Nails are the hard shell kind of growth that covers our fingers and toe ends. Nails protect our extremities and also help in strengthening our grasp. However, they are also one of the most neglected parts of our body and most of us do not look at our nails beyond clipping them regularly. But regular care is important for your nail if you find them getting discoloured or brittle. At times it could be attack of nail fungus which if not taken care of can lead to complete loss of nail.
Excessive consumption of anti-biotics, poor hygiene, humid conditions can lead to fungal infection of nails. Common symptoms of nail fungus are discoloration, detachment of nail and mild to severe pain. In this write up we will discuss various natural treatments for nail fungus.
Natural Treatments For Nail Fungus
Yogurt
Yogurt contains millions of live bacteria and is therefore also called probiotic. Our body is home to various good bacteria that aid in healthy digestion and skin. They are also responsible for keeping natural fungal growth on our skin and inside our body in control by feeding on it. Therefore, introducing bacteria on fungal infection is one of the best ways to eliminate the infection.
Apply yogurt on your nails and leave it for about half an hour, repeat this process 3-4 times in a day for speedy results. You may also add lemon juice in yogurt which has brightening properties, as the yogurt destroys fungus, lemon juice will help in restoring the natural colour of nails.
Neem
Neem is an anti-microbial herb and there are many ways in which neem can be used for combating the fungal infection. Take a bunch of neem leaves and grind them with some yogurt to obtain paste like consistency. Apply this paste on your nails 2-3 times in a day. You may also prepare neem after wash by boiling a big bunch of neem leaves in water for about 15 minutes. Strain this water and dip your hands for about 15 minutes in it once in day for a week.
Neem oil is also easily available and equally effective, in fact it has an advantage that you can apply it on your nails and step out easily. Take 2-3 drops of this oil on a cotton swab and apply it on each of your nails. Oil will also lend your nails a healthy shine as it works to destroy the fungal infection.
Honey
Honey is a natural anti-fungal and moisturizing agent. This makes it very ideal for treating fungal infection. You can use honey with lemon in order to make it a comprehensive treatment for alleviating infection, moisturizing the nail and brightening it.
Take a slice of lemon and apply some honey on it. Now squeeze the lemon gradually and slowly while rubbing it on your nails. Let it rest for about half an hour and you can repeat this process 2-3 times in a day depending on your requirement and time.
Aloe Vera
Aloe Vera is a great herb when it comes to fighting infections. Aloe Vera sprig has load of gel in it which can be extracted by cutting it across and shaving the gel along. This gel is colourless and odourless. You may store it for 2-3 days easily.
Aloe Vera gel can very easily replace your hand moisturizer and if you want it to smell nice then add 2-3 drops of any essential aromatic oil. Apply Aloe Vera gel 5-6 times in a day on dry nails. Aloe Vera will not only kill the fungal infection gradually but also moisturize your nail.
Tea Tree Oil
Tea tree oil is a very effective anti-fungal oil. However, because of its strength it is not recommended to be used in a pure form and must be diluted with other oils like coconut, lavender or mustard.
Though the combination will have an unpleasant odour but mixing tea tree oil with mustard oil is the best combination as mustard oil itself is a great anti-fungal oil. Apply this mixture on your nails regularly at least twice in a day for best results.
Mustard And Turmeric
This mixture is recommended only in cases where the infection is severe. The reason is simple that this remedy will leave yellow tinge on your nails which is very undesirable for most of the people. Take a spoon of raw turmeric powder, try to obtain a turmeric root for this purpose as processed and readymade turmeric carries the risk of adulteration.
To the turmeric powder, add a spoonful of mustard oil and mix thoroughly. Apply this paste on your nails and let it rest for 15 minutes. Wash with normal water and follow this remedy up with rubbing some lemon juice on your nails. Lemon juice is a natural bleach and will remove the yellow tinge from your nails to some extent.
Hygiene Regimen
A proper hygiene routine for nails is very important especially in cases of recurrence. Nails grow continuously not only vertical but also become wide. This makes the nail grow against the finger skin and make it prone to fungal infection as dust and foreign particles lodge themselves easily in that part of the nail. So ensure that you clip the edges of your nails regularly. Wash your nails in antiseptic or neem infused liquid.
Dry them thoroughly ones they have been washed and do not apply any moisturizer until they are reasonably dry. Applying creams and oils while your nails are wet can make a great breeding ground for infectious fungus. Ones in a while apply neem oil or Aloe Vera gel. While you have the infection refrain from applying nail paints and maintaining long nails.
It is also highly recommended that you do not use over the counter commercial nail and hand moisturizers, instead use undiluted and pure Aloe Vera Gel. Also make sure that your beauty parlour used sterilised and clean tools for giving you a manicure. It is recommended that you carry your own manicure kit which is easily available in stores. Many a times dirty tools used on multiple people during manicure can cause fungal infection.
Caution: Please use Remedies after Proper Research and Guidance. You accept that you are following any advice at your own risk and will properly research or consult healthcare professional.
