Vinegar Treatment for Toenail Infection

Toenail infections are caused by fungi growing beneath the nail, irritating the skin and causing pain. Infected toenails are generally discolored, itchy, extremely brittle and extremely sensitive to touch. Vinegar has been hailed as a natural treatment for toenail infections as the acidity of vinegar can kill the fungus. However, vinegar will only treat an early infection. An infection more than two weeks old should be treated by a doctor only.

Vinegar Treatment

• As soon as you notice an infection, apply two drops of white or apple cider vinegar to the infected toe. Rub the vinegar into and under the nail and allow the toe to soak up the liquid. White vinegar is acceptable, but apple cider vinegar will reduce pain and inflammation. For a more rigorous treatment, combine equal parts apple cider vinegar and hydrogen peroxide. Apply the drops every other day.

  Soak your feet in a 1 to 1 ratio of apple cider vinegar and warm water for 30 minutes every day. According to Disabled World, more people report successful treatment when soaking their feet three times a day. After soaking, towel-dry your feet, taking care that each toe, especially the infected one, is completely dry before carrying on with your day. Fungus thrives in warm, moist environments and most develop as a result of sweaty socks and shoes. Soaking your feet in vinegar will be useless if you do not completely dry your feet afterward.

Further Precautions

• Wear open-toed shoes as much as possible and keep your feet dry at all times. When you do wear closed-toed shoes, make sure your toes have plenty of room to wiggle and move. Do not try to hide your infection with nail polish or varnish as this will only irritate the toe and prolong the infection. Always dry your feet as thoroughly as possible after every shower or soaking. If your infection worsens or shows no improvement after two weeks of home treatment, consider visiting your doctor. Toenail infections are notoriously difficult to get rid of and the sooner you have medical treatment, the easier it will be to cure.