Ted's Remedies

This is where I have most of my experience as this is one of the athlete's most common problems. Even nail manicurists have problems getting rid of this. The fastest way to get rid of toenail fungus or fingernail is vinegar mixed with a 3% hydrogen peroxide. The mixture 50/50. Keep adding it with a dropper or soak until there is no fizzing (if it is severe) and when there is minimum discoloration. Some people will feel as slight pinch after awhile.

This is then followed by getting your hands soaked in a Clorox bleach (in U.S. you use Clorox, in Thailand we used Haiter). A strong concentration is 1 cap per 1/2 glass of water, stir and soak. And leave your finger with fungus for about 1/2 minute. If severe fungus then try 1 cap Clorox to 4 caps water. Again leave for about 1/2 minute. Chlorine will be absorbed through the fingernails during that time.

Rinse in water and dry it and follow this with a 50/50 mix of vaseline and tea tree oil. Put in on the fingernail and put on Band-Aid (in Thailand we use tensoplast) and leave it on for a whole day and repeat the vinegar and H2O2 again, followed by this 50/50 mix of vaseline and tea tree oil again. Doing this for at least 3-4 days. And it should be all gone. Actually it should be gone in 2 days if the required maintenance of reinfection remains. Please remember that Band-Aid is not absolutely required depending on circumstances. It just helps you save time in preventing the reapplication throughout the whole day. I much prefer, especially for the fingernails, to reapply it for a whole week to keep that tea tree oil -vaseline throughout the day. In case of a toenail, especially if you use tennis shoes or shoes that prevent air circulation or no sunlight, then it Band-Aid and vaseline-tea tree application maybe necessary.

The problem about this fungus problem is not the problem of getting rid of them. That's easy, H2O2 and Vinegar reacts into a very powerful peracetic which is reactive against fungus followed this by Clorox! And the second problem I solved is how to get an anti-fungal staying on the fingernail long enough to destroy them, which is vaseline and tea tree oil. The BIG problem is the fungus that exists in socks, shoes and moisture which makes fingernails or toe nail vulnerable to another fungus reinfection. Use clorox bleaches for socks and change socks EVERY DAY. During the working hour, if possible avoid tennis shoes or shoes which prevent ventilation. For fingernails, avoid getting the hands wet especially dishwashing. To avoid it either wash dishes with a waterproof clean plastic or rubber gloves or use a dishwashing machine. Avoid getting the hands except when necessary. If the hand is wet, then you must apply pure tea tree oil (no more bandaids after 2-3 days every time it does get wet.

Finally those who have fingernail fungus, avoid using any nail polish as most colored nail polish covers up the fingernail, causing or encouraging fungus growth. Fungus DOES NOT like sunlight. Getting your hands expose of fungus and sunlight is helpful. In countries where weather is cold, people often use dark gloves, however they are often not laundered. Try to get gloves laundered once a day, if possible using clorox bleach or other bleaches such as sodium percarbonate (better than chlorine bleaches and safer) or the old standby of sodium perborate.

I have recommended this variation to many people and it works every time. Unfortunately, most who came to me are usually too late and the fungus was so severe, they lost nearly all their toenails or fingernails. It is therefore necessary that you do it before it gets any worse.

To leave in closing, people who have fungus infection long enough may have blood stream with possible fungus infection. For those who who are familiar with peroxide therapy, I suggest you research the subject as a potential therapy to get rid of low level fungus in the blood. This will prevent fungus from getting widespread. I remember reading somewhere that before a person gets cancer, they also have a fungus problem.

Also fungus problem of fingernail is also evidence that your body is also deficient in some other minerals. When you are deficient you are also very susceptible to fingernail/toenail fungus infection.

A possible sign of this is if people whose fingernails are brittle most easily get fungus in toenail or fingernail as there are tiny cracks in your nails allowing the nasty fungus to hide.

You can test the brittleness of fingernails quite easily! An ordinary fingernail if you cut up your fingernail and bend is 90 degrees, a normal fingernail will not break completely. My fingernail is better than normal, it will bend even all the way and still will not break. When it does get brittle, it might mean your body is silicon deficient, magnesium deficient and very likely that your body blood serum is high in calcium. Too much calcium is a common problem. Another overlooked problem is places where water is fluorinated it tends to cause your fingernail and bones to become brittle as well as your fingernails - so avoid fluoridated water. Fingernails are a good indicator for future events when you get old or whether you will have osteoporosis. As long as your fingernails remain flexible, it is a good sign that the bones are not brittle.

You can supplement them with silicon or magnesium. The details of supplementation is beyond the topic of this email. Also, people who have brittle fingernails do not get complete protein supplementation or have poor source of proteins. Proteins keep fingernails tough and resistant as well as your bones - not calcium. Calcium is like a chalk you write on the blackboard, but what makes them so difficult to break and resistant to fungus due to lack of brittleness is the protein. Foods rich in hyaluronic acid are also important.

However, you need to follow the mentioned regimen which will best get rid of fingernail fungus. Get your hands/feet dry as quickly as possible. It is a common practice after washing or bathing to just let them dry by themselves. This is a mistake. Use alcohol or wipe them clean dry after getting wet is extremely important as fungus loves water and moisture. Keep carpets and rugs free of fungus by using hydrogen peroxide during the cleaning of them and this will prevent reinfection. Use well ventilated shoes such as sandals if it is toe nail problem. Avoid gloves if it is a fingernail problem. Avoid hand dishwashing if it is at all possible.

In Thailand, fungus is a difficult problem to get rid of since the source water usually comes from the use of illegal well water instead of from public utilities.

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