar for few minutes which can kill off the fungus pretty quickly apply daily and dry it thoroughly. Take a nail file and fine file your nail to make patchy grooves on the top of the nail and rub the affected nail through with Vick’s vapor rub – the eucalyptus in the Vick’s kill off the fungus on the nail very faster. Apply tree tea oil on the affected nail twice a day, it kill the fungus and won’t let them to grow, very effective it may some weeks to treat.

The most effective toenail fungus home remedy – take a turmeric powder and make it into paste and apply on the affected nail once or twice a day. The regular application of turmeric makes your toe nail soft and clean out off organisms and even cures the foot cracks. Another effective home remedy is henna treatment, take a bunch of henna leaves and make it into fine paste and apply it as a cap on the surface of the affected nail while henna is the best germicide destroys fungus in and around the nails.

Another interesting treatment reduces the toe nail fungus – take a yellow colored well ripped banana and mash it into a fine with neem water (take a bunch of neem leaves and boiled them in a glass of water and concentrate it by about 15 to 20 minutes). Apply this banana paste all over the affected area let it dry for about one hour and wash away. This will reduce the fungus growth.

One of the best toenail fungus home remedy – take a tulsi juice (cluster of tulsi leaves grind it well filter the juice) with an equal amount of lime juice and the mixture on the affected nail twice a day will cure the toenail fungus and make your toe more beautiful ever.

The cheapest and purest medicine for toenail fungus is onion juice. Take a slice of onion and rub it over the fungus which penetrates into the nail (even harder nails) and destroy the fungus. The application removes the dead and affected cells as a sweat which cleans the toe. The best treatment ever won’t let the fungus infection again. These are some of most effective home remedies which cure toe nail fungus more quickly than any other treatment.

A toenail fungal infection is very easy to get and can be very painful and unsightly. Also, it can take six months or more to treat and heal. That’s why it makes sense to avoid getting a toenail fungal infection in the first place. Here are some simple steps you can take to keep your toe nails healthy and infection-free.

Caused by organisms similar to mold, mildew, and yeast, a toe nail fungal infection is likely to develop in a warm and moist environment. You can contract a toenail fungal infection by stepping barefoot into a warm puddle of water in a public place as easily as from having perpetually sweaty feet. The best prevention against toenail fungal infection is to keep your feet and toenails as clean and dry as possible.

Easy things you can do to prevent an infection

Wear sandals or flip flops in public places like gyms, spas and pools. Keep your shower and bathtub free of mold by disinfecting weekly with bleach. Allow your feet to air out during the day by removing your shoes and socks. Going barefoot at home gives your feet a chance to breathe and dry out. If you must wear socks and shoes all day, use an anti-fungal foot powder on your feet and in your shoes, and wear socks that absorb moisture. Don’t sleep with your socks on!

Wash your feet every day, especially between the toes, and use a nail brush. Make sure feet are thoroughly dry before putting on socks. Keep your toenails clean, clipped and short. If you wear toenail polish, change it often and give toe nails a chance to breathe between polish applications. Regularly disinfect and don’t share your pedicure tools. Make sure your nail salon uses disinfected nail tools. Because tight, ill-fitting shoes can increase your risk for a toenail fungal infection, be sure to wear shoes that fit comfortably.

If you have a heavy nail fungus infection, I highly recommend you try ZetaClear – this stuff works wonders. Check out my full review of it here: http://www.nastytoenailfungus.com/zetaclear-review-an-amazing-toenail-fungus-remover-works-like-a-charm/.

Common Toe nail Fungus
The most common toenail fungus is known as onychomycosis, and is easily identified. When a person becomes infected, the area under the nail becomes filled with a yellow or brown substance. Although toenails are the most commonly affected areas, it is important to note that fingernails can become infected too.

Vinegar and Toe nail Fungus
If your toenail fungus is minor, (for example, you just noticed symptoms a day ago) there is a low chance that vinegar may work. However, this is extremely unlikely. In order for the vinegar to even reach under your nails, you have to soak for hours, over a month-long period of time. And even then, the vinegar will only treat the outer extremities of your condition. Try as you might, the fungus can and will come back.

This is because vinegar, at least commercially available vinegar, is a fairly weak acid. Those of us who keep a bottle around the house have probably noticed the label that says, “reduced to 5% acidity.” This indicates that the vinegar has been weakened to the point where it is more than safe for human consumption. Unfortunately, this renders it a poor home remedy. While vinegar is indeed suitable for disinfecting a countertop (this means killing every unicellular organism on said countertop), it lacks the anti-microbial punch required to break down larger pieces of matter, such as a fungus (fungi are typically large collections of one unicellular organism).

The consumer should not rely on vinegar alone to treat serious fungal infections, and instead opt for one of many commercially available solutions.

If you have a strong nail fungus infection, I highly recommend you try ZetaClear. Check out my review of it here: http://www.nastytoenailfungus.com/zetaclear-review-an-amazing-toenail-fungus-remover-works-like-a-charm

Various types of vinegar help cure toenail fungus, but ordinary white vinegar is all you’ll need. Gather together your white vinegar, a basin to soak your feet in, a towel to dry off with, and something to keep you busy for half an hour while you soak. Then add enough vinegar to the basin to completely cover your toenails and plunge your feet in. Remember these pointers to help vinegar cure toenail fungus: soak every day until the problem is gone (some people paint the vinegar on two or three times a day, or apply a vinegar-soaked bandage that can be worn all day), dry your feet very thoroughly after soaking, and refresh the vinegar in the basin regularly.

Like all fungal remedies, the vinegar cure for toe nail fungus takes time – it may take up to a year – but proponents of this method report that it does work as long as you soak or apply vinegar each and every day until the infection is gone. Apple cider vinegar for toenail fungus, taken internally, may speed things up as well.

If topical applications of vinegar help cure toenail fungus by acidifying the nail, apple cider vinegar for toenail fungus reportedly works from within, attacking the infection where it lies protected beneath the thick toenail. Two tablespoons three times a day is the recommended dose. Many people dislike the taste of apple cider vinegar, and add it to another beverage, such as fruit juice or a carbonated beverage. Keep in mind that acid drinks may damage tooth enamel over time, so rinse thoroughly or brush your teeth afterwards if you are taking apple cider vinegar for toenail fungus treatment.

When your toenails are restored to their former healthy appearance, and you are able to discontinue the vinegar soak, remember to take care of your feet to avoid a recurrence of toenail fungus infection. Keep your feet clean and dry and your toenails clipped short. If you used apple cider vinegar for toenail fungus, you might want to continue taking it: lore has it that it has other beneficial properties, and some apple cider vinegar a day might just keep fungus away.

David Bloom is an avid health enthusiast and a regular contributor to a variety of health websites. He is the author of Nail Fungus Treatment, a blog dedicated to the treatment of fingernail and toenail fungus.

For toe nail fungus protection:

* Wear footwear out in public areas – always wear footwear in public places like showers and bathrooms. This is one of the worst places for foot fungus. Always wear shoes when outside if possible.
* Don’t wear socks when you sleep – sweaty socks are teaming with bacteria. Always take them off when you go to sleep at night.

For the removal of nail fungus:

* Cut toenails as low as possible – Trim your toe-nails down as low as you can without hurting or cutting too close to the sensative skin area.
* Then soak in vinegar – Vinegar works to cure acute nail fungus infections. However, it won’t work on heavier infections as vinegar won’t be able to make it to the root of your nail fungus infection.
* Try Listerine foot baths – Sometimes vinegar won’t work depending on the strand of foot fungus. I have heard from a lot of people that listerine foot baths work well – however keep in mind for any foot bath you need to soak your feet in there for at least 20-30 minutes/day for a number of weeks.

If you have a heavier nail fungus infection, home remedies aren’t enough – If you think you have a heavier infection, check out my resource box below for a good solution.

If vinegar and Listerine doesn’t cure a foot infection, there is a heavier duty solution available. I highly recommend you try ZetaClear – this stuff works wonders and can totally clear up an infection in about 2 weeks. Check out my own personal review of it here: http://www.nastytoenailfungus.com/zetaclear-review-an-amazing-toenail-fungus-remover-works-like-a-charm/

How can you keep your toes clean and help fight off that nasty fungus? There are a few good tricks that you can do by yourself at home to help. First, one of the best things you can do to help with the fungus is clean the infected area very often using an anti-fungus supplement of some type. Keep the toe area as dry as possible, make sure you do not have shoes and socks on whenever you have the opportunity to take them off. Keep in mind that a fungal infection is a contagious one, being around others that have toe infections increases your chance of catching the fungus if you have your toes exposed to theirs in a place such as a public swimming pool, or a gym shower. For this reason, always keep your toes protected when in public.

You should always take these precautions before the fungus spreads to your other toes, once the toe fungus does spread to the other toes then it is very hard to stop the reaction. There are many ways to help with your toe fungus infection that sufferers refer to as remedies. They include but are not limited to using vinegar, beer soaks, and lemon grass. These are only temporary solutions to help with the pain that toe fungus brings about and do not cure the infection. The only thing you can do to help rid your toe fungus is to get a good medication like I did.

You can learn more about fungus, and review the markets top rated toe fungus fighting products at this website: Toenail Fungus Cure. More informative toenail fungus articles to come.

Can Tea tree oil really treat toenail fungus?

You’ll find plenty of stories about why tea tree oil is one of those fool-proof toenail fungus treatments. It is a highly popular natural remedy for nail fungus, particularly among those who wish to avoid prescription medications for their possible side effects.

Bottled tea tree oil used to treat toe nail fungus comes from the Australian tea tree, whose Latin name is melaleuca alternifolia. It has long been discussed as a possible source of antibacterial, anti-fungal, and anti-viral remedies, and there is some evidence to suggest that it may indeed possess certain properties that make it a suitable treatment for toenail fungus. Yet, there is nothing yet to suggest that tea tree oil will become a scientifically and medically accepted prescription medication anytime soon.

But how exactly does tea tree oil work as a nail fungus remedy? Well, if it has been especially prepared as a remedy for toe nail fungus, tea tree oil will likely be only one of the ingredients in the potion, being blended with other essential oils that are also supposed to treat toenail fungus. Among other oils/liniments used to supplement tea tree oil are dimethylsulfoxide, Vaseline, Vicks Vaporub, and iodine. However, no scientific research has, till date, proven their special powers as remedies for toenail fungus.

Because tea tree oil possesses anti-fungal and antiseptic properties, it is believed that you will obtain satisfactory results by directly applying it to the affected area. It is also supposed to be effective in treating other fungal infections like dandruff and ring worm but personally speaking, I have seen little evidence of tea tree oil’s ability to treat toenail fungus.

Is vinegar the toenail fungus remedy it is claimed to be?

And now, what of vinegar? Well, the supposed efficacy of vinegar is essentially based on its acidic properties, which hampers the growth of toenail fungus. Therefore, the idea is that if you apply vinegar daily, you will eventually restrict the growth of the fungus to the point where it will vanish and leave you with clean, freshly grown toenails.

Apparently, ordinary white vinegar will do the trick if you take a footbath in it for long enough – about a year – but you have to keep at it every day, for 30 minutes at least each day. You may also directly apply the vinegar twice or thrice a day or wear a vinegar-soaked bandage. Some folks also recommend apple cider vinegar as a remedy for toenail fungus, to be taken internally. The popular dosage is two tablespoons thrice daily, but remember, this is acetic acid we are talking about, so it may damage your tooth enamel if you don’t rinse your mouth after taking it.

Luckily, powerful solutions do exist.

I have searched all over the place and I finally found a solution that does the job. The solution ZetaClear not only did it clear up my toenail infections, it did it in very little time. Over about 2 weeks of applying the solution, I noticed a drastic reduction of my toe nail fungus. The best part about this solution as you can apply it to individual nails instead of having to waste a lot of time soaking your feet in the footbaths like Listerine and vinegar. Check out my resource box below for more information on this awesome treatment.

If you have a bad toenail infection, I highly recommend you give ZetaClear a try. Unlike Vinegar and Listerine, this stuff is really concentrated and powerful – powerful enough to kill the root of your nail fungal infection. Check out my personal review of Zeta Clear here: http://www.nastytoenailfungus.com/zetaclear-review-an-amazing-toenail-fungus-remover-works-like-a-charm