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Once you know you have toenail fungus, you want to get rid of it as soon as possible. Here are 4 tips to follow when treating toenal fungus:
Understand the state of your condition
Most people can treat their toenail fungus right at home. However, if your condition has amounted to black discoloring, severely disfigured toenails and even nails falling off you have a severe case of nail fungus and should see a doctor. Doctors can prescribe oral medication that will help to zap the nail fungus away faster than home remedies; however, the medicine is fairly expensive. In some cases a doctor may suggest surgically removing the seriously infected nails so that a new, healthy nail has the chance to grow in and start over.
Select a treatment
If you are taking prescription drugs from your doctor, make sure to take them as prescribed and on a regular basis. Skipping doses will only prolong your nail fungus. A doctor can help you understand which prescription drug is the right choice for you.
If you are opting for home treatment I suggest using essential tea tree oil for treating toenal fungus. Tea tree oil works as an antifungal that actively attacks the nail fungus while simultaneously working as a barrier on your skin to prevent nail fungus from growing and building up any more than it already has. It is also completely natural and will not harm your body.
Other toenail fungus treatments include using vinegar, coconut oil, olive oil, and Vicks Vapo-rub on your toenails.
Clip away
Treating toenal fungus requires you or a doctor to clip as much of the infected nail off as possible before applying treatment. This prevents dirt and grime from building up under the edge of your toenails as which feeds toenail fungus.
File down
You or your doctor need to file your toenails down to their regular size. Fungus often causes a nail to thicken and grow up instead of out. You need to file the nail down as much as possible to remove the fungus and allow external treatments to penetrate the nail.
Disinfect
It is best to use metal tools when dealing with nail fungus because it is easier to disinfect them. Soak your nail clipper and nail file in rubbing alcohol for at least 10 minutes and let them air dry before reusing them or letting another member of your household use them.
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