Method To Use Tea Tree Oil To Treat Nail Fungus

Nail fungus or Onychomycosis can be a difficult situation to deal with. It is a common occurrence in people who live in warmer regions where fungus thrives. It is usually caused by fungal growth in the nail bed due to trapped moisture and can also occur due to swimming or excessive sweating.

The fungal infection first begins to appear as a yellow or white coloured spot under the tip of the toenail or finger. With time, this infection can lead to the decolourization and thickening of the nails. In severe cases, it can even affect the person’s ability to use his fingers, toes, hands or feet. Timely treatment of the infection can cure it completely. However, if left untreated, it can even lead to cracking, splitting and eventually the loss of a toenail.

There are many natural home remedies that can be used to treat nail fungus. One such effective remedy is using tea tree oil. Multiple studies over the years have proven the age-old remedy of tea tree oils for nail fungus. This includes a 2013 study that proves that tea tree oil successfully reduced the growth of the Trichophyton rubrum virus, a virus that commonly causes infections such as nail fungus and athlete’s foot in just 14 days. In 1999, a study was done on people suffering from toenail fungus where they consistently used a medicated cream that contained tea tree oil and butenafine hydrochloride and as a result, they did not have any fungal infections or relapses.

Other studies have shown that tea tree oil has strong antifungal properties which make it effective in the treatment of nail fungus, without recurrences.

How To Prepare Nails Before Applying Tea Tree Oil?

Before you use tea tree oil on your nails, it is important to prepare the nails so that the oil can effectively treat the nail fungus. If the nails are not prepared properly, the oil will not get absorbed into the nail bed for its intended effect.

Things You Will Need

Nail clipper
Fine, medium and coarse nail files
Cotton swabs

Method

- Trim all the edge area of the nail that is heavily affected by the fungus. It is important to remove as much of the infected nail as possible so that the infection does not spread to the healthy parts of the nail.

- Since it is not easy to cut areas of the nail infected by the fungus sometimes, if there are any areas left, file them down. Use a nail file for this and remove the remaining areas by filing them away. This is done so that as much of the nail infection is removed before treating it with the tea tree oil.

- After cutting and filing away most of the infected areas of the nail, you need to wash away any of the infection debris that may be left behind. Even if it is not visible to the naked eye, it is still important to not skip this step. To do this, wash the nails with water and a shower gel that is skin friendly and pH balanced.

- One of the main reasons why nail fungus occurs is excess moisture in the nail bed. Thus, by not drying your nails after washing them, you are creating a warm and damp environment for the fungus to thrive in. Make sure that you carefully dry your nails by patting and pressing them against a dry towel. Do not agitate or irritate them by rubbing them vigorously against the towel. Keep scrubbing action to a minimum.

How to Apply Tea Tree Oil on Your Nails?

Tea tree oil is an extremely active and potent ingredient. Remember to dilute the tea tree oil in a suitable carrier oil such as coconut oil, argan oil, almond oil or jojoba oil in the ratio of 5-10% tea tree oil in the rest of carrier oil.

After preparing the nails, it is time to apply the oil treatment.

Method

- Apply a few drops of the diluted tea tree oil onto a cotton swab. Using a cotton swab or a cotton bud will make sure that the fungus infecting your nails does not spread from your hand to your foot or vice versa.

- Ensure that you are spot treating all the areas of the nails affected by the fungus and the skin surrounding the nail as well. Let the oil get absorbed into the nails completely. Do not use socks or shoes right after applying the oil to your toenails as it can rub off the oil.

- Re-apply the oil at least twice or thrice a day. Consistent use will lead to consistent results. It is advised to continue this treatment for a few more days after the fungal infection is treated to prevent any relapses.

- If you feel you’re allergic to tea tree oil, discontinue the usage.