How to Use Tea Tree Oil for Toenail Fungus
Nail fungus, which is more commonly referred to as onychomycosis in the medical field, is considered to be a very stubborn fungal infection that can last for many years if it is left untreated. While the symptoms of nail fungus are not going to be very hard for you to detect, it means that you will be able to catch them early on and get started on the right type of treatment while the fungus is still in its early stages.
When you do have nail fungus, you will notice that it typically starts with a discolored streak that is on the surface of the nail or even on the underside of the nail. This streak will eventually lead your nail to becoming either brown or gray in color, and you will also notice that your nail will have thickened, deformed, and even become brittle. As the nail infection gets worse, it can cause your nail to become unpleasant to look at and even potentially painful when you are walking.
When it comes to nail fungus, there are going to be some certain factors that will make you much more susceptible to it. Some of those factors include:
- Your genetics
- A weakened immune system that was caused by some type of medical condition that you are currently having, such as diabetes
- Sharing footwear or other types of personal items with somebody who is already infected with the nail fungus
- Walking with barefoot on ground that is dirty and moist
- Catching the nail fungus from a public place with lots of people, such as the public pool
If you do have toe nail fungus, you may think that if you leave it alone for long enough, it is eventually going to go away all by itself. If this is believed, there is also a good chance that you will not be using any type of treatment until the fungus infection starts to cause you pain when you are walking or if it causes you to feel embarrassed.
However, the use of expensive and strong over-the counter medications is actually able to cause you more damage than good, as there are going to be some very adverse side effects that you will potentially experience along with the medication, especially if you are already dealing with a weakened immune system.
With that being said however, you can use an organic and natural tea tree oil in order to treat your stubborn toenail fungus. If you do decide that the natural and organic method is right for you, you are going to want to use an Australian tea tree oil, as it is going to bring you the best results and be the most effective method of treatment. If you don’t think that using a natural oil is going to be able to work as well as one of the different commercial fungal medications available, then you have another thing coming and will be shocked to discover that the natural tea tree oil remedy will be much more effective.
Tea Tree Oil for Nail Fungus
Tea tree oil is originally derived from the Melaleuca Alternifolia, which is more commonly referred to as the Australian tea tree. While this tree does grow very abundantly throughout Australia, it is also able to be found in several other countries as well. For hundreds and hundreds of years, tea tree oil has actually been used in many different types of herbal remedies in order to treat and prevent some of the various health problems out there. On top of that, it is also going to be very effective when it comes to a wide variety of different dermatological disorders and conditions. With such a wide variety of different medical uses, you may be wondering to yourself what the reason for why tea tree oil is so effective. Here is why tea tree oil is so effective when it comes to helping cure some of the medical conditions that it cures.
- Tea tree oil is packed full of antimicrobial and antiseptic properties that are very effective when it comes to fighting different types of nail and skin infections, even if those infections are very resistant.
- It is extremely easy to use, especially if you are supposed to be applying it on a daily basis.
- Tea tree is a very powerful and all-natural fungicide, hence making it an extremely effective treatment for any toenail fungus. It has actually been found to be very similar to the drug clotrimazole, which is one of the more popular commercial antifungal drugs that is prescribed for the treatment of toenail fungus infections.
- Tea tree oil is normally going to be much more affordable than some of the other high-cost commercial brand toenail fungus drugs, which makes it a much wiser and more practical choice for many as it is going to help save them hundreds and even potentially thousands of dollars when it comes to antifungal treatments that have not necessarily been proven to work as described.
- Tea tree oil is not going to be limited to only toenail fungus alone. In fact, you can also use the tea tree oil to help treat several other types of skin disorders, some of which include cold sores, psoriasis, eczema, and acne.
Tea Tree Oil to Get Rid of Toenail Fungus
When you decide that you are going to use tea tree oil instead of the much more expensive and less effective commercially sold toenail fungus medications, it is also going to be a much safer way of treating your nail fungus. You are going to be getting much better and faster results, but without any of the already known side effects that are attached to the more popular commercial toenail fungus drugs.
When you allow your onychomycosis to be left untreated or have failed to use your tea tree oil in the correct way, it can potentially lead you to experiencing some disappointment as you have not achieved your desired outcome. This can potentially lead you to experiencing much more pain from your toenail, or even losing the entire toenail altogether. If you are serious about getting your desired results, it is going to be very important that you are following the right guidelines whenever you will be preparing your toenails and actually applying the teat tree oil for the most effectivity.
Prepping Your Toenail for the Application of Tea Tree Oil
Before you start to apply tea tree oil to your infected toenails, you are going to want to follow some preparation tips which will allow the tea tree oil to better penetrate your infected nail, which will in turn get you much better and quicker results. To start, be sure that you clip your toenails prior to any kind of oil application.
If your toenail fungus is a more severe case, you may find that there are some parts of your toenails which are actually ‘dead’. If you do find that you have some dead parts of your toenail, by trimming those parts you will be allowing healthy nail to grow back in its place more quickly. On top of that, another benefit of trimming away any dead nails is that the tea tree oil will be able to penetrate below your nail and get to the fungus much quicker. If your toenails have thickened, you may need to get a different pair of toenail clippers in order to trim the nails to the appropriate size.
Once your nails have been fully clipped, you will next need to use a nail file in order to file the nails down. This is going to ensure that even the smallest pieces of dead nail have been completely removed from your toes. It will also expose more of the infected area, meaning that it will be easier to get the oil on it. Once your nails have been filed down, clean your toes and nails with soap in order to kill any bacteria, germs or other organisms that may affect the tea tree oil from working correctly. After your toenails and feet have been cleaned, be sure that you dry off your feet and toes completely. This will help prevent any further fungal growth from occurring.
Applying the Tea Tree Oil
Once your toenails have been prepped and are ready for the application of the tea tree oil for toenail fungus, it is always recommended that you do a test with a small amount of oil first. This will make sure that you will not experience any adverse side effects from the oil. If you do happen to have an adverse effect, simply dilute the tea tree oil with a carrier oil such as olive oil.
Using a cotton ball, put a few drops of the oil onto your infected toenails and allow to air dry. This will make sure that the oil has a chance to soak into your infected toenails, leading to a much faster healing process. You are going to want to repeat this procedure two times per day until the infected nail is no longer infected.
